Xmas 2011

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. We did. A very busy one but a good one at that. I am now happy to be hibernating at home after two very busy days seeing both sides of the family.

This was the first year we attempted to take Peyton to church. I think Austen made it through the whole Xmas mass when we brought him when he was her age. Peyton made it through three quarters of church. She wasn't understanding why she couldn't just talk in her normal voice or shout in church. When she was shouting it was usually something like her full name (which she just learned) - "Peyton Amanda Szurgot!" Or it was "Papa!" Who was sitting in the row in front of us. Austen was mesmerized by the stations of the cross on the wall and couldn't believe anyone would make someone carry a heavy cross or beat them or where a crown of thorns. He's going to love CCD!

Xmas morning the kids were excited to open their presents. Austen woke up first about 7:20 a.m. And he didn't run to the tree. He only ran to our room to get the remote for the TV (which we confiscate and he has to ask for on weekends so we make sure he doesn't wake up at 5 a.m. to watch cartoons). When we reminded him that Santa came he was pretty excited to see all the presents and note that Santa ate all of his cookies and drank all of the milk he left him.

Since Peyton had a late night the night before, we let her sleep and Austen open his presents. He got pretty excited to open his remote controlled car but the best line he probably had all day was when he opened a shirt he got from Grandma Lou and Papa and proclaimed " this is for work!" (It was a dress shirt.) Here is Austen opening some of his gifts.



Peyton enjoyed opening her presents too. She tore wrapping paper piece by piece and her funny moment came when she opened her first present and Austen asked her "what is it?" And she proclaimed "a box!" Of course she hadn't opened the box to see the real presents!



Christmas wrapped up nicely with Austen doing karaoke to Xmas carols at Grandma Szurgots house. He even convinced his dad who never sings to do a solo.

I'd say we have a lot to be thankful for this Xmas.

Austen's Holiday Concert

This year both Tom and I made it to Austen's holiday concert. Last year, Tom wasn't able to go and I think he regretted it the entire year. This is exactly the kind of thing that makes you love being a parent. Seeing your kid work so hard for some type of command performance and being fortunate enough to see them perform it. It was priceless last year and it ranked right up there this year as one of my favorite Austen moments.

Austen sang various songs with his class including Jingle Bell Rock and Feliz Navidad. Check out our little performer....
this one is him singing Jingle Bell Rock which was his favorite (even though I had to remind him to smile halfway through so you'll see him paste one on his cute little face). He made us be quiet whenever it came on the radio at home and in the car so he could sing.



This next clip I absolutely love because it's not of him singing at all but tickling the girls standing next to him. The mom of the girl standing next to him approached me after the show saying did you see Lydia and Austen up there?! I said, I sure did and got it all on tape. See for yourself what happened.



This next one is just as funny. Here is Austen singing Feliz Navidad and you can tell he's really enjoying himself until the end when he forgets to put his hand over his heart as he was singing "I want to wish you a Merry Christmas from the bottom of my heart!" Well now the girl standing behind him notices he wasn't executing the right move and decides to assist him. Check out the dirty look he gives her!



Austen may have had a star performance but the rock star that afternoon was Tom. Some parents were taking their children out to lunch and then home after the performance but I had my work holiday party to attend and Tom was supposed to go back to work. Clearly upset, Austen waited silently in line to return to his classroom. How could we send him back to school after seeing him like that? So Tom made the decision to take the rest of the day off. They lunched at "Old McDonalds" aka McDonald's and spent the afternoon together.

It was an afternoon to remember and a reminder that no work is as important as making your child feel they are an important part of your life.

Visiting Santa

So age two must have been the year that Austen didn't like Santa either. It seems strange that it was only three years ago but I can't remember if he did or didn't unless I look back at the pictures and note that somehow he didn't have one with Santa when he was two. Well, Peyton is almost two and she wanted nothing to do with sitting on Santa's lap. She took candy from him, she talks about him and she'll observe him from afar but sit on that jolly, old man's lap...never!

So Austen is the one who told Santa what he wanted for Xmas.



Both kids are getting ready and are enjoying all the holiday things to do like decorating the tree and watering it! Getting socking presents from Santa each week and singing and listening to holiday music. They are really experiencing the spirit of this time of year and we are enjoying watching them revel in it from ice skating (that's another post for a different day) to seeing the Macy's Xmas windows to sipping hot chocolate and checking out the neighborhood's holiday lights. It's our most favorite time of the year as a family.

Austen Learns to Tie His Shoes

When I was a little girl, my grandma taught me how to tie my shoes. It was summer and I was living in New Jersey so I was probably almost five. My grandma had come to visit and I remember that everyone was paying attention to my fairly new little brother and no one would help me tie my shoes! I remember going to my room and being so mad. I had these blue Winnie the Pooh sneakers but I couldn't wear them because they were tie shoes (and it was the 70s and velcro wasn't in yet). My grandma came up soon thereafter and sat with me until I learned how to tie my own shoes.

My grandma is no longer with us today and I can't remember how she taught me to tie my own shoes but I enjoyed acknowledging her and the important role she played in my life as I taught Austen how to tie his shoes recently.

Remembering that I was almost five when I learned how to tie my own shoes, I suggested that we buy Austen a pair so he could practice. (He usually wears velcro to school since they want kids to be able to put on their own shoes.) So we did and he has been wearing them on the weekends and practicing so he can wear them to school.

He finally mastered the tying. Next up - the double knot - then I will let him wear them to school!