The son, the son! Tradition!

 As a little girl, one of my favorite holiday memories was making cookies with my mom.  My absolute favorite part of it was eating the dough, which had a delightful nutmeg flavor.  To this day I am still obsessed with using nutmeg, especially in pancakes.  Yum!

I had wanted to try to start this similar type tradition with Jude using gingerbread cookies.  (Incidently if anyone has a really good gingerbread recipe, please give it to me!  Every year I try a new one and am sadly disappointed...)  Anyway, Jude ended up with pink eye that day so I cut out and baked all the cookies by myself.  Maybe next year we can bake together....

Then I figured well, I can set aside some cookies for him to decorate.  He will just have to eat those cookies and make sure no one else does.  When I was a kid and was more patient and a perfectionist, I put insane amounts of effort into the decorating process.  And I do mean process.  I definitely didn't expect Jude to be as detailed....

He didn't even attempt it.  I stuck him up here with a few cookies.  He definitely went to town on them.  But not decorating them.  He just went to town eating them.  Toddlers :)

In fact, my neat freak child DID NOT LIKE the icing.  He tried to clean it off and greatly lamented getting his hands dirty.

This was all me.  And it was the closest we got to cookie decorating traditions this year.  Next year perhaps?

PS. I don't think I can say the word tradition without wanting to break out in song.  Thank you Fiddler on the Roof.

Last year, I took a picture of a 13/14 month old Jude next to our tiny tree in the back yard.  I wanted to do the same this year.  It's crazy to see how much he's grown.  The tree not so much.  It's amazing how much I just don't have a baby anymore.  And a little sad to think about too.  But I really love how easy Jude is now.  The past couple days he's started saying "Let's Go" and grabbing my hand to go play with him.  Trains, of course.  Today he told me I love you so much mom.  He's so sweet and loving I can hardly stand it.  It's crazy how much you love your kids.  

Update

Here is a little photo/update on Jude as of late.  Have I mentioned before that I love 2 year olds?  I seriously do.  He's so much more fun nowadays.  Plus, its lovely to be able to verbally communicate with him.  It's usually pretty funny too!

Here is Jude talking on the phone perhaps?  Can't remember.  Sometimes he just is adorable and rests his hand against his face.

Jude has started saying 'cheese' for the camera when he sees me trying to take pictures of him.  This is pretty cute.  I'm not sure when I taught him to say that.  He seems to pick up everything these days, even if it happens 1 time.  The problem is that he doesn't say cheese in a way that creates a smile.  I get this goofy teethy look.

At least its still cute :)

Jude is too cool.  Somethings he is into saying these days:

* ice berries, ice juice, ice fruit- if it is made of fruit, it will have ice in front of it

* surprise!

* love you too mom :)

* woo hoo!

* my belly screen (belly)

* singing twinkle twinkle little star, spider in the rain, bubble song from yo gabba gabba

* A couple days ago we went to look at some Christmas trains.  When I told Jude about it, he says "Wow! That-Is-Great!"  And then when I reminded him we needed to get ready to go see the trains he said, "ok! sweet!"

He's a lot of fun.  I think I could stop time right here and keep him 2 years old forever.  Think I'll get that for Christmas?

O Christmas Tree

Our 2011 Christmas Tree:  I seriously love Christmas trees.  And all of the cozy traditions that come with Christmas.  I love winter and the chill of it all.  Which is why my Christmas tree will be up at least until the end of January.  For years, I mourned the day we took the tree down.  As I got my own tree I adopted the New Orleans don't take anything down until Janurary 6th tradition.  But in the last couple years, I realized to heck with it.  I'm an adult and can make my own decisions.  If I want to leave my tree up alllllll winter long, who can stop me.  No one!  I mean does it even make sense that we celebrate Christmas at the beginning of winter?  Why didn't the genius who picked December 25th pick a day in the dreariest part of winter when we really need something to be excited about.  Then we wouldn't feel so rushed between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, we would have all winter to savor the magic, and light be shining even when the days were cold and dark.  Seriously, if I ran the world....  But I do run my house- and this tree you see will be up through January.

To The Rescue

Is this not the cutest picture!?  I am pretty sure it's going to get framed soon!  This picture is from a couple weeks ago when we had a rainy Saturday morning.  We all wandered out in to said foreign wetness despite the cold.  And well, Kyah needed to go outside.  It was lovely.  Jude wore his boots, and while we were only outside maybe 120 seconds, I was able to get some cute shots!  I love the view of life behind my good camera!

Christmas Card 2011

Stationery card

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