The Amazing Adventures of Catherine

The Number One Snuggler

 

The Night Before Christmas

My parents recorded  their reading of Twas the NIght Before Christmas in this sweet book/taping device that my Mom found at Hallmark.  Not only did it allow them to tell the classic tale to Gabey and Bri, but it is a beautifully illustrated edition too. It was such a great surprise to open it and hear their voices! My camera memory failed me as I was capturing this, hence the abrupt ending to the video...argh...but here's the boys, including Trevor, listening intently about a visit from St. Nick...

Pops and Nana's Book of Love from Catherine Wright on Vimeo.

Gabey Angel

Gabe is getting bigger all the time, looking less and less the Yoda-like newborn, and more and more the citizen of the  world.  He continues to enchant us with his angelic face and temperament.  He's only five  weeks old and already I can't imagine life without him.

 
 

  
 
 
 

Cookies for the Firehouse

Brian escorted his Nanny on our trip to Trader Joe's for cookie-related provisions. It being a rainy day, naturally he had to suit up in his fireman raingear. Trader's has these little "customer in training" carts which were perfect for the occasion.

 
 

Party Time, or, Meeting the Big Guy

The Saturday before Christmas, we all headed to the Skiles' holiday party, where it was rumored that Santa would visit.  Kevin and Milly have been remodelling their Mill Valley home since the summer, and it has turned out beautifully.  Apparently it was in rough shape when they bought it, but you sure couldn't tell that now.  It's just a really cool space, and it looked lovely for the holidays.  Brian met Santa but did not make it onto his lap...instead, he was delighted by Santa's gift of Hershey's kisses.  (His assessment of Santa later on was "Santa brings chocolate, Mama."  Gabey did canoodle with the Big Guy for the first time, though, and it was too cute.

 

 
 

Santa! from Catherine Wright on Vimeo.

Trudy Saves Christmas

With the arrival of Gabe right around Thanksgiving, Jason's work being hectic, and me taking on some last minute market research work at three weeks postpartum...suffice to say it didn't look a lot like Christmas around here.  No tree, no lights, and no cheerfully planned holiday activities.  The best of intentions just don't magically become a well decorated reality. I admit to feeling a little disappointed in myself. Thanks to all of our relatives from Virginia and Jersey, there are packages wrapped in pretty paper...but as far as what Mom and Dad had created, it was going to be a pell mell last minute affair in Santadom. 

December 17...Enter Trudy, or, Nanny, as she is known to the boys.  With her light touch and gentle steering, Christmas began to develop. 

 First, we were off to Trader Joe's for the ingredients for holiday cookies - with both hates-to-shop Brian and baby Gabe in tow.  I will be doing this by myself as a regular gig soon enough, but had not yet ventured out with both babes yet, given Bri's patchy history with grocery stores.  Despite the rain, the outing went beautifully, with Brian behaving merrily as though he thought he'd been transported to his usual playground.  The house was later filled with the aroma of chocolate chip brownies, followed the next day by Trudy's trademark Russian teacakes, which, yum.  Items got mailed that needed to be, and dinners were planned.  We all even made it out to a Christmas open house on Saturday night! Trudy then spearheaded the Great Toys R Us Mission, which entailed selecting Brian's Big Present...every toddler boy's favorite train table with tracks, etc.  Cousin Harrison contributed some Thomas the Tank Engine figures to start Brian off with his new toy, and we are hoping that S. Claus will bring a few more. This is going to be a very big deal at our house.  Moreover, thanks to Toys R, I now have stocking stuffers, and even some special Bob the Builder wrapping paper - and the two year old in question even slept through the entire shopping trip, pushed in his stroller by his Nanny.  Unbelievable.  Brian has been having a lot of fun with his Nanny here too - books read, naps skipped, meals prepared, and best of all, just the extra attention that I have had some difficulty giving with a newborn around. 

A lovely tree was brought home by Jason after a little nudging from the womenfolk, and it is officially trimmed as of last night.  Brian is loving the ornaments, especially the Santa ones and a snowman sent to him by his Aunt Marg Sugarplum.  Gabey is entranced by the twinkling lights.  I've been spinning the Andrea Bocelli Christmas CD repeatedly (thanks Mom), which helps to set the  mood too.  And it's even cold here - cold for California - but still,  it's feeling a lot more like Christmas all the time. 

Thanks to Trudy.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo to her.

Birthday Boogie

This past Sunday was Mary's birthday, and so the kids and grownups celebrated over Andy's excellent hamburgers and Kristen's yummy "chocky" cake - the birthday girl's favorite.  It was a fun evening - Mary and Brian had a blast scampering around the house, playing in Mary's new kid-sized kitchen, and giggling enough to raise the roof.  THe kids were moving too fast for me to get a decent photo of the two of them, but in a rare moment of Jason behind the camera instead of me, we did get one of Gabey and his mama.
As Bri demonstrates here, they were really feeling the music too...

Partyin' from Catherine Wright on Vimeo.

Holiday Pajamarama

Thanks to Nana for the Christmas PJs!

Firefighter Brian

Perfect Little Pair

Have a look at Brian and Gabe on one of Gabey's first days home.  Brian was introducing him to Kipper the Dog - PBS is big at our house these days...

Brother in Arms from Catherine Wright on Vimeo.