Baby in a Box

Multiple hundreds of dollars were probably spent this holiday season on toys and cute outfits for Addie...but she seemed to enjoy this, from Uncle Jeafen's house, the most.

Christmas in the car

Our marathon of being merry is just about over. Tomorrow we head to Grandpa & Grandma Johnson's for some Christmas cheer, and then we can officially close the holiday season.

We arrived home in Chicago yesterday afternoon about 4:30 p.m. Since last Friday at 3:00 p.m. we had traveled to Cincinnati, Charleston and Indianapolis, enjoying the scenery in 5 different states. Our little car has packed on another 1175+ miles, and we have discovered that we can travel together peacefully for 17.5 hours (if broken into smaller increments).

After arriving in Cincinnati for the 2nd time Andy & I celebrated with these

Addison was ooohed and aaahed at, passed around from one set of arms to the other and generally entertained the Neyer, Coyle and Flaherty clans for hours on end.

Trip highlights
1. Uncle Brian came over to see Addison before the XU game, and she covered him in baby spit up. Awesome.

2. Addison learned what a seahorse sounds like...if you are wondering, ask Grandma Patty next time you see her.

3. At Neyer Christmas little Elise rounded the corner in her grandparents' basement pointed at Uncle Ed's display of golf balls and yelled "PawPaw your balls!"...I almost spit my yummy mashed potatoes across the room.

4. Meeting so many of the Flaherty clan

5. Getting to see Uncle Jeafen & Gramma Kathy at the same time!!

6. Addison meeting the Riggins boys...and immediately flirting.

7. A baby who entertained herself or slept during all our car time...what a perfect angel!

8. Upon arriving home, finding out that Sean has joined a Curling Team in Albany. We knew he'd adventually find a sport to excel in where drinking is mandatory. Well done, Sean.

Trip low light:

Coming home to find out that Miss Michelob was so angry at being left alone that she used our bed as a litter box. She has now officially used 11 of her nine lives. The mattress has been scrubbed with baking soda, oxyclean, febreeze and anything else I could find. All the bed clothes have been washed in bleach twice. Cat is still alive...much to Andy's dismay.

Two Peas....

In a pod....

Cutie Christmas

Babies aren't dolls. I know that. Dolls don't makes such stinky diapers that you start to gag. However, it is still fun to dress babies up.

I decided that since we have so many Christmas celebrations, I would get to put Addie in different fun, girly outfits.
Outfit #1: Christmas with Grandma & Grandpa Neyer and the Neyer clan. She spent most of the night gnawing at her sleeve, which by the time she passed out was soaking wet.

Outfit #2: Extended Neyer family. Oops, forgot to get a picture of this outfit. It ended up being a red velor pantsuit (see above, way cuter with chubby baby inserted in clothing) with patent leather shoes. It was supposed to be an adorable light blue corduroy jumper with deep red lining, but putting that on her was like trying to stuff sausage into its casing. Not a pretty sight.

Outfit #3: Uncle Brian got Addison this super frilly girl dress.

So frilly. So girly. So fabulous....how long until she gets it in her mouth? That skirt is going to taste GOOD!

Outfit #4: Gramma Kathy bought this for Addison when we were in Pittsfield. This was the travelling outfit for our Cincinnati - Charleston trip. Like a little North Pole elf...CUTE.

So, again, I know my baby is not a doll, but what is not fun about Christmas outfits??

Let Christmas begin

Our marathon Christmas holiday has begun! Earlier this week Addison, Andy & I opened up Christmas gifts from Grandma Kathy...Addie got quite a few adorable things, but her favorites are her new sock monkey and her flower chime garden. Andy was a little creeped out by the sock monkey, and somehow has never even heard of a sock monkey before....what sheltered childhood did that boy have?

Yesterday, she & I drove Andy to work and came home to clean and pack. Okay, well I cleaned and packed, she played on her mat and shrieked at the cat. By 2:30 we were on the road to Cincinnati. The trip took us longer than we wanted...terrible fog everywhere and an awful accident on 65 that tied us up for awhile. We finally made it to Grandma & Grandpa Neyer's, however, where Addison was promptly spoiled by Grandma & Grandpa, Aunt Kim & Uncle Rick and Aunt Nikki (hmmm, where was Uncle Brian???).

This evening we are celebrating Christmas with our immediate Neyer family and Great Grandma. Tomorrow we are celebrating with the extended Neyer family at Aunt Sue & Uncle Ed's. Monday we are celebrating with the entire Coyle family at Great Grandma's (for those of you who are interested that is 37 people, all who get gifts, all gifts are opened one at a time!!). Tuesday morning we hop in Santa's Sleigh (or our Mazda 3) and drive off to Charleston, WV to celebrate with most of the Flahertys (baby Jackson and his parents are staying in Columbus this year, and Ian is with his girlfriend...I guess there will be no cousin drinking games, which is good because I can no longer bounce back from a night of drinking, as evidenced by Thursday morning after a night out with Karen....OUCH!). We'll head back to Chicago on Wednesday(ish) and then we celebrate Christmas with the Johnson's on Saturday. Sweet jesus, that is a lot of being merry!

Happy Holidays to you all, if you're travelling, be safe!

The weather outside is frightful

Well, we made it to Pittsfield alive ~ just barely! Addison, Andy & I flew into Manchester NH Wednesday night, ate some super yummy Chili's (I love chain restaurants) and flopped into bed at the Marriott. Thursday morning Andy headed off to work and Addison and I waited for our chauffeurs to arrive, I mean Grandma and Auntie Barb.
We spent some time visiting with Lori and her daughter Emily in front of the Marriott's fireplace. Emily is 2 1/2 and the most precocious child you will ever meet. She has picked up a litany of new words at day care this year, including the F word, which she is able to use in appropriate context. Her latest trend is to say JESUS! when she is upset...Lori told her that it is not okay to yell JESUS when you are frustrated, so now Emily says JES-LOUISE-US. My new favorite word of course.
Anyway, after an hour or so of visiting we decided to hit the road, as there was a storm heading our way. What a good decision we made...the 2 1/2 hour trip from Lowell ended up taking over four hours. Our windshield iced over, we had zero visibility, and I had to get out of the car on 90 under a bridge to chip ice off the windshield. Good times. By the time it had stopped snowing, we got over 10 inches. Thank god on Tuesday I bought my new snuggy-warm winter boots. And for the record, Addison slept through all the traveling drama and was, as Keelin would say, the perfect baby.
We were supposed to fly out this afternoon, but we got another 4 inches of snow last night that is now being covered with sleet and freezing rain. Andy & I are hoping to catch a later flight tonight, or else he is going to work from Lowell tomorrow and we'll fly out sometime late afternoon.
Addison is loving it...she's being spoiled by Grandma and cuddled all day long. Grandma was nice enough to give Addison a new Elmo book...that makes noises. Thanks alot Grandma!

Sleep, sweet sleep

Addison has decided to be the very bestest baby in the world....I am sure I am jinxing myself by writing this, but baby girl has been going to bed by 8 p.m. and sleeping until 7 a.m. since early last week. It has been an AMAZING treat...I almost don't know what to do with myself. Not only have I been able to sleep, but I have taken a shower before noon almost everyday. Well rested and clean...I hardly recognize myself.

Saturday I went shopping all day with Karen at Gurnee. I had never shopped there before and was very glad that I left Addison home with Andy. I wish other parents had followed my lead. What a freaking zoo...two weeks before Christmas, spending a Saturday at huge outlet mall...not the smartest idea Karen and I have ever had. Addison at least followed through on our evil plan and thanked her dad for their QT by puking down his back and filling up a diaper during the Liverpool game. Such a good girl.

These days anything that Addison can get her hands on she puts in her mouth. Her toys, her blankets, my fingers, my hair, her dirty burp clothes, her bibs,her hand....I am trying to explain to her that it is not appropriate to put her dresses in her mouth, but she doesn't seem to care. I hope she outgrows this little habit soon....at least before high school.

Somebody thinks she's a big girl

This doesn't mean that she'll be mobile soon does it?

Oh, sweet jesus, say it ain't so.

Stay cavity free, my little one

For most of my life one of my crowning accomplishments has been that I have been cavity-free. Yes, you read that right...30 years old and I have never had a cavity. Until NOW.

I went to our new dentist while I was pregnant and I was informed that I might have two cavities, but they wouldn't know for sure until they could take x-rays, which they couldn't do while I was pregnant. Fast forward to August...xrays...3 cavities. Me = heartbroken.
I left the office and called my mother and cried. Yes, I cried. After all, at Tool and Michelle's wedding in January I waltzed up to Bridget (who is a dental hygienist) and stated that I was "cavity and proud to be" ~ she wasn't as excited as I had hoped.

Anyway, the point being, on Monday I went back to the dentist to get the last of my cavities filled. Of course, as soon as I got in the chair and numbed up, Addison decided that she was unhappy and started complaining quite loudly (you would have thought she was the one being drilled). The fabulous assistant at the dentist swooped her away and entertained while I was being fixed.

At the end of my appointment, Addison had a new toy...and she LOVES it.

And, for the record, if Addison starts taking her dental hygiene seriously now then she won't have to call me crying when she is 30 over a few cavities. My piece of advice....FLOSS!

Zerberts

Addison has been entertaining herself for awhile, but now she doesn't even need her toys! She zerberts pretty much all day long, ie: her shirts are soaked through!

UNC vs. UK....Heels win!

We went to Brownstone today as a cheesy Carolina family, all decked out in Tarheel blue. We were forgiven by our friends, and by strangers at Brownstone, once they saw how damn cute Addison was....even if she was dressed like a sissy cheerleader, instead of a power forward.

Aaron Lee is better than wrapping paper

Last night we went to dinner with Keelin and Berto at Aaron Lee's house. (Yes, when referring to Aaron I almost always use his entire name Aaron Lee, I have absolutely no idea why). It was wonderful ~ Aaron and Hillary pulled out all the stops. Shrimp cocktail, veggie pizza (so good I think it may have been laced with cocaine), baked ham, twice baked potatoes, mac & cheese, green bean casserole...oh, so good. Oh, so cheese-ilious.

Aaron and Hillary let us play Wii and XBox 360. I didn't know that XBox 360 had Scene It!...Amazing, I want it for Christmas! We drank several bottles of yummy wine and overall just had a great time.

Hillary and Aaron gave Addison a Christmas gift...and we discovered that wrapping paper scares the SHIT out of her. When we opened her gift she freaked out, screaming uncontrollably. Poor baby....at least we know what to brace for 3 1/2 weeks from today!

Wrapping paper scares the crap out her, but Aaron Lee sure doesn't --->