Decorating for Christmas

Decorating for Christmas this year was the most fun it has ever been!  Timmy, at 3 and almost a half, was old enough to do much of the decorating himself, adding that special brand of magic that can only be called the Timmy Touch to all that he did.  Emily, at almost a year old, was old enough to be swept away by the awe and wonder of her first Christmas.

Assisting.

Advising.

Admiring.

Emily's first Christmas.

Timmy's first as a big brother.

Dragonflies evoke treasured memories of my father.

A recordable ornament with Timmy's baby voice saying his first word, "Mama."

"Spread them out, Timmy, so none of the branches will be lonely" was met with                                                                  "but I like them together like little berries."

Surveying his work.

Delighted with the outcome.

Mother and son in reflection.

The next morning, Emily's main attraction was Timmy's cluster of ornaments.

Chubby baby hand reaching, ever reaching for the shiny ornaments.

Christmas dress from Gaga.

Enchanted.

Reading Emi her first Christmas book.

Kiss.

Shiny, red, and...

...delicious, as suspected.

Stocking knit by Auntie Daneen.

That special Touch of Timmy :o)

The Return of the Cookie Monster--a gingerbread addiction is born!

Our first experiment in baking together was such a hit, Timmy and I decided to team up again to make gingerbread cookies for the holidays. 

Decorating gingerbread teddy bears.

Getting pretty skilled at the icing application

This batch was a team effort with Mommy.

And this one was Timmy flying solo.

We gave this batch to Timmy's preschool teacher, and she received them most graciously!

 A little unauthorized sampling.

Let the cookie consumption begin!

Teddy, where have you been all my life?

And a little authorized sampling of his hard work.

Count down to sugar high in 3, 2, 1...

Blast off!

Later that day... Um, you got any more of those in here?

There's a cookie monster at our house--the chocolate chip experiment

Mixing the dough

Smells yummy and they haven't even baked yet!

Official dough sampler

Sir Mix-a-lot

Waiting is the hardest part

Sometimes it is easier with a little help

The whole household turns out to sample the goods

Daddy gets in on the action

"Step aside, Daddy.  I'll show you how it's done."

Recipe courtesy of Seasame Street B Book, Books about Cooks

Chocolate chip goodness!

Waiting for them to fall off the counter

A Sibling Love Affair

Have you ever witnessed a sibling love affair?  I'm blessed to report that I get to witness one every day.  If this sequence of unposed pics doesn't convince you that siblings can love each other profoundly from the very beginning of their young lives, I don't know what will.

He teaches her how to climb up on high places.

Giving a helping hand as needed...

Congratulating and protecting her once she's there.

...and maybe pulling on her ear a little bit.

Or maybe a lot.

Unless she gets scared...

Then he gives her a hug and a pat on the back.

Until she gets down.

And then does it again.

Later, when he gets to go outside...

She doesn't get to.

But he makes that better, too.