Merry Christmas

Christmas Card Rejects

We set out for the dreaded-by-all holiday task of taking Brady's Christmas Card Photo over a week ago. The first idea we tried was Christmas lights. We got some really big laughing smiles and some blurry shots with the flash off. (Please excuse me for not cropping the photos.)














Then Brady got mad at the Christmas lights.














So we tried snowmen.














Which he was quite proud of being able to pull the eyeballs off.














Then he decided to get stubborn.














Next up was colored flashing lights, which he wanted nothing to do with (note the snowman eyeball still in his right hand.)














We then decided our backdrop wasn't quite big enough on the couch, even after cropping, so we moved locations and tried a rocking horse he wouldn't stay on.














And a stocking that we hid oreos in an attempt to get him to sit still. Unfortunately he got the oreos out too fast before we got a good picture.














We gave up for a week, switched backdrops, and tried again. First try this round was ornaments. The only way we could get him to smile was by putting them down the front of his bibs. Since we weren't really sending out an explanation with the card, that one got nixed.


















Then we tried garland, but Brady wouldn't ever put his hands down.


















We did finally get a decent picture, which will be coming soon to a house/blog posting near you.

Big Snow

We got a pretty big snow yesterday, around 7 inches at our house. That meant it was time to bundle up Brady and go play in the snow.

Turns out Brady's not so big of a fan of snow.

Or maybe it was because he couldn't hardly move in all of his snow gear.

Daddy showed Brady how to make a snowball.

The best fun, however, was had watching the snow plow that came by our house while we were outside.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Or, he's already here. At least at the mall. We took Brady get his picture taken with Santa last weekend. On the way there, my husband and I wondered what Brady's reaction would be. 16 month olds sometimes don't fare too well with Santa. Would he cry? Sit there like a deer in the headlights? Would we be able to get him to smile?

We get to the mall and are greatly relieved to see that there is no line. We walk up and are greeted by a nice but slightly concerned Santa's Helper/photographer.

Us: "Hi. We'd like to get our son's picture taken with Santa."

Santa's Helper: "Great! How old is he?"

Us: "16 months"

Santa's Helper: "Hmmm... How do you think he will do?"

Us: "We have no idea, but he did meet a roaming Santa when we were at Toys-R-Us the other day and liked touching his beard."

Santa's Helper: (starting to visibly relax) "That's a good sign."

Turns out all of our fears were unwarranted. As we started walking towards where Santa was sitting, Brady dropped daddy's hand, ran with his arms outstretched toward Santa and asked to be picked up. Santa picks him up, sets him in his lap and everyone smiles for the camera.


















Immediately after the picture was taken, Santa leans down and asks Brady what he wants for Christmas. Brady, however has no time to talk and squirms off Santa's lap and runs off to his next adventure (which at that moment was checking out the rope barrier around Santa's area) .

I've Been Tagged

In a divergence from all things Brady, I've been tagged by a blogging friend of mine, and will take a moment to write about myself.

First, here are the rules:
1. Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 random and or weird things about yourself.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

I have been tagged by Mrs. B at The Star Crossed Blogger

Here's my list:
1. I discovered a few years ago that my husband and I were delivered by the same doctor.

2. My favorite guilty pleasure is Project Runway, new or reruns.

3. In high school I used to do chemistry lab experiments after school for fun. Or was it for extra credit and I had fun doing it? Either way, the nerd factor is pretty high.

4. I detest cold weather and would be perfectly happy if the temperature never got below 50 degrees. Sleet, snow, ice and freezing rain I could live without.

5. My hair started turning gray when I was 19. Thankfully the progression has been rather slow and I have found a good hair colorist. But now, everyone in Blogland knows my secret.

6. I took fiddling lessons for a while in the 6th grade. I wish now that I would have stuck with it.

7. I love mint chocolate and am snacking on a Trader Joe's Candy Cane filling oreo-type cookie as I write this. Delicious.

I'm supposed to tag 7 people, but I don't know that many with blogs, so here goes:

Karen at Waiting for Khai
Jimmie & Tara at The Virtual Home of the Vansell Family
Kelli at Kelli' Kaleidoscope