Stairs

Here's what the almost-one-year-old likes to do:

(Eli took this picture. Of course.)

More snow

So the morning after the disappointing morning, we woke up to snow. Eli says there were four inches. I would have said about half an inch, but Eli is far better with this type of stuff, so I think we should go with four inches. Tommy was delighted, and had a lovely walk to school stomping on it. Eli could not get to work on Wednesday and Thursday because the airport was closed and the trains to the airport were canceled. We had three fun days of snow and woke up today to melted snow. It was only in the high thirties today but it felt positively warm. Yay.

I know you'll all be relieved to know that I got a Joseph costume. I'll post pictures after the big show on Thursday. I am still curious as to whether Joseph will deliver his lines. We've been practicing the songs which are "We Wish You a Merry Christmas," "Away in a Manger," and "Twinkle, Twinkle." It's a big week for Tommy because they have the play on Thursday and go to the theatre on Tuesday. He thinks it's the same play they saw in July, and while I've tried to explain that there won't necessarily be a bug and a butterfly like there was last time, I think he's going to have to see it to understand that there is more than one play in the world.

I got to go to school on Friday for circle time. The moment I arrived, Tommy's little friend Isaac dragged Tommy over to me (they were holding hands) and yelled, very close to my face, "I WANT TO COME ROUND TO TOMMY'S HOUSE." Tommy nodded. I said that would be fine with me. "AND TOMMY WANTS TO COME ROUND TO MY HOUSE," Isaac continued. I agreed and said that I would speak to his nanny on Monday. They trotted back to the circle afterward. Isaac is a cute little boy who also is obsessed with swords and other weapons, and is, I believe, louder than Tommy.

Today we went to the Parsons' Green Christmas fair. It was a little bit weird. They had booths for local merchants to sell things, rides for the little kids, two reindeer in a pen, Santa ("Father Christmas"), and a bunch of people on stilts in fairy costumes. They also had a booth selling balloons. I saw many little boys with balloons that looked like tanks. War does not strike me as especially Christmassy. I was happy we avoided the balloons, even though I am positive Tommy would have selected the Dora balloon, given the choice.

We also ordered our Christmas tree which will be delivered between six and ten pm on Monday. I will not tell you how much that sucker is costing, but I will say that as we ordered it, I reminded Eli that it was cheaper than the $4500 it would cost to travel home for Christmas. Part of this is our fault as we didn't bring anything with us so we had to buy a tree stand and lights (which the tree company will happily deliver with our tree so long as we're willing to pay handsomely).

I'm going to bake a famous Kent family cookie tomorrow: pinwheels. I've never attempted them and I've enlisted the help (if one can call it that) of my three-year-old. If they turn out, I will post a photo. If they don't, I will not write about them again. Wish me luck. I'm forced to try a lot of new cookies as we don't have any cookie cutters and I don't feel like I can buy new ones for just one Christmas.

Snow

When we woke up this morning, it was snowing. Tommy came down to our room to look out the window and then rushed up to his closet to get his snowboots. When he opened the door, however, he was disappointed that it wasn't sticking. Sigh.

Lizzie is a very good climber. But lacks any concern for her own safety, as is the case with most babies I suppose. She is also responsible for the open cupboards.

And in case any of you were wondering, it has been confirmed by Miss Dipti that Tommy will indeed play Joseph in the nursery Christmas play next week. She also said that he is working very hard with the number rods and she expects him to know all his numbers by the end of term in two weeks.

Merry Christmas

Eli made me join the Bechtel Ladies group which I think would be wonderful if I didn't have kids and could participate in the activities. As I do have kids, though, it mostly results in email forwards. Today, I got two very fun movies. Click here and here if you have time.

Chuck E. Jesus

Last night Tommy and Eli and I were eating dinner and one of us thought to ask Tommy about the nursery school Christmas play (it's coming up on December 9). Eli asked Tommy who he was going to be in the play, and Tommy said, "Tommy." After we explained what we meant, Tommy said he would be "Joseth." After we worked on his pronunciation, I asked Tommy who was going to be Mary. He looked confused until we asked who was going to be the mommy. He told us. Then one of us asked, "and who is the baby?" And he said, "Jesus! Chuck E. Jesus!" And it's true that "Jesus" sounds a lot like "Cheese's."

We had a nice weekend. On Saturday we didn't do much except pick up a package from Auntie Em that was waiting for us on Oxford Street. It was CRAZY on Oxford Street. They had closed down the street though, so there was more room for people to walk. Then on Sunday we went to Gambado in the morning (even Lizzie had a nice time except when she almost drowned in the ball pit) and in the afternoon we went to Sloane Square to see the Christmas lights and look for Christmas tree ornaments. We left all of those in Virginia because we never imagined we would spend Christmas in London, but here we are!

Happy Monday.

And now for a few cute pictures of Lizzie. I didn't have any really cute ones of Tommy on my phone, but I'll take some this week.

Lizzie headed for the ball pit herself. A near miss.

When I leave Tommy and Lizzie in Tommy's room, I often come back to this:

Happy Thanksgiving.

We are all feeling a little bit homesick over here -- the kitchen is quiet and Eli went off to work this morning and Tommy to school. I cannot imagine how it will be at Christmas without any visitors! We hope you all have wonderful dinners and go ahead and eat just a little more for us.

Love,

Laura

Budapest Pictures

These are not in order, because I can't figure out how to move them around.

Here is Lizzie feasting on pickled cabbage:

Here is Tommy at the opera house:

Tommy with Hanh's dog, Boston:

Tommy holding Air Force One in his hand. We lost it later in the trip, and while he really loved that plane, he does not seem to miss it too terribly.

Air Force One again:

From the Buda side, looking over the river:

The best picture we have of Tommy and Eli together. It just kills me it's so adorable.

When a backpack is necessary, Tommy always chooses the one my father was given free on Air New Zealand. Not his fairly expensive organic elephant backpack, or his Dwellbaby backpack.

Lizzie's favorite part of the trip was going after Boston's food and water bowls:

Buda at night.