Cape Cod for Christmas

Ethan was actually cooperating with me and the camera on Christmas Eve! I wanted a picture of him by the tree so he went and stood by it. I turned off the flash so it wouldn't blind him thinking maybe that's his problem, but this is as close I could get to a picture of him looking at the camera. I love this sweater! I think it makes him look like a Muppet.



This picture pretty much sums up our Christmas Eve drive to the Cape. Steve had to work but got out early...with the rest of Boston. It took us 3 hours to get to Great Grandma Nancy's house but it was well worth the wait.



For as long as I can remember, we've been going to Grandma Nancy's house for roast beef, Yorkshire pudding and tapioca (my favorite!). Steve has only participated in this tradition once in our 9+ years together so I was very happy to share it with him and especially Ethan. The high chair he is sitting in here has been there through the ages, probably starting with my dad all those years ago. He was being "cute" and eating with cheese servers instead of real silverware.

Ethan has been opposed to getting dressed lately. He fights us putting shirts over his head and he kicks his way out of pants when we try to pull them on a lot of the time. Sometimes it's just easier to wait until he comes around or is too distracted to fight.

I think this was Ethan's first Christmas present this year. There have been so many by now that it's difficult to keep track!

It wouldn't be Christmas (or birthday for that matter) with Grandpa Cliff without some presents wrapped in newspaper.

One of the reasons we love Christmas with Great Grandma Nancy so much is that you never know what you're going to get! As sisters, Jamie and I are used to getting the same thing in different colors. However, this year, GGN couldn't decide which color to give which of us so she gave us one of each color and let us decide. We've so far decided to keep one of each.

Ethan got this great toy boat and wouldn't put it down. Even for dessert. He was having gingerbread with real whipped cream but only eating the whipped cream.

We spent the night at Grandma Jan's and Ethan was thrilled to find presents in his stocking the next morning! I have to pause and acknowledge Ethan's stocking that was knit for him by his Great Grandma Peg. She has made one for every grandchild and more in her family and Ethan is very lucky to have his own. (Steve has one too!).

Since the stocking is bigger than he is (gee, thanks GGP!), he needed a little assistance getting at all of his presents.

Despite the fact that Ethan got more Thomas the Tank Engine paraphernalia than I even knew they made, he most loved his firefighter set from Auntie Jamie.

And then he opened his basketball hoop! We couldn't set it all the way up until we got home, but Steve was happy to play backboard for a few shots.

You really need to see the video to fully appreciate this next present. Unfortunately, Ethan got a hold of the memory stick adapter for the computer and it has disappeared into the depths of our living room somewhere. I had loaded the pictures but not the videos so you'll just have to wait for those. In the meantime, this is a picture of Ethan through the window of his Thomas the Tank Engine tent!

After brunch together, Steve, Ethan and I hit the road for Logan and our flight to Atlanta. It was a very long day but we were happy to see Uncle Jared and Pop-Pop at the airport. Ethan started getting presents as soon as we walked in the door! More on that in the next post.

Goodnight for now...