Rudolph...It's What's for Dinner

We continued our East Bay Christmas celebrations with a visit with Katie, Jack and Brooke a few days after the actual holiday.

Brooke was very excited to show off her new toys - here she and Nikos are trying to come up with a creative name for their new band.

Brooke shows off her "cheese" camera face.

Nikos shows off some fancy footwork - or maybe he thought Santa brought him his Uggs for Christmas? Who knows.

I'd like to tell you that this is how the kids looked while Katie and I were performing an elaborate puppet show. Of course, it could be more accurately be labeled "How the Kids Looked While They Watched Backyardigans and We Drank Wine ." Details. And I only had one glass, judgers.

Brooke lets Nikos take the controls of her train set. This is such a great gift that Brooke received from Nono last year (note the fab pink car) and I have since been very excited to learn that we will inherit Taki's old train set for next year. Wahoo! Now we just need a bigger house.

Flashback to the train set in 2007...

Joan and John gave Brooke this awesome kitchen for Christmas (again, something I covet for next year but that DEFINITELY requires a bigger house.) Nikos and Brooke had a blast making us fake dinner. Brooke was in charge of chicken and pasta (which she actually coherently told us would be on the menu)...from what I could gather from Nikos' babbles he was making us chiz and Rudolph, with either a dash of Shamu or Shoes. I think I'll opt for Brooke's dish.

Here's a cute video of the two cooks in the kitchen. Sorry about Katie in the background giving the annoying commentary...I mean, I know you may think that is my voice but I am going to blame Katie anyway. For the record, I didn't know that Taki was filming. Sadly, I have ruined several other Christmas videos this year the same way - to the point where they are rendered un-postable - maybe Taki and I need to work on a code word that lets me know whatever I am saying is being recorded. Too bad Blue Grapes is already taken.


Hee hee. Of course, when I watch that video again I realize I am not the only dork talking in the background. Notice how Taki doesn't tell any of the rest of us he is filming? Sly. And I love how Jack says that he's going to bring Taki with him to pick up the pizza because "he wants to see the new place." Yeah, I am sure he had no other reason for wanting to ditch Katie and I with two toddlers.

And just for fun, we'll end it with two shots of the kids from last year.

Spoiled by Santa

Christmas morning we woke up at our house and let Nikos open one gift before we headed over to my parents house for the traditional Christmas brunch.

The gift he opened was another stuffed monkey - or chunky monkey as I call him. For some background - about a month ago Niko and I were shopping at a kids store by our house. He snatched the monkey off the shelf and immediately started giving him hugs and kisses. Turns out that in this high-end kids boutique, this isn't acceptable behavior for something that hasn't already been purchased. The saleswoman mentioned to me "Oh, it looks like you've bought a monkey - ha ha." Yes, so $24 later we had a new monkey to our collection.

Putting chunky monkey back in his bag, Nikos shows him where his loyalties lie. Sadly, I don't think chunky monkey has received much attention since. Maybe she will be a present for Nikos' sister.

After the shunning of the monkey we headed out to Antioch. We got lucky this year and were joined by Aunt Con and Frank, who made the trip up from Palm Springs.

Nikos and Kira wait patiently for breakfast and the opening of gifts. All was going well until Nikos tried to give Kira a hug.

Here is the annual picture by the tree. One more kid next year - eek!

My mom caught this picture of us pigging out on monkey cake. Nikos was a HUGE fan.

Tradition used to be that we would all take turns opening our gifts, that way you got a chance to see all the gifts and to thank the givers. This year was chaos. Mason and Maile did a great job of helping everyone open their gifts, unfortunately, by the time some of Niko's gifts made it to me the tags were long gone. I think I spent most of the morning saying "Oh wow, this is great, who is this from??"

Mason got a skateboard from Grammy and Pop-Pop and Nikos went CRAZY for it. Who knows where he developed his affection for skateboards. Luckily, Mason was busy coveting Maile's Leapster so he was okay with Nikos playing with his new toy.

The rightful owner claims the board!

Nikos takes one last spin - sans protective gear.



After breakfast we headed home and Nikos opened the rest of his gifts while we got ready to host dinner for my parents, Aunt Con and Frank and Taki's mom Linda.

This is the look I got from Niko every time I took a long time getting his new toys out of the box. Hey, those little twisties are hard to get off!

Here's a video of Nikos enjoying his first Greek language toy. Being a Delta Gamma, I of course, recognize the recitation of the Greek alphabet. Of course, by the time the song is over I feel like I should take a shot of Malibu. Shh, don't tell Liz Briggs.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Christmas Eve we headed over to the Cecchins to exchange gifts and share a wonderful dinner.

The boys play with toys before the feast.

Marco and Nikos play with one of the present boxes (while Niko models his new pjs.)

Christmas Eve picture by the tree. Who knows why I am making that stupid pose.

2007. Damn, I was skinny. I think Nikos was left out of this pic as he was already asleep (as evidenced by picture below this one.) Sarah was a month away from delivering Marco.

Fueling the Fire

Oh no! My UPS frenemy (he of "linebacker" fame) just heard me exclaim:
"AHH! When you order the platter the taquitos are half the size as regular. Rat bastard!"

That one isn't going to go a long way in dispelling the image.

Why am I having weird flashbacks to sophomore year when the Domino's delivery guy (phone # 310-216-6886) told me: "Giirl, you're gonna get CHUNKY."

Cheers - Welcome Home!

Saturday night Nikos and I drove out to SFO to welcome my parents home from their latest extended vacation - a Trans-Atlantic cruise that began in Venice, Italy and ended in Manaus, Brazil. -- I know, rough life they have - for those loyal readers you'll remember that it was only l4 months ago that Nikos and I were picking them up from their 2 month trip to Australia!

Anyway, we sat outside of the viewpoint/glass wall at SFO and when Nikos saw them walking towards him he started squealing and banging on the wall. Very cute.

Here we are waiting for their luggage.


After a slightly later than normal bedtime (due to aforementioned airport pickup) Nikos, Taki and I headed off to Habitot. Gotta love free indoor activities on a cold and rainy weekend!

Here's Nikos at Mission Control again. This exhibit will be leaving this month so we spent a lot of time there, pressing all the buttons and fielding calls from the Shuttle. Amazingly, Nikos answered a lot of calls from the Shuttle that he then transferred to Taki and I - I was cringing slightly thinking about all of the cold germs on the handset!


And I know you are probably sick of the painting pictures, I just think he is so cute when he is painting. So serious! Still trying to figure out where we can set something like this up at our house...or better yet at the D'Angelo's or the Cecchin's houses since they have downstairs playrooms.


Sunday afternoon we enjoyed a quick visit from the Cecchins where Nikos and Marco worked on their form Cheers-ing their sippy cups. This, of course, caused a conversation between Jeff and Tyke on who would Cheers more in their lifetime, Nikos and Marco or Jeff and Taki.

Mom and Dad - note Nikos' Heavenly Resort wear. I was laughing and telling Taki that he was so spoiled since that is probably the first place he will ski (note I say ski and not snowboard!) I mean, it's no Greek Peak but not all kids can be so lucky...

The Latest in Ride-On Toys

I can't wait to explain this one to Roomba when they ask me why our robot vacuum stopped working. I wonder if anywhere in the manual is a warning that states "should not be used as a method of transportation by an almost-22 lb toddler."

Called Out

Yes, prior to our all company staff meeting, my CEO did say to me "Weren't you just pregnant??"

For the record, he came to my baby shower for Nikos so he should have remembered that the shower was totally LAST YEAR. Ha, of course when I say it like that it does freak me out a little.

29 Weeks or Boycott UPS

Week 29 brings us to a new low - the UPS guy made fun of me at work. Maybe this is my own fault for prematurely gloating that I wasn't getting fatface? Who knows.

Sadly...the following conversation DID happen.

Friendly UPS Guy: "Hello"
Me: "Hi"
Ignorant UPS Guy: "So it looks like you are going to have a New Years baby?"
Me: "Uh no, March actually."
Horrible UPS Guy: "Oh, we're expecting a linebacker than, huh?"

Good thing he has yet to break 22 lbs or this may be more difficult.

2007

Playdates and Bubble Baths

Last weekend Nikos and I were invited over to Torina's house for a fabulous party that included Pin the Nose on Rudolph, Gingerbread Houses and multiple fun crafts for the kids.

Being the youngest at the party, Nikos was up first for Pin the Nose on Rudolph.

Nikos takes a break from directing my Gingerbread House decoration to nibble on an unlucky gingerbread man.

Nikos, monkey and I pose by the finished product. I think it looks exactly like the HGTV Dreamhouse that we are trying to win...just slightly more edible.

I threw this one in so Kelli would have to take another drink - or maybe a half of a drink since this is really only half of a costume. Don't worry, sometime in March I will start my Take a Drink Every Time Camryn Eats a Piece of Cake game.

After Torina's fabulous playdate we headed over to Mel's house. The kids spent some time watching Mason rock out in the master bath (everyone knows that's where the best acoustics are) - if you haven't seen it you have to watch the hidden video - and then we popped them into a bubble bath. Nikos and Kira enjoy some parallel play in their pjs.