Christmas 2007

We had a very nice Christmas. While it may be awhile before he understands the true meaning of the holiday, A did learn quickly what opening presents was all about. C slept through Christmas morning, but later in the day, she gave us the gift of her first social smile.




We put the yule log to good use since our fireplace needs a-fixing.


Our cats and our toddler made us rethink getting a tree this year. (Next year, promise.) So we hung the stockings and heavy stocking holders WAY out of arms' reach and placed our presents on a Christmas bookshelf (not shown completely) instead of under a tree.

Misc December

Ah, bliss! C at 3 weeks old.


A modeling his hodgepodge outfit and new snow boots.


A always asks to hold C, but it doesn't last long once his request is granted.


Cute as a button, but sometimes her newborn cross-eyed look reminds us of Buddy Hackett.


Cute as a button sans Buddy Hackett-ish-ness (C at 5 weeks old)

Christmas Card Outtakes

These are some of the pictures that didn't make our Christmas card this year.


Our goal was to pose the kids on the stairs, with A holding C. Yeah, right! Good luck with that. A was too busy running around and re-arranging everything, and C was...well...a newborn.




We could use this one if we ever do a Christmas Mugshot theme.


This one too, although this could also be the Christmas Criminal Lineup.

New Babies All Around

The Sunday after C was born, we visited one of S's high school friends, who was in town for Thanksgiving. Stephen and his wife, Mijanou, welcomed their first child, Eli, this past September.


The young happy family


Two months old and all smiles

Snow Business

We've had lots of cold, wind, snow and rain lately, which means extra time indoors.


Daddy and his little girl


When the Nutcracker is still, A likes him, but when you make the Nutcracker "talk", A becomes a little leery.


His first time walking in snow


Driving through the Carlisle Holiday Lights at the fairgrounds




Not so smitten with snow on his mittens

Misc November

Bedhead and playtime with Grover


How C spent most of her 1st week


Watching "Sesame Street" with one of its stars

Charlotte Mila's Birth Day - November 21, 2007

She's here! Charlotte Mila (middle name pronounced "Mee-la" after her maternal grandmother) arrived Wednesday, November 21st at 7:52 AM. She came out with "the keys already in the ignition", as the pediatrician said, with a hearty cry. She weighed 8lbs8oz, is 21.5" long, and is the sweetest little girl.


Lots of dark hair and big brown eyes




Not done on purpose, S wore the same sweatshirt and cap for our quick rush to the hospital for the births of A and C. We've named it his "lucky birthing outfit". Steve is a great birthing coach.


Pam, the awesome midwife who delivered C, and M postpartum


Vital stats


A came to the hospital later that morning.


A gets a closer look at his baby sister.


Grandmom Jean, A and C. C is Jean's 21st grandchild.




The Kretzing Four




Those cheeks!


Thanksgiving lunch in the hospital - yet another reason we asked to be discharged early. :)

Me like cookies!

Andrew's Cookie Monster imitation

Team Work

All the child development books say that young toddlers engage in "parallel play", but we found two who actually work together to get a job done: Andrew and his friend from down the street Sophie. Together they managed to bring in this toy bike from another room and entertain each other with a game of bumper cars with the radiator.

"Shodden"-freude

In an effort to do away with the soft-soled shoes and get his feet ready for winter snow boot sturdiness, we bought Andrew his first pair of hard-soled shoes. We couldn't tell if Andrew was marveling at the "clomp, clomp" sound of them or if he was questioning why we shackled him with such heavy new shoes. While it's not nice to laugh at his apparent confusion or curiosity, Steve and I did get a great laugh out of Andrew's Frankenstein-in-training gait.

Halloween 2007

This year, Andrew dressed as a spider for Halloween and was initiated into the ritual of trick-or-treating . He quickly got the hang of it, esp. when he realized people were giving him stuff, and that that stuff was candy.


Waiting for the festivities to begin


Trick-or-Treating with his ladybug friend Sophie


We ran into some neighborhood friends while out and about


We headed back home to hand out our own candy. Andrew was a great Halloween Helper placing the candy, albeit s-l-o-w-l-y, into the trick-or-treaters' bags.


On the stoop with his favorite pooch


Dancing around the pumpkins from Steve's garden

Austin Visitors on a Gourd-eous Weekend

Our friend Shelly and her daughter Ellie from Austin paid us a quick visit while they were up in PA for a family reunion. Ellie and Andrew were born one week apart so it was a mini-reunion of sorts.


May 2006 (2 months old)


October 2007 (19 months old)


It looks like they're nonverbally challenging each other, but really they were leaning in to give each other a kiss, which was encouraged by the parents.


Beautiful Shelly and her beautiful daughter Ellie


The November birthday Moms with their March birthday kiddos


Andrew showing Ellie his cat Kitty



Later in the day, we headed to Ashcombe Farms to enjoy some Fall festivities.




Pint-sized gourds for our own half-pint




He posed nicely for this shot b/c we bribed him with kettle corn. From his first taste of the seasonal treat, he was hooked.








It reminds us a little of the Santa slide in the movie "The Christmas Story".