Dancing and Jibberish

While watching Myla grow these past 19 months, I think that she is more fun at each stage. Right now she is talking up a storm, repeating words we say as well as making up her own language. It was obvious that something clicked with her in the last month or so when she realized that we could understand some of the things she was saying. The tough part is that now she assumes we understand everything she says and that just isn't the case as seen in this conversation that her and I had the other night.

Myla also appears to have gotten her mother's ability to shake it like a Polaroid picture.

Myla giveth and she taketh away

Last week Myla and I were watching the Gilmore Girls, and actress Lauren Graham was on the screen. Myla pointed to the screen and said "Mama!" She went back and forth between pointing at me and pointing at the lovely Ms. Graham, as if she were confused about how I could be on the TV and in the living room at the same time. I took this as Myla's first compliment to me, as Lauren Graham is quite the looker:



But then, several days later she had the same reaction when she saw a very mousy-looking contestant on Jeopardy. I had to admit I could see the resemblance. And yesterday she repeatedly said "Mama!" as she pointed at a tattooed bartender in Matthew's Wine Enthusiast magazine (who also did look quite like me, tattoos aside). I guess I have to take the good with the bad!

Christmas Videos

Here are a few more videos of Myla having a great time at Christmas. In the first, she's playing this game that she loved and found a way to play just about everywhere she went. It consisted of running around some kind of circle in the house and squealing with delight whenever she came around the corner and saw us.


Fun with a balloon and a door:

Slide Show: Kentucky Christmas

We'll finish out the Christmas posting marathon and our 2009 photos with a slide show of our visits to Elizabethtown and Villa Hills. It started with Kelly's shower in E'town, and continued with great meals, lots of presents, and wonderful company. Thanks to everyone who made our trip so easy and fun.



Merry Christmas to all! Now, let's move on to 2010!

Chatterbox

In addition to all the holiday festivities, December also brought an explosion in Myla's vocabulary. The list of recognizable words grew to the point where I can't list them anymore, and she also increased her incomprehensible but very earnest attempts at other words. She said "David," and "Pop" (the latter on Christmas Eve, which was all Pop needed as a gift), says her own name (saying it Anna-style: "Myna"), and can order you to do/provide any number of things ("sit!" "stairs!" "stool!"). I love it when she says something and I'm not sure where she learned it. Like when I went to take her picture and she said "Cheeeeese!" How did she know to do that?

Anyway, here's a little video to give you a taste of the constant chatter we've been hearing lately. Such a sweet sound.

P.S.--it's a pretty long video, so skip to about 1:43 if you just want to hear a few words.

"Christmas Day"

And here are our photos from faux-Christmas morning. Myla was excited to see all the toys under the tree, but was more thrilled to see that Santa left half of a chocolate chip cookie. Score!

First, the stocking, which contained some Little People and some "stickers" (gift tags):

And also some "Titta Folk." These are goofy little finger puppets from IKEA, and I think Matthew and I have a lot more fun with them than Myla does.

Santa's big gift: an armchair! Pay no attention to the chocolate stains acquired 30 seconds after she got it.

And a firetruck from Mom and Dad.

Whew! And we get to do this two more times?

"Christmas Eve"

Since Matthew, Myla and I hit the road for the actual Christmas holiday, we pretend it's Christmas Eve/Christmas Day a few days before our departure. Here are some photos from our Christmas Eve celebration.

Myla helps me make (translate: break-n-bake) cookies for Santa.


In her adorable Christmas pajamas (thanks, Uncle Tim!):


"Do you think Santa will mind if these are pre-licked?"


Reading "The Night Before Christmas," a Buckles family tradition.


M.J. starts to get tired--Santa must be coming soon!

Ornaments

Matthew was in charge of exterior illumination, and I applied my craftiness indoors. Specifically, I made some felt Christmas ornaments this year, inspired by a star my grandmother made for me when I was one. Here they are on the little tree in our family room.

Lights!

Matthew is truly an artist when it comes to Christmas lights, and he relished the opportunity to work with a new canvas this year. Here are some pictures of his handiwork:

Here's a final picture of Matthew with his muse. Notice the shirt: "I light up Dad's life!"

Chicago (or at least our hotel room)

We always like to visit a city for one of the weekends leading up to Christmas. We love the decorations, the hustle and bustle, and the chance to be together as a family during the holiday season. This year, we went to Chicago/Schaumburg. You wouldn't know it from our pictures, but we did venture out and do some shopping, and even got to meet up with David and Kelly for brunch. But we also had a great time just hanging out in the room.

Matthew and Myla enjoy the view.

Goofing around.

"You mean we get to go swimming in December?!?"

"Room service? I'll have some Teddy Grahams and an in-room foot massage, please!"

Visit to Santa

South Bend has a great Santa's Village downtown, with fun activities for the kids and of course the big guy himself. Myla got to decorate (and eat!) her own cookies.

Spreading the icing . . . adding the sprinkles . . .

Delicious!

When it was time to meet Santa, Myla wasn't sure what to think . . . she definitely wasn't scared or upset, but did seem to think he was a bit strange. We told him what a good girl she is!

St. Nick's Day

Dec. 6 is St. Nick's day at our house, when St. Nick comes to fill our stockings with little treats. Myla's gifts included a snow globe, which she loved so much she insisted on licking it.

Christmas Post-a-thon begins!

We're finally all back to work/school after the Christmas holiday, so it's back to work on the Baby Blaze blog as well! Starting today, we'll crank out 10 posts in a row that will take you through Christmas and into 2010.

Let's start with Myla's 18 months (!) photo shoot from early December. Notice her "Fresh From the Oven" shirt, which was a holiday favorite.

This was my favorite outtake from this session. "Why are you guys making me do this?!?"