The Weather Outside is Frightful

Hey there, Internet! It's been a long time.

We traveled all over the place in November, and Claire Helen met her extended family on both sides. It was a lot of fun, but we are glad to be home in a serious way.

Claire Helen and I are having a nice time and have settled into something like a routine. She is still mellow as can be, and so long as she gets a good morning nap she's a trooper when we go out in the afternoons. If she does not get a good morning nap you are liable to find me still in my pajamas at 4 pm wondering if I can crack open the Scotch yet.

No, not really. But it is better when she gets that nap.

Christmas is upon us, and though all this has meant in Claire Helen's life is having to wear tights more often and one very freaky afternoon with an old fat guy in red velvet, I am So. Excited. I am practically radioactive with good tidings of comfort and joy.

Christmas is by far my favorite holiday, and it is eight thousand times more fun when you have a child. We are Crazy for Christmas around here, with fir boughs and outdoor lights and snowman shaped cookies. I even went so far as to order us matching stockings to hang on the mantle, which are embroidered "Mom," "Dad," and "Claire." I know, I know. We're an L.L. Bean ad.

Mat is being a shockingly good sport about it, and has even stopped reminding me that Claire Helen can't actually open any gifts we get her, so may not fully appreciate the special wrapping job I do. I say it's not for her, it's for posterity, and posterity is going to have a pretty tree, darnit.

We do have a nice tree. Tall, and fluffy.

Claire Helen has picked up all sorts of new tricks, most notably sitting up (see below), which we hope will help take care of that bald spot on the back of her head that has been hindering her baby modelling career. She can also work to get to toys, scooting by flexing and pointing her feet. It's remarkably inefficient, but it does get her where she needs to go, I remain, as ever, terrified of baby mobility, and though she is not particularly close to crawling, she is getting quite adept at rolling.

She is still best friends with Betty. She thinks it's very funny when someone jumps up and down in front of her. She loves Leo, Elmer the elephant, bathtub letters, and her dinosaur book. She hates the catapiller rattle, cold rice cereal, extended car rides, and dress up shoes. She is 20 pounds of bliss, and we are so fortunate to know her.