Christmas 2013 in Ohio

We made the long drive with Jovie and Howie this year for Christmas.  Jovie is no longer a free plane ticket, so that changes the equation.  We stayed for about five days, and as usual, those days were packed!

It's a looonnng drive from DC to Ohio!

12/21/13

The first couple days in Ohio before Christmas were spent running errands and playing and visiting.

 12/22/13

Playing with Rudy

 Drinking hot chocolate and watching Polar Express

(As Jovie called it, "Powar Espresser")

 12/23/14

Baking and decorating cookies at Auntie Kelly's!

 Eating sprinkles is way more fun than decorating  :)

 The kids did a great job and we all had lots of fun!

Shenanigans & Selfies with Molly at Auntie Kelly's

 

Back at the Young's that night, reading with Grandpa Tom

Christmas Eve morning at the Youngs

Christmas Eve at Grandma Susie and Grandpa Chick's

 Lined up to open presents

Thank you, Brady!

 Bicycle!

 Opening stockings after nap and before Christmas Eve dinner at AC's

 Quick family pics before going to AC's

Full house at AC and UJ's!

 Christmas morning - opening presents at the Youngs

 Jovie got a chair from Aunt Sarah and a blanket from Grandma and Grandpa, so there were lots of snuggles on Christmas morning from a sleepy little girl.

Decorating and eating cupcakes for Jesus' birthday with Grandma Young - she has been looking forward to this since Grandma brought it up several weeks before.

Modeling her new (and super-adorable) backpack

 Playing her new Elefun game from Aunt Julie.  Jovie LOVES that game!

Young family Christmas picture

 Christmas night reading with Grandma Susie and Grandpa Chick before going to bed after a lot of big days

 12/26/13

Grandpa Chick's french toast!!

 Yum!  Lots of good eating this week

 Quiet morning playtime with Molly

 Back at the Youngs for a little more visiting and play time 

Grandpa Traylor!

Two little monkeys eating bananas

 

More playing with Christmas presents

 Back again to Grandma Susie and Grandpa Chick's, watching slides!

 Aunts pampering Jovie

 Jovie decided to try one nail first

 Then she went back for more

 All the girls got their nails painted by Aunt Kelly

 Uncle Jerm!

 More Elefun

 Snuggling watching another movie

Jovie had so much fun playing with cousins, being loved on by aunts and uncles, and spoiled by grandparents.  What a big week!

2013 Christmas Season

The Christmas festivities are even more fun with a toddler!  Jovie really seems to get into certain things this year, and it's been busy, but fun.

December 1st

Decorating the Christmas Tree

Toddler ornament hanging handiwork

December 4th

Making finger-paint Christmas crafts for Grandparents

 Jovie didn't totally love getting her hands dirty for this.

On December 14th, the Mongelli's hosted a fabulous Christmas party for the kids!  There was Christmas Tree (waffle cone) and cookie decorating, a gift exchange and pizza party.  Such a fun time for all the kids!

Around the table, ready to decorate

Decorate those trees!  

 Masterpieces drying on the stairs

 Playing with friends

 As usual, we lined them up for a picture!

 Ms. Stacey explaining the ground rules for present exchanging

 Opening her present from Elyse

 Pizza time!

 Carrying home the loot

  Wearing the Christmas jammies from the Mongellis

That evening was the Potomac Yard campus of NCC's Christmas party.  Another really fun time hanging out with friends.

Playing on a stage is so much fun!

 Hop, hop, hop!

 "Singing" in the little kids' Christmas performance at church.  She didn't sing, but she didn't cry, either!

What a fun holiday season we've had!

Too Smart For Our Own Good

This morning at work, I got a text from Mike.  It said: "I took the trash out and this little booger closed the door behind me and locked me out!  Luckily I talked to her through the door and she finally unlocked it after about 10 minutes." 

Although in the moment it's a little scary, I couldn't help but laugh.  This is something I've been half-fearing for ahwile- would Jovie lock us out if we step out for one minute to get the mail or take out the trash?  I called him, laughing, and he was laughing then, but he wasn't during the incident.  He was scared.  He said he didn't even close the door all the way.  He left it slightly ajar and walked down the hall to place the trash bag outside.  He said he heard the door close and thought "oh no".  He came back, and it was locked.  He said he could hear her on the other side of the room, playing, and it took quite a lot of coaxing and talking to her before she let him back in! 

This is not the only indication of how we need to be at the top of our game with this one.  Lately, when we try to correct her, she comes up with some pretty funny things and facial expressions, and sometimes it's hard to keep a straight face and stay firm.

When we reprimand her in a firm voice, she often tells us "Don't tell me like that!"  And a couple days ago, we were eating dinner and Jovie was refusing to eat so Mike told her in a firm voice that she had to eat her dinner.  She shot him a look, turned and looked at me and said "Mama, you tell 'Babe' no talk to me like that!"  Somehow, this child has figured out that periodically I'll say something to Mike like, "Babe, it's fine" and is experimenting playing us against one another.  She notices everything and has apparantly been listening this whole time.

We know we have a run for our money with this kid. In some ways, I kind of love it, and it makes us laugh, and in other ways, it makes me a little nervous. :)  Nothing is getting past Jovie.

Snow Day!

On Tuesday, December 10th, there was a lot of hype about a snowstorm.  We got a couple inches.  But, in typical D.C. fashion, everything was closed.  So we had a family snow day!

As has been our practice during the two times we've had snow since we've lived here, we went into our little side/back courtyard and made a snowman. 

 Then we went on a little walk around Fairlington Arbor

 We tried to play at the playground- our snowpants and the snow made the slides super fast!

 The moment I realized I could not control us, and we were going to fly off the slide!

 We did, but we were OK and I laughed a lot!

 Going back to check on and name the snowman before going back inside

 To drink hot chocolate!  (Jovie loves fun beverages)

The next day while I was in the office, Daddy took her out for more fun in the snow and gave her more hot chocolate.

Yay for Snow!!

Amen, Jesus, Amen

Since Jovie has been old enough to be in an eating and bed-time routine, we have prayed with her during these times.  Lately, we've been inviting her to participate out loud.  And these have been some of the most sweet and rewarding times in parenting so far.  I've yet to capture any on video - it feels a little irreverent and it's also unpredictable as to when more than the standard will come forth.

The standard is pretty cute. She claps her hands backwards over her eyes and says "Thant you, God, fo food. Amen, Jesus, Amen."  We've been asking her if there are other things she would like to be thankful for, typically using loved ones or the day's events as an example.  This past week at the Rozelles, the sweetest prayer ever prayed (so far) came out.

As we were all settling in for dinner one evening, I asked her if she wanted to pray.  Given that there was an audience of six, I thought she would refuse.  But, she put the backs if her hands over her eyes and said "Thant you, God, fo staying inside, goin' ouside, fo Christmas trees, Amen, Jesus, Amen."  It was so enthusiastic and heartfelt, and made everyone's dinner!

A couple days ago, we had put Jovie in her chair for dinner, and Mike and I were still in the kitchen getting our plates ready when she started saying "Thant you, God, fo food..."  She finished and immediately took her first bite.  I'm not totally convinced that she wasn't just trying to get her first bite in more quickly, but it was still pretty cute.

Our bedtime routine, after several books and shenanigans, is lights out, pray, Daddy sings a song, Mommy sings a few.  But a couple nights ago, Mike started singing before praying.  She popped her head up from being snuggled in his shoulder and said "Let's pray!"  At first we weren't sure what she said, but she insisted and repeated it several more times until we understood her.  We were pretty proud of her.

Her little prayers are so simple and may be more based in routine than a truly grateful heart, but watching Jovie grow in her awareness of prayer has been a sweet reminder of pure and simple faith.