At the request of a certain group of faithful blog readers, here is fresh video of Lola! She got an awesome “Band in a Box” set from Uncle Rich & Aunt Janis for Christmas and treated us to a “song”...(at this point, we have so many percussionists in the family, we might as well form a band!)
We hope everyone had as magical a Christmas as we did. It was such a joy to be with our Florida family this year. Lola LOVED opening all her gifts (and oh boy, were there gifts!)--and after opening gifts for two days straight before we left Chicago, she knew exactly what to do.
I promise to post all our pictures after we get home. Until then, we wish you all the happiest and healthiest NEW YEAR!
12.27.2009
12.20.2009
Christmas with Mom--2009
As if yesterday wasn't celebration enough, we had our special pre-Christmas with Mom this afternoon. Christmas Eve tradition in our family calls for authentic Polish food. And since my mom has made countless Christmas Eve dinners, I decided to make one for her this time. So we had a nice lunch and then opened some great gifts.
Love having family gathered around the table. Lola was mid-meltdown, hence the bink.
John gave Ronnie a SWEET pair of Nike SB's. They never really fit him right and in John's eyes, they couldn't have gone to a better home. In John's words, these are the "crown jewels" of the Nike SB collection.
No Little Mommy could be complete without her own vacuum.
Or Ironing Board.
Or book about herself!
She LOVES her babies--and got ANOTHER one :)
Who needed its own rocking horse.
And high chair. All of this--how sweet she is with the babies and how she just knows what to do (naturally) is making me very excited to see how she'll be with a sibling--EVENTUALLY (no news to report--and probably not for a bit longer...)
Since Mommy has two strollers, I guess it's ok if Lola does too.
This DVD player is technically a gift for Lola...
...but really, it's for Mommy! (Looking forward to tomorrow's flight!)
Veggies in one hand. Meet the Sight Words Vol. 1-3 in the other.
I could not get her pots and pans out of the packing fast enough.
Making some culinary yummies.
Ronnie holding the gift we gave to Mom. Most beautiful picture of her and Lo.
Britt liked her Lia Sophia earrings!
And John was excited about Lola's new Seuss collection.
Look at the look these two are giving each other--they're excited about playing T. Hawk on XBox. Crazy too that John just saw him in Cali.
Ronnie's Christmas Gift.
Lola rocks the Ray Bans well, too.
Mommy's Christmas Gift!
No one makes a winter coat like J-to-the-Crew. My last one lasted 8 years!
And finally, Lola calling Florida on her Minnie phone. We'll be there in about 12 more hours!
This dish is 100% fat free--I swear!
Love having family gathered around the table. Lola was mid-meltdown, hence the bink.
John gave Ronnie a SWEET pair of Nike SB's. They never really fit him right and in John's eyes, they couldn't have gone to a better home. In John's words, these are the "crown jewels" of the Nike SB collection.
No Little Mommy could be complete without her own vacuum.
Or Ironing Board.
Or book about herself!
She LOVES her babies--and got ANOTHER one :)
Who needed its own rocking horse.
And high chair. All of this--how sweet she is with the babies and how she just knows what to do (naturally) is making me very excited to see how she'll be with a sibling--EVENTUALLY (no news to report--and probably not for a bit longer...)
Since Mommy has two strollers, I guess it's ok if Lola does too.
This DVD player is technically a gift for Lola...
...but really, it's for Mommy! (Looking forward to tomorrow's flight!)
Veggies in one hand. Meet the Sight Words Vol. 1-3 in the other.
I could not get her pots and pans out of the packing fast enough.
Making some culinary yummies.
Ronnie holding the gift we gave to Mom. Most beautiful picture of her and Lo.
Britt liked her Lia Sophia earrings!
And John was excited about Lola's new Seuss collection.
Look at the look these two are giving each other--they're excited about playing T. Hawk on XBox. Crazy too that John just saw him in Cali.
Ronnie's Christmas Gift.
Lola rocks the Ray Bans well, too.
Mommy's Christmas Gift!
No one makes a winter coat like J-to-the-Crew. My last one lasted 8 years!
And finally, Lola calling Florida on her Minnie phone. We'll be there in about 12 more hours!
A great way to start your morning!
Sitting at your new table, eating Cherrio's, drinkin' milk, talkin' on your new Elmo phone & watchin' your new Yo Gabba-Gabba DVD.
(Something about Christmas gives your Mommy tons of energy to where she stays up until almost 1 a.m putting your new toys together, despite the fact she cooked and cleaned all day and hosted all evening!)
(Something about Christmas gives your Mommy tons of energy to where she stays up until almost 1 a.m putting your new toys together, despite the fact she cooked and cleaned all day and hosted all evening!)
12.19.2009
Kurek Christmas 2009
Since we're going to be in Florida for Christmas this year (yea!!!), we invited the Kurek side over this evening to celebrate. Wow, what an evening--Lola didn't know what to do with herself, having all these people over at once. She was running circles around our place with sheer excitement. It was so fun to watch.
We munched on lots of delicious food and then opened gifts. There's something about having a new child in the family that adds a whole new dimension to Christmas. Leah commented how excited we were last Christmas because Lola was starting to roll over. Now, she's laughing, talking and really enjoying all the incredible gifts everyone has given to her. We're so glad we could all be together to celebrate this special moment of the year
The kitchen should be the biggest room in the house (and we're thankful ours is spacious!) because everyone always ends up gathering there--
--but thankfully, some of our guests found their way into the living room.
Uncle Timmy & Nikki with Lola.
Do we look like brother & sister?
Papa & Lucy.
The newly engaged.
She's so excited to open gifts, she's decided to stand on them!
SO EXCITED about the Melissa & Doug Alphabet puzzle from Auntie Karen & Uncle Dave. She's already trying to master it. This baby loves her puzzles!
She loves her clothes, too. And we can ALWAYS count on Auntie Cheryl, Uncle Ken, Jess & Kylie to get her an adorable outfit from Gymboree. Super cute shirt that says "Girls Rock" on a drum set (to represent Ronnie) with an adorable jean skirt and super cute star tights (that TiTi's going to want to borrow.)
Exactly what Mommy wanted--a Little Tikes bench for the kitchen. This one is so perfect because she can sit and eat and play at it in the kitchen--and it also turns into an easel which will be perfect for all the art supplies Ellyana gave her.
Is there anymore?
Had to add this one--baby girl's hair is FINALLY growing. How beautiful and shinny is it?!
And finally--the Pièce de résistance--my Mom mentioned to Sue that I wanted a rocking horse for Lola. I never imagined a rocking horse as magnificent as this. Papa & Grandma Sue gave Lola an hand-crafted Amish rocking horse that Lola's grandchildren will be able to rock with. And the thought of that gives me chills.
She loves it and will be able to rock on it for years!
Auntie Karen & Uncle Dave with their Melaleuca candle.
Me and my cousin Leah--when I think of all the Christmases we've shared--and all the Christmas "shows" we'd force our family to sit through!
Kylie watching Papa help Lola rock.
Look at that face!
We gave Sue a beautiful black & white framed photo that I took of her and Lola on the boat this summer--Dad and her need some new decor for their beautiful new "cottage".
And then we gave Dad one, in the same style frame. It's SO hard to buy for my Dad. What do you get the guy who has everything and wants nothing?! Without intending to, I took a picture of him and Lola on the boat this summer in the EXACT pose that a picture of he and I was taken 25 years ago...
...and this is what it looked like.
Needless to say, they LOVED their gifts and that meant so much to us. I couldn't wait to give it to him. I have the fondest memories of summers on the lake, and Lola is going to get the same experience.
My god-daughter Kylie is simply amazing with Lola.
And after a long night--thanks to Leah--we remembered to snap our "Grandkids" picture with our 83 years young Papa.
We munched on lots of delicious food and then opened gifts. There's something about having a new child in the family that adds a whole new dimension to Christmas. Leah commented how excited we were last Christmas because Lola was starting to roll over. Now, she's laughing, talking and really enjoying all the incredible gifts everyone has given to her. We're so glad we could all be together to celebrate this special moment of the year
The kitchen should be the biggest room in the house (and we're thankful ours is spacious!) because everyone always ends up gathering there--
--but thankfully, some of our guests found their way into the living room.
Uncle Timmy & Nikki with Lola.
Do we look like brother & sister?
Papa & Lucy.
The newly engaged.
She's so excited to open gifts, she's decided to stand on them!
SO EXCITED about the Melissa & Doug Alphabet puzzle from Auntie Karen & Uncle Dave. She's already trying to master it. This baby loves her puzzles!
She loves her clothes, too. And we can ALWAYS count on Auntie Cheryl, Uncle Ken, Jess & Kylie to get her an adorable outfit from Gymboree. Super cute shirt that says "Girls Rock" on a drum set (to represent Ronnie) with an adorable jean skirt and super cute star tights (that TiTi's going to want to borrow.)
Exactly what Mommy wanted--a Little Tikes bench for the kitchen. This one is so perfect because she can sit and eat and play at it in the kitchen--and it also turns into an easel which will be perfect for all the art supplies Ellyana gave her.
Is there anymore?
Had to add this one--baby girl's hair is FINALLY growing. How beautiful and shinny is it?!
And finally--the Pièce de résistance--my Mom mentioned to Sue that I wanted a rocking horse for Lola. I never imagined a rocking horse as magnificent as this. Papa & Grandma Sue gave Lola an hand-crafted Amish rocking horse that Lola's grandchildren will be able to rock with. And the thought of that gives me chills.
She loves it and will be able to rock on it for years!
Auntie Karen & Uncle Dave with their Melaleuca candle.
Me and my cousin Leah--when I think of all the Christmases we've shared--and all the Christmas "shows" we'd force our family to sit through!
Kylie watching Papa help Lola rock.
Look at that face!
We gave Sue a beautiful black & white framed photo that I took of her and Lola on the boat this summer--Dad and her need some new decor for their beautiful new "cottage".
And then we gave Dad one, in the same style frame. It's SO hard to buy for my Dad. What do you get the guy who has everything and wants nothing?! Without intending to, I took a picture of him and Lola on the boat this summer in the EXACT pose that a picture of he and I was taken 25 years ago...
...and this is what it looked like.
Needless to say, they LOVED their gifts and that meant so much to us. I couldn't wait to give it to him. I have the fondest memories of summers on the lake, and Lola is going to get the same experience.
My god-daughter Kylie is simply amazing with Lola.
And after a long night--thanks to Leah--we remembered to snap our "Grandkids" picture with our 83 years young Papa.
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