Christmas 2014

We had a pretty low key Christmas this year or rather last year. It was still a busy December with the company Christmas party, our friend's wedding, and our own Christmas party. Here are some pictures from the "holiday season".

Out shopping. She really wanted to take a picture with baby Jesus.

Malcolm didn't find shopping nearly as exciting.

On Christmas morning, Inga woke up nice and early like any good child. She really loved her stocking and all the gifts. She and Malcolm easily got way more gifts than mom and dad. Actually, Sam and I didn't really get each other gifts. Instead, we purchased a new bed in Amish country a few days later. It's still being made so we haven't even gotten our Christmas gift yet!

Christmas morning with her stocking

Rocking her new Minnie sunglasses

Malcolm with his stocking

Look dapper in his new bib from Grandma Lindstrom

 We threw a Boxing Day party for our friends rather than a Christmas party. The night before I made pork tamales with Becs, Anna, and Douglas. It was a lot of fun and not very difficult with lots of people helping. Most people at our party had never even had tamales before while I hadn't made them since high school. Our party was great fun.

Cranberry upside down cake at our Boxing day party

 We enjoyed watching Christmas movies with Inga this year. Her favorite by far was Elf. She talked about the Lincoln Tunnel and putting maple syrup on your spaghetti for days.

The new daddy swing for when the baby gets bored with the movie

Malcolm at 5 Months

Continuing with late blog posts, Malcolm hit 5 months right before Christmas. December was a busy month for us with a wedding of a good friend and Christmas celebrations. I'm glad I remembered to take his 5 month photos at all!

At the time, he was working really hard on sitting up all by himself. He was also having lots of trouble sleeping at night, which made mommy very grumpy. We thought he was teething because he was so cranky and drooly, but he hasn't cut any teeth yet. I think it was just a growth spurt because he is in the next size of clothing now. He really started to get grabby too. He will lunge and grab for anything he sees. You really have to hold on tight when he's in your lap or he'll launch himself onto the floor in seconds.

He is pretty good at stealing his sister's stuffed animals. He has a great fondness for Foxy.

My cutie pie in his Christmas PJs.

Baltimore and Expo East 2014

So I'm a little behind the times. These are pictures from the end of September 2014 when I took the kids to Baltimore for a weekend because Sam was attending the Expo East trade show. I attended the show one day to hear a couple omega-3 experts speak, Michael Lewis and Dr. Alex Richardson. The other days I took the kids around Baltimore and met up with my cousin and uncle who live in the area. 

Expo East is a pretty fun trade show. I dropped Inga off at the show daycare and took Malcolm onto the show floor. I was able to score lots of baby food samples and tons of coupons. I had so many people stop and gape at my 2 month old because you don't usually see babies at a trade show, but the Natural Products Expo shows are pretty baby friendly for working moms (and dads). The two lectures were really great and I was glad to be able to attend something intellectual for once. Inga threw a tantrum when I picked her up from daycare because she was having so much fun with the other kids. Mom is boring.

At the Wiley's Finest booth. Inga was pouting because I made her leave daycare.

Dr. Alex Richardson's lecture

I took Inga the the Maryland Science Center and on a boat tour of the Inner Harbor on day. She really loved both and wanted to do them again the next day.

Playing at the science center

USS Constellation

National Aquarium

Ft. McHenry

Driving the boat!

 On our last day in Baltimore, I met up with my cousin and her two year old son. We took the kids to the aquarium, which they were not interested in at all. We found a sandbox near the science center for the toddlers to play in while we enjoyed the sun. Sam and my uncle joined us for dinner where the toddlers barely kept it together. Malcolm fell asleep on my chest, which made it really difficult to eat! We had a good time though.

Little baby Malcolm

Inga and Miles playing in the sand

It was pretty exhausting touring a city carrying Malcolm in the Ergo and pushing Inga in the stroller. It was like several days of intense strength training. Definitely a total body workout.