Christmas

Belated, as usual, but here are some pictures from Christmas.

Daddy and Daniel cut down the Christmas tree at a very rainy tree farm.

All of the kiddos at the Goff Christmas party.


Auntie Laura and Daniel making cookies for Santa.

Christmas Eve Mass.

Christmas morning feet in socks knitted by Grandma.

(Daddy, Matthew, Daniel, Mommy and Auntie Laura)

Matthew was pretty happy about the presents.

Daniel had a very musically-themed Christmas. The saxophone was an instant favorite.



Matthew and his very own Teddy.

Merry Christmas!

non sequitur

At dinner Michele and I usually go over our day, and Daniel sometimes chimes in with what he's been up to.

Today, Michele finished explaining a new piece of the research project she's been working on when Daniel, not wanting to be left out of the grown-up talk, popped into the conversation with this:

"I watched Bob the Builder a couple days ago."


Note: For those of you who don't know, Bob the Builder is a children's show.

Daniel Box Boy

YUM!

Matthew started eating "solids" a little while ago. He is a much better eater than Daniel was, already pulling the spoon into his mouth (which makes him a much messier eater than Daniel was). He also hasn't met a food he doesn't like. Here he is after enjoying some yummy butternut squash.

Urgent coloring update

Daniel has lost interest in the "ink pencils" and we've gotten out the chalkboard instead. He's been coloring by himself for a few minutes, but then came running into the room yelling "Mom! Come quick! I drew a rainbow!"

Ink Pencils

are what Daniel calls pens.

Reason 234,578,994 Why Daniel Can't Go to Bed

"An octopus came into my room and put a cold booger on my leg, now I'm too cold to go to sleep."
-Daniel

I'll make you a deal

In the last few months, a relative gave us a copy of the movie "The Land Before Time," which I remember watching when I was little (and older than Daniel) and I was scared in quite a few parts. However, we foolishly did not put the movie away before Daniel saw the cover and now every few days he tries to convince me that he can watch it without being scared. This was today's attempt:

Daniel: Mom, trust me, I wont be scared if we watch that dinosaur video.

Me: I don't think so, Daniel.

Daniel: I'll make you a deal. We'll watch the video and I wont be scared.

Me: We've been over this before, Daniel. I've seen the video and it was scary. You'll be able to watch it when you're older.

Daniel: No, you haven't seen this video before!

Me: Daniel, the movie came out in 1986. I was born in 1982, that means I was four years old when it came out and I remember watching it. How old are you?

Daniel (defiantly): I don't know how old I am!

Me: [silent]

Daniel (to himself, in a whiny, defeated voice): It takes too long to be a grown-up...

Sweet

Matthew loves snuggling with his lovey (named "Saggy Baggy" by Daniel, inspired by the Saggy Baggy Elephant story). Too bad he hasn't slept this peacefully for a few days since his not-yet-showing teeth and a cold have been bothering him.

Crime Prevention

We have had our cars broken into/stolen a few times, and since then have been well aware of the protection a "club"-type device provides. Being the astute observer that he is, Daniel now takes precautions when parking his vehicles, too. In fact, I think his method would be more effective. Who would try to steal a car being guarded by a dinosaur?