What are all those colorful things under the tree, Josiah?

It is so much fun having a little one who is about to celebrate his very first Christmas! Of course, Josiah has no idea really what Christmas is all about, nor does he have any idea what all those brightly-colored boxes under the tree are, but he is so very curious about all of it! He's fascinated with the tree, the lights, and of course all those presents! I took some photos a couple days ago when he was exploring around the tree. He's so intent on exploring the presents that he has a very serious look on his face in most of them...he couldn't be bothered to stop and pose for the camera with all this exciting stuff around!



Hmmm, what happens when I pull on this?





Oooh, this one looks interesting!

I can't quite reach that one...

Hmmm, what's over there?

My brother wants to play with me, but I'm really busy exploring!

Okay, enough posing for pictures...I've got to get to that box over there!

This one is very interesting!!

I can only imagine how much fun it will be when he discovers Christmas morning that all that bright paper and all those bows can be ripped off to reveal fun toys to play with! I can't wait to see his reactions! We'll be sure to take lots of pictures!! :)

Top of the Rock

About a week and a half ago, our good friend Robert came to visit us for 4 days. Of course, we all went out and did touristy things while he was here, which the boys enjoyed immensely. Seems they can't get enough of being out and about in New York City! Robert even treated Jeremy and I to our first opera performance...it was very nice, except that we had to take Josiah along as well, and he wasn't as cooperative as we hoped. Nevertheless, Mommy and Josiah have now experienced the first 2 acts of La Boheme at the Metropolitan Opera, and Daddy and Robert enjoyed the rest of the performance while Josiah and I caught an early cab ride home.

One of the highlights of our weekend (that I actually have pictures of) is our trip to the observation deck at Rockefeller Center, or Top of the Rock. I somehow managed to forget my camera and had to use the camera on my cell phone, so they're a bit more grainy than usual, but I had to share...the views were spectacular! Oh, for perspective, we're 70-something (I forgot the exact number) stories up here.

Jonathan and Jordan with downtown behind them. The building growing out of Jon's head is, of course, the Empire State Building.


Of course I had to distribute 2 quarters to each of my 4 older boys to use the viewing thingies. Those were a huge hit!


Jon enjoying the view...

Jordan...

Jeremy and Joseph...

A happy Josiah enjoying the view from his stroller, as usual!

Big grins!

Now we're on the other side. Central Park is directly behind them. If you look really closely to the left of the upper left-hand corner of the park, you just might be able to see our apartment! :)

Jordan again...

Joey's turn!

He wasn't quite tall enough, be he had fun anyway!

Look what I can see!

Jeremy and Josiah...

This is a cool little hallway between the two sides of the observation deck. It's called (I think) the Intelligent Light Breezeway or something like that, and these lights in the walls and ceiling follow your movements. The boys really enjoyed playing in here.

More of the same...

We really enjoyed our visit to Top of the Rock and our time with Robert. So, who's coming to visit us next? :)

Video: Joseph's Birthday Candles

Here is a quick video from Joseph's birthday this past Wednesday. I have a bunch of photos to post as well, but I still need to edit them...I know, I know, I've been such a bad blogger lately!! Well, we hope you enjoy the video! (Please forgive the off-key happy birthday singing, lol!)

Let it snow, let it snow, let it SNOW!!

Woooo Hooooo! After months of anxious anticipation, today we finally got our first really truly sticky snowfall! We've had a few flurries here and there, but nothing we could go out and play in. This morning, four little boys were very VERY excited to look out the windows and see the snow falling hard! We immediately got everyone bundled up and headed across the street to Riverside Park for some fun in the snow!

Jordan on the sidewalk outside our apartment...


Joey on the sidewalk outside our apartment...


At the upper level of Riverside Park...


We walked down to the middle level of the park, where it's very forest-y, especially right now since you can't see the sidewalks and subway grates because of the snow!


And he's off!

Joshua and Jonathan making some snowballs...

Jonathan is proud of his first snowball attempt...he promptly chunked it at Joshua!

Joshua

Joshua trying to make a bigger ball for a snowman...

Joshua and his portable "mini snowman"...

Jordan just threw a snowball at Mommy!

Jonathan decided to make a snowman as well...

Joey and Jonathan posing with Jon's snowman...he used leaves for facial features, lol!

This is the boys' favorite climbing rock covered with snow...this is the same rock we took our fall group pictures on a few months ago!

Playing in a winter wonderland!

Joey tries to make a snowball...

The boys tried to slide down the hill on their bottoms...while they had fun doing it this way, we decided a sled might be even MORE fun...so we bought one and went back later in the afternoon...

A parting shot of the park...

After lunch, I took Joshua, Jonathan, and Jordan back to go sledding...here Jordan and Joshua give it a go!

Jonathan and Joshua...

Checking out a snowman that had been built while we were back at our apartment having lunch...while we were gone apparently lots of people had come out to play, because the park was dotted with snowmen. Most were this size, but there was one that was several feet taller than me!

The boys dragging the sled back up the hill...this is the same snowman from the previous photo...I love how he has a snowball in his hand, ready for a snowball fight!

There they are sledding down the hill!

This looks worse than it was...don't worry, he came up laughing!!

We're supposed to get even more snow over the weekend, and the boys have already asked if we can go sledding again tomorrow! I think they're going to really enjoy the winter here, don't you?