Family Christmas Part 2

(I'm still singing Veggie Tales; have been all day)

It all started out innocently enough with me taking pictures of Kai...

... when someone said, "Let me do it Nama!" He got us both in the picture most of the time!

I think his finger was over the light sensor.

So with the camera back in my hands I managed to capture "Kill Baba" in progress. Reminds me of the Zombie video Gabriel and Brendan made when Cyrus was little.

It was like watching "The Wild Kingdom". Poor Saeed.

As you can see he survived the attack of the Baba Killers.

Actually Cyrus might have started out playing kind of rough but I think at the end he was just trying to kiss his little "baby Tai" (Kai.) I wonder if Kai knows how lucky he is to have such a gentle, loving brother:

I remember when I was a child beginning to feel a bit house bound if the weather kept us inside for more than a day. So Cyrus and I took a walk in the neighborhood to go see our neighbor's tree with the big ornaments hanging on it.

Gabriel got home Friday evening. It was such a joy to watch the boys react to Gabriel's arrival. We'd been waiting for him for DAYS and it was such a sweet reunion. He gave everyone hugs and then sat on the floor with his sons:

Finally, on New Year's Eve, we celebrated Christmas.Obi loved all the presents.

Everyone is watching with amusement what Hamaseh is doing...

... which is opening many little wrapped packets that enclosed nothing more than small slips of paper with something written on them. Eventually she got to the bottom where the actual present was. Gee, I wonder who would have done THAT to our guest?...

... none other, and boy did he enjoy it!

Gabriel got his very own bottle of sparkling pear juice, although at the stroke of midnight we all shared a second bottle.

Tita got an Eckhart Tolle calendar.

Cyrus learns how to find the edge of the wrapping paper.

Shirin made Tita a framed collage of nephew pictures. Cyrus felt he had to explain each one to her.

Hamaseh and Tita both got (from different people) "The Hunger Games" to read. That's good; they'll be able to compare notes!

Kai preferred our coffee table to any presents. I guess when you're teething anything cold to bite down on is a relief.

Man that was good, I want more!

Ahhhhhh....

After eating my coffee table he sang us the most beautiful song:

The gang... my gang... I feel so fortunate, and so grateful.

What better than to celebrate 1-1-11 with a game of Catan! Hamaseh is listening to the rules.

I think Gabriel won this game.

At some point that day we opened stockings. Hamaseh is saying that she's never had her own stocking before, one with her name on it.

The wet head empties her stocking the quick way.

I don't know what Tita's eating but Cyrus has a Larabar. Yum.

Shirin immediately goes for the puzzle...

... and Gabriel for the Cracker Jack.

Nice pic of Gabriel.

Shirin helps Cyrus open his pouch of snakes.

Snakes, frogs, and lizards everywhere.

Last year Gabriel put a bow on Cyrus' back. This year he put a sticky note that said, "Cyrus".

While all the commotion was going on Frosty calmly rested his head on the heart pillow. He loves that pillow.

Obi and Tippy cuddled safely on the back of the couch.

Like father like son...

... like mother.

Tita lovin' on her nephew.

So here we go again. I've never had my picture taken so much. Thank you Cyrus!

Now Cyrus mimicking my poses.

The Persian straight face.

I promise he was having a good time... no, really.

The next day was just a low key hangin' out kind of day. Cyrus and Baba played with the dump truck, loading and unloading clementines from one part of the kitchen to the other.

Kai was checking out Chappu at the food bowl

I'm not sure which parent took something away from him at the table but Cyrus came over to where Kai and I were playing and he told me he was so sad. It made me so sad too, his cute little food smeared face so sad, but he didn't stay sad long.


Kai seems to like his new duck:

Miss ya'll.