Christmas, and Christmas, and Birthday, and Christmas, and Birthday, and Christmas

FAIR WARNING: There are a LOT of photos below...so proceed with caution.

Our Christmas celebrations last about two weeks, and span three to four cities, covering four "holidays": Christmas, Andy's birthday, Simon's birthday, and New Year's. So there's a whole lotta celebrating, as you can see...

Round 1: Christmas (the actual day), in Rochester

Simon is thrilled to discover Christmas socks in his stocking

Theodore is thrilled to have a tag and string to play with on his stocking

Simon helped Theodore open everything, beginning with the stocking--he got a cool new teether

Marilyn, Steve, Peter, & Karlie joined us on Christmas day

Peter, opening a gift

And Simon, opening one of many gifts

Grandpa Steve, showing Theodore how his new toys work

Round 2: "Christmas" in Madison

Theodore loved all of his gifts...especially those with ribbons to suck on...

...and paper to crinkle!

Simon and Uncle David play with one of Simon's new toys

Round 3: "Christmas" with Jess's extended family in Muskego, WI

We didn't actually take many photos there, but Simon especially had a blast playing with his...cousins? second cousins?...Jess's cousins' kids, whatever they are called in relation to Simon. Here some of them are crawling behind a sofa

Round 4: Back in Madison, Simon & Andy's birthday

Simon had lots of fun decorating a giant gingerbread man with Grandma Phyllis

Happy 3rd birthday, Simon!

...from everyone! (Including our friends Ashley & Ian, with their boys Wayne and Kai, who were in town visiting from DC!)

Who's having fun decorating cookies? Anyone?

(Sidenote: We did also celebrate Andy's birthday, but it was a slightly less photogenic affair)

Round 5: Red Wing, Simon & Andy's birthdays, take 2

Marilyn and Steve got very creative with these cute penguin cupcakes

Simon got his first board game--Candyland--which he has had lots of fun playing with the family

(Again, Andy's birthday was a bit overshadowed, but not forgotten!...just not photographed)

Round 6: "Christmas" on New Year's, with Andy's extended family, in Red Wing

We already posted a video of Simon's first bowling outing...here's the part he really loved the best!

Theodore enjoys one of his gifts while sitting inside one of ours!

...and Simon got some good quality time with his godfather, Aaron!

Phew. There you have it, the short version of a couple of joyous holiday weeks!