Philly Trip

The week after Carter got out of school, I took both boys for a trip to Philadelphia to visit Patrick, Kirstin and Eavan. We played inside, played outside, visited the Franklin Institute, and (as always) ate very well!

We also took a side trip to NYC to visit Joo. Carter decided that Joo is his #1 BFF, and I don't think that it was totally due to the fact that she got him a cookie cake for a belated birthday treat. At first, Carter seemed a bit overwhelmed by the city of his birth, but he warmed up to it quickly. He walked a couple of miles the first day, and he definitely walked over a mile and a half without stopping or complaint the next morning.

Traveling with both boys on my own was tiring, but fun. It would have been a little more fun and a little less tiring if I hadn't gotten sick part way through.

I couldn't decide on just a few shots to share, so here's a slideshow of our week.



And here's a video of bubble-making in Central Park.

Stegaliu Family Visit

Kirstin was able to get a couple of weeks off of school just in time to come down and meet John. The timing worked out well so that they were even able to overlap with my parents for one night. It was great to have the Stegaliu's here to help out. Patrick's cooking was even more appreciated than usual!

Here are a few pics, mostly from our last night, in which we went to the fountains at Piedmont Park and to Cocktails in the Gardens at the Botanical Gardens.

Eavan was quite taken with John (and also with Carter's toys)...

Eavan kissing John's feet

This (the older kid pushing the baby -- and all our stuff) is quite handy!

Carter was "protecting" John from Eavan

John and Family

John has been blessed to have a lot of family visit him in his first week of life. I missed getting shots of a few family members with John, but here are the ones that I got.

Christmas 2010

Christmas morning before the chaos. As Patrick said:

Respect this mantle! Eight hand sewn, sequined stockings anywhere from 5 months to 45 years old. All hung (with care) on the same mantle for the first time ever.

Carter's big present this year was a desk, complete with office supplies. When he saw the clip magnets on his hutch, the first thing he did was RUN to his room and get a picture of Mama Helen and Daddy Phil to clip on his desk!

Carter helps Eavan with her Santa gifts

Everyone enjoyed their gifts!



Even if Eavan mostly wanted to chew hers...

Carter liked to help everyone unwrap their presents

Right around the time we went over to celebrate with the other Fowlkes family, it started to SNOW!

Just look at this hefty accumulation we had the next day!

The Fowlkes

The out-laws!

Christmas Eve and Eve Eve

We had the Stegall side of the family in for Christmas this year. It was SO nice to have us all together!

We started off Christmas Eve with delicious lunch... and absinthe.

The waiter was very impressed, as he'd never had anyone order it before noon...



After lunch, we went to see Tangled, which Carter was terrified throughout and then loved afterwards (pretty much his MO for all movies in the theater). And Eavan got to "watch" her first Christmas Eve movie, too!

Christmas Eve evening, the kids opened their requisite Christmas pajamas (Carter hasn't yet learned that this is what his present will ALWAYS be on Christmas Eve).

I didn't take any pictures of the AMAZING pork belly Patrick made on Christmas Eve (that's a new tradition we're keeping, by the way), so here's a picture of the night before Christmas Eve when we made Aarti's Down Home dinner.

News

We have all kinds of news!

On the work front, tomorrow is my last day with S&P. The company decided to shut my business unit down last year, so I've been winding things down for the last several months. After five and a half years, I'll be on to a new adventure! More on that soon, but let's get on to the more exciting stuff...

Patrick & Kirstin produced a new family member earlier this week! She's the second new addition to our family in the last 3 months (with nephew, Sammy's arrival in October). She's the first Stegall in the next generation. I couldn't help stealing some pics of her to post here. Isn't she a beauty?!

Eavan Marie

Collateral Damage

Patrick and Kirstin brought their dog, Maddie, with them to Arkansas.

Carter's stuffed animals have seen better days...

When Carter discovered the panda's injuries, he scooped it up in his arms, hugged it and said "It's okay! It's okay!"
We managed to get the crocodile fixed up before he even saw the damage, though it still looks a bit scarred from the experience!

Mama Helen & Daddy Phil's House

As per usual, we brought the rain to Arkansas. Sadly, most of our days have been rainy, limiting our outdoor activities, but we've been making the best of it. And Carter's been appreciating all the TV he gets to watch since we can't play outside.

Enjoying the fire pit on a rare, rain-free evening

Learning how to play toddler games on the iphone

Playing Super Why!

Napping boys

More Cabin Pics

Here are a few more shots from the cabin.

Driving the all-terrain-golf cart

Carter entertains himself while the grown-ups read (worked for, like, a whole 5 minutes)

Triominoes!

Kirstin and her incredible hand of mexican sweat (it's a two of a kind, it's a three of a kind, it's a full house - no! it's four of a kind! take that, Patrick!)