Miscellany from my phone

All are Facebook repeats -- my apologies! I've been lax with the camera lately, but I promise a big post next week when we get back from Florida!

Shae has an announcement to make...

She has transitioned to a (semi)Big Girl Bed!

[insert applause here]

Given that it's a new year, and given that our girl is a whopping two-and-one-quarter years old, and given that she's taken to putting her foot up on the front rail of her crib because she is (and I quote) "a ballerina cheerleader," we decided it's time to recognize what a big girl she is and convert her crib to a toddler bed. Eventually this will then segue into a real, true Big Girl Bed but in the short term this will suffice.
She was tickled pink to discover that she can now climb into and out of her bed by herself! The trick now will be to convince her that such actions are not cool during the hours of 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Proud as a peacock.

Checking out how completely different and foreign it feels to lay down to sleep in her new Big Girl Bed. (Please note: it is entirely the same bed she's been sleeping in for the past 27 months.)

Moving on...

Mom wears a hat? Shae wears a hat!

Mom and Shae wear hats together!

I'm not a food blogger. And I know this because if I were, these photos certainly would not be up to snuff. But don't you sometimes make something that looks so pretty you just want to capture it on film so that you can remember it for all time?

Oh, well I do.

So this is the pretty chicken pot pie I made on Sunday. I think it's lovely.

And it was insanely tasty, too!

Sorry it's on its side -- I took this little video clip on my camera and made the mistake of holding it up the long way. Unfortunately I can't figure out how to swivel it 90 degrees to make it easer to watch. So as it is, please crank your neck to the left and enjoy. (I've got a referral to a great chiropractor if you need it afterwards! Ha.)

'Tis the season!

Let the Christmaspalooza photo fest commence.

First gift: a super-rad coloring board from Aunt Amy and Uncle Kyle that sings when you color on it -- and sings faster and faster the faster you color!

Posing in front of the (very dead) Christmas tree in her very pretty Christmas dress...

...and very fancy clippity-cloppity shoes!

This is one of those accidental photos that will totally embarrass the snot out of her in a decade or so. Hence why it is posted to the blog instead of deleted. Hehe.

Me: "Shae, please look at the camera! Say cheese! Please look at the camera just once for me, honey! Please?"

Shae: "La la laaaaa.... [I can't hear you, mommy]"

"...still can't hear you... and I'm not going to look at that darn camera again..."

"I will, however, steal your phone and play with it. I don't even care that you don't have the keyboard locked. Hello? Who is this that I just called? Hi! I'm Shae Lily Bennigsdorf!"

At least I can take one side photo of the whole ensemble. Better than nuthin'.

Shae swiped the camera when I wasn't looking. Figured we should give some credit to her artistic abilities.

(I never really realized how bulbous my nose is...)

Nothing delights the little elf more than taking a self-photo and then letting her see the results on the camera. Simple pleasures.

A little snack and more color time before church.

"...I'm still not going to look at your darn camera, mommy. Get over it."

Time for Christmas Eve at Gramma and Baba's house! All sorts of different group poses in front of the Christmas tree before we could get to opening those presents. Tease!

Chris' professional-grade camera flashed at the same time as my little rinky-dink camera. The overexposure is funny, but the picture itself is lovely!

One Wrabetz family...

Two Wrabetz family...

Plus Uncle Tom!

Now let's get on with those presents!

Taking a picture of Brian taking a picture of Mom taking a picture of me. Classic.

More presents! Shae helped Keeley play Santa.

Santa Claus found Thornton! Thank goodness!

Thank you, Uncle Joe, for the incredibly awesome handmade wooden puzzle. Shae loves squirrels and thinks this is so much fun!

Let Christmas morning begin! I suspect this is the last time for many years that we had a reasonable wake-up time and managed to get Shae to eat her breakfast before heading over to open presents.

Plumb tuckered out from all those presents! Whew!

The Tinkerbell chair is a coveted item.

Pulling around her "blue pool" in the aftermath of presents.

Taking a break from all the madness. The chair is portable!

What? More presents! Why yes, thank you, I think I will!

Making an exquisite delicacy in her new play kitchen.

Merry Christmas to all! We hope that Santa Claus found your house, was generous to you and yours, and that your day was filled with special delights, and the warmth of family and friends. Many hugs from the Bennigsdorf family!