Carrots for Our Cutie

As a Christmas present for Anders, we finally got off our buns and got our little big cutie some food to eat. He's hit the six month mark and stares so intently at people eating food; his time had surely come. He rapidly leaned in to the oncoming spoon and accepted it with gusto, of course!

I swear that some of the pureed carrots made it into his mouth.

Merry Christmas 2012!

Christmas 2012 was a nice comfy day at our household here in Anacortes. Landon is innocent enough that tossing a couple books and puzzles his way keeps him ecstatic and Anders is young enough that you can toss a wad of crumpled wrapping paper his way to keep him busy.

"Santa is coming? And he brings crumply PAPER?! Score!"

So happy this company stays in business! Who knew when Erik and I got our stockings 5 years ago that we would be able to continue to buy matching ones for our sons. Ah, commerce.

Reading/eating new books.

Skype break!

Our first real tree in a while! An armless potato head admires from afar.

Summary of morning: Dad drinks coffee, Anders is just watching, Landon is the center of attention.

Aww, look at those cuties!

The "My First Christmas" brigade. Hanging with his buddy George.

Enter the "perpetual motion" toddlers. Babies not amused.

Summary of late morning: Anders eating paper, Landon playing.

A puzzle to grow into, but he did take a good stab at it!

Mmm, more paper.

This was the first year in a while that we celebrated Christmas in our own home. We put up a tree, hung ornaments, hung our stockings with care by the fireplace and baked cookies until our blood content was equal parts sugar and sprinkles. Can't wait to experience it more each year as the boys get older. It has completely re-energized Christmas to see everything through their eyes.

We are excited to travel back to the East coast over the New Year to see our loved ones. The travels may go spectacularly horrible with the kiddies, or it may just go fine. Who knows? We'll try to be prepared for the former, but que sera, sera! See ya soon, family!

Carrier Qualified

Erik has been gone for a couple weeks, back on the boat for short detachment. But hallelujah, say goodbye to the mustache, folks: this guy is carrier qualified!

Standing in front of "the ball" or "the meatball"... basically the lighting system that helps pilots land on carriers.

Erik and the NFO he was paired up with for CQ. Growler in the background

The flight deck of the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75)

As far as next moves, Erik is finishing his time up at the RAG and then will have a squadron selection sometime in January or so. We're pretty sure he's not going to get Japan again and we're pretty sure he's not going to the squadron deploying in late January. Plus we're pretty sure he'll get a boat squadron like he wants (as opposed to an expeditionary squadron). [For as much as he complains about the boat, he rather be on it than land. Ask him to explain it all sometime.] So basically his hard work is once again paying off. So when you see him, give the guy a handshake and a pat on the back!

Welcome home, Daddy-sans-mustache!

Two Years

I feel a little stab in my heart when this date comes around on the calendar. The day my mom passed. I think her about her so often and continue to admire her more than ever as I experience motherhood myself. And it's kinda' funny/sad: everytime Landon or Anders is having an extremely fussy day and whining for their mommy, I in turn yearn for mine.

I suppose this time of year decades ago, we were bugging my mom while she decorated for Christmas and anticipated family and friends for a big dinner. As it was, I don't ever really remember her lashing out at us very often in anger or frustration, which I once considered as her failure to recognize us and that we were oft ignored. But I realize now her ability to hum and tune us out from time to time was actually very smart and is basically a mommy survival skill. Good one, Mom. Sorry it took me so long to figure it out. Hope we didn't drive you too crazy!

We had a nice warm cozy home decorated for the holidays every year. I hope I can make Christmastime as special for my boys as my parents did for us.

Gearing up for Christmas at the Mares household. Pants optional.

Santa 2012

This weekend I took the boys to have "breakfast with Santa" which is put on by our little town's parks and recreation team over at the senior center. Breakfast with Santa consisted of getting in line to have a picture with Santa and then getting in another line to get your pancakes and sausage. For as much as Landon has been talking about Santa this year, he looked a little forlorn when faced with the jolly fellow. But! He didn't cry. Nor did Anders. They basically looked like they were thinking "Seriously? This guy? He fits down the chimney? This guy? Hmm."

And Santa's also thinking "Seriously?" As in "Seriously, it's only 9am and I have three more hours at this gig?"

Here is what Anders looked like before we left. He was a happy jolly soul! Santa killed his spirit. Or teething dampened it. Probably teething.