First Big Snow

Sasha likes to go to Kidz Zone, this huge indoor playground where kids under 2 get in free amazingly. We've been meeting Leo and his mom there for late afternoon playdates

The week before Christmas we got about 8 inches of snow over a period of 3 days. We took a lot of walks as driving in our current vehicle was nearly impossible because they don't plow at all here on the side streets.

Sasha enjoyed frolicking around in the back yard. After I took her out the first time, she would go to the front door and pound on it, wanting me to take her out again.

December Days

Sasha's latest feat in the kitchen...She likes to "help" unload the dishwasher.

A rare, contemplative moment. She is a very high energy little girl. From the moment she awakes around 7 am, it's go go go. All the activity eventually wears her out though. We are so thankful that she is a good sleeper especially at night. We can't keep her awake past 6:30 pm and she is now sleeping 12+ hours straight. I'm guessing we won't be so lucky with the next one.

One of the failed attempts at a Christmas card photo this weekend...

Reading with Dada. I think she looks so old in this picture.

We had Thanksgiving dinner at my aunt and uncle's house in Albuquerque. Sasha was in a great mood for the cocktail hour before dinner but then crashed in a big way right in time for the meal. Needless to say it was not a very relaxing meal for Phil or I , so I did a Thanksgiving redo meal last night and we savored it leisurely after Sasha went to bed.

This is Sasha's new Downward Dog pose. Do other babies do this? I think it's so funny!

These days we spend no less than a half hour on the stairs every day. It's the one sure way to get her out of a funk and we figure it's good practice if nothing else.

November fun

This is Sasha's "cool face" as Phil dubbed it. She wrinkles up her nose and snorts through it when she is particularly pleased with something.

Still no first steps to report though she zooms around behind her tractor still. Sometimes when she's distracted by something in her hand we can get her to stand on her own for a few seconds, but once she realizes her situation she promptly takes a seat.

A couple of Sundays ago we went on an impromptu hike in Tesuque, the village north of Santa Fe. It followed a little creek up the mountain where if we had kept going for 9 miles we would have come to the Santa Fe Ski Basin. Some mountain bikers passed us coming down from the basin. We can't wait until we can get back into the mountain biking stages of life! Hikes will have to do for now....

Sasha loves emptying her book crate. She loves to have pop-up, texture books read to her but quickly gets restless if we try to sneak in a book with more plot than activities.

We took a low-key vacation the first week of November and explored some parts of Southern New Mexico and Tucson. These photos are out of order, but we ended up the week out in Pennsylvania at Phil's cousin's wedding where we got to spend some quality time with Phil's family. Here is Phil with his brothers Joe and Ben.

We decided to spend a couple of days in total relaxation at a resort just outside of Tucson. It was so nice to just go from the room to the pool then back to the room for naps. This is the slowest tourist season so we had the place almost completely to ourselves. Sasha LOVED the pool as you can see.

We started out the week in Albuquerque with a joint birthday party for Ulises, my brother-in-law, and myself at my sister's apartment in Albuquerque. Phil once again baked a tasty cake--carrot cake this time by my request--with the proper adjustments for high altitude this year.

We spent a night in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico partly because we were curious about the town's unusual name. Turns out the name was changed from Hot Springs back in the 1950s because a local contestant was on the gameshow. We stayed at a motel right on the Rio Grande with 5 different hot springs each at a different temperature.

Halloween and Daily Life

Sasha is one step closer to walking on her own now that she can push this John Deere tractor around. She has definitely suffered a few more head bonks, but I think she would tell you it's worth it.

Romping around in the crib after a nap.

Here she is posing in her costume. It was especially funny to see a little cow pushing the little tractor toy that day! We didn't go trick-or-treating this year, but went down to the plaza with some other moms and babies in costume and had a little parade followed by a picnic. Then we went to Phil's office where she got a lot of attention from the secretaries and nurses.

First day with double piggies--Phil's new favorite hairstyle.

Trip to Denver

We made a quick trip to Denver (about 5 1/2 hours driving) one weekend in late October to visit our friends Zach Bishop and Christina Alderfer. The drive was beautiful through the mountains at sunset. It's so much more pleasant to drive long distances out West when the scenery is so beautiful and the speed limit is 75 mph on nearly deserted highways.

Sasha enjoyed crawling in the grass in their backyard. That much green is a rarity in Santa Fe.

Nicholas James Bishop was 2 1/2 months here. He is the most content, easy-going baby I have ever met. He even had a cold that weekend, but was never fussy or unhappy.

Sasha with her future Goshen College classmate :)

My sister-in-laws, Teresa and Rachel, and their kids, Jake and Mary, came out for 5 days to visit last week. The cousins had a lot of fun playing together and the women had plenty of time to catch up and relax while the kids were napping or sleeping at night.

Sasha really missed having all the extra people around after everyone left. She will love seeing them again next week at a family wedding we will all attend.

Mary was so kind to "Baby Sasha" as she referred to her ALL day. She'll be a great big sister in the not so distant future. Rachel is due with her second child in April and Teresa is due in May!

Sasha screams for more gelato. She is not patient when it comes to eating sweets!

Jake and Sasha in Sasha's crib which finally arrived the day before everyone came.

Aunt Tersesa reads a bedtime story to her son and nieces.

Before our Girls Night Out while Phil watched the kiddos (two of them slept the whole time, to be honest). Rachel, Teresa, and I enjoyed an intimate flamenco dinner show at El Farol, the oldest restaurant in Santa Fe with great tapas and margaritas. We had a blast and remarked many times that nght and throughout the week how fortunate we are to have such wonderful sister-in-laws. Thanks to Benj and Joe for choosing such terrific wives!

pumpkin patch

While in Goshen we went to a pumpkin "Fantasy Land" out in the country east of town on a beautiful fall day. Sasha loved pulling up on countless pumpkins and probing each pumpkin stem with her index finger.

goshen trip

Two weekends ago we flew home to Indiana for a mini-reunion with my college friends, spouses and kids. We tried to split our time evenly between both of our families and friends. It made for a whirlwind 5 day visit, but it was a lot of fun. Above Sasha is giving a "kiss" to my mom, the only thing she will do on command and really that only lasted for about a week!

Above Mandy (the hostess) and Noah, Tina and Henry, Tara and Emerson, Lisa and Eliza, and me and Sasha.

The girls (9 and 11 months) had fun playing together.

All of the gang--still good friends 9 years after graduating from Goshen College.