Gracie-Lou, Who is Twice as Much As Two

Because Gracie, on Dec. 27, has the single crappiest birthday of anyone in the entire family (I'm sorry for the bad timing, but, hey, in Dec. 2004, I weighed nearly 200 pounds, had gestational diabetes, toddled instead of walked, couldn't sleep laying down. Matt wanted the tax reduction. I regret nothing.), we have to extend the celebrations over a long period of time to get the full effect one would normally receive on one day of acknowledgement. It's not always a good thing.

Here, on her actual birthday, we joined the extended family at our favorite Mexican restaurant in Aurora: Senor Ric's, and the crowning glory of their menu is the fabulous fried ice cream, which for anyone else, on any other day, would be a tremendous treat. But if this blog is any indication, Gracie does not always derive joy from what might be reasonably expected. Hence, the above picture.
So we skip many days to find a Saturday free of all other conflicts, and we choose the 17th of Jan. to throw her a Barbie Diamond Castle ball: perfect! She's overjoyed, as you can clearly see, for at least the first two minutes of said celebration.
Daddy would like to think that her ensuing breakdown resulted from his absence (a launch that was delayed for days), but she was fine with that. It was, however, the cause of mommy's breakdown. We have no pictures of that.
Gracie, pre-breakdown. Looking almost chipper in her newly-decorated glitter crown.
Breakdown in process. Not enough to stamp feet and grunt; if mommy continues to ignore you, the best thing to do is strip and pout. From her perspective, a perfect power play. From ours: blackmail. Starting...now!

Post-breakdown, plotting her re-entry into a soiree that clearly has passed her by.

Grace always gets by with a little help from Evie; what would she do without her?

Sucking on a 4-shaped candle. Still illegal in 34 states, I believe.

Gracie and her favorite present: the Diamond Castle carriage.

In all truth, Gracie is just a delight. Everyone loves her. I shudder to think of our family without that precious laugh, that trusting look, the complete adoration she openly shares with everyone who lives in this house. She's funny, smart, tender, sweet, imaginative, independent, capable, talented. The crime is that once someone wields a camera in front of her, she retreats, but we want you to know that she's the complete joy of our lives.

With Apologies to Prince:Tonight We're Gonna Party Like It's 10 Years Ago

The Crawfords wish you a belated, but nonetheless very merry new year! And joining us tonight, all the way from the afterlife: John Lennon (just in case your mind's blown, it's not really John Lennon! You thought it was. But it wasn't.) Give it up for nephew extraordinaire: Richard Kulwicki!
Also starring: Sir Elton John!
You didn't think something as exciting as a new year's celebration would tone down Shane's natural Shane-ness, now, didja?

Gracie, participating in something willingly! And in this case, it's a wish for all the best to each of you from the fam...let's hope it's a good one, without any fear.

What Team? WILDCATS!

Once again, Grandma K came through in a big way and took my ladies to High School Musical: The Ice Tour...because, obviously, the Disney corporation hasn't garnered enough of our family's money. We were, however, one of maybe 300 people who felt that way, because the other 1,000+ seats were empty. It's all good, the girls were three rows from the ice, and for a girl whose great wish is to have the heart (and man) of Gabriella Montez but the look of Sharpay Evans, it's a dream come true.
Evie and cousin Colette in front of the souvenir stand, seeing what they couldn't live without. So sensible, and so in control of their impulses. Even I walked by and said, "Give it!"

Just think of it: all you have to do to score a $35, bling-encrusted HSM t-shirt is throw up all over yourself and the concourse of the auditorium! The ease, the simplicity! And then you too could be just as happy as Gracie is.

Oh, the noise! Oh, the NOISE! NOISE! NOISE! NOISE! NOISE!

No white Christmas this year, but on a gorgeous morning the kids' awoke to Santa's offerings: the old man outdid himself. Eve scored a trellis swing for her American Girls' sitting pleasure...
Ty and Shane were left a note telling them to head to the basement, where an air hockey table awaited them; off-the-charts excitement! The hours discussing the amount of magic one must possess to transport an air hockey table to a sleigh, off of a roof, down a chimney, down a flight of stairs to the basement...whoo-ey!

Gracie received the gorgeous Barbie Diamond Castle playset you see here pictured...they all bought each other thoughtful and budget-conscious gifts, which is mom's favorite part of the day. The big challenge was keeping Zeke out of the gift room, and for the entire month of December, away from the tree, which, as you notice, has no ornaments Zeke-level or lower.

Take cover, or be Nerfed! No Crawfords were harmed in the filming of this holiday.

Christmas Afternoon (an officially sanctioned portion of the day, requiring capitals like any other proper noun) was spent dining and playing at Grandma and Grandpa Crawford's (moving here from SoCal this last spring has been a real luxury for the kids)...the left-brained, scientific leanings Ty so often displays were rewarded amply, as were Shane's, with gifts of an experiemental nature, requiring lots of adult guidance and supervision, which, of course, is why God invented grandparents.

Eve scored one of Grandpa's specialty wooden treasure boxes, for all of her private goodies.

Christmas evening we're back at the manor, hosting everyone for fabulous desserts bought from a great local bakery, to the relief of all. The Mattel company owes (and owns?) our family, big time; we keep their franchise afloat.

Star Wars transformers? Holy cow! Boy heaven! This shot taken seconds before Shane fainted dead away from the sheer joy.

Evie, Hanna Montana purse and all.

More Star Wars transformers? Ay, carumba!

Yes, Christmas day is in our grasp, as long as we have hands to clasp.

Love to you all, hope your holidays were merry, your days bright...

Tomorrow is Christmas! It's Practically Here!

In a fit of what can only be described as pure madness, mama dragged her babes to Cherry Creek Mall in Denver to see Santa, ONE MORE TIME. And the sobering voice of reason, once we were in the 1 1/2 hour-long line was (drum roll, please): the babes! Let's just get Cinnabon and check out the Snow Globe display, and go the heck home. So we did. Every year, the mall puts on a stellar snow-globe walk-through tour, and this year was Polar Express, a hit all-around. Shane's favorite part: the falling fake snow, which he still insists on eating.
Have a holly, jolly Christmas, Gracie Lou...on Christmas Eve, we gather at Aunt Diane's to open all our stocking stuffers from Gramma K, which are always plentiful and joyful, from the Pez dispensers and packs of character underwear to the lip balm and action figures (and a subscription to Oprah the magazine for mom and an REI gift card for dad). Our gluttonous dinner is followed by a lot of laughter and confusion and flashes, and our littlest Who crumbles under the pressure.

Shane, though, is all good. Pretty sure dad is bending over picking up some valuable thing that Shane's managed to knock off the end table (with his cranium) directly behind him.

All the Kulwicki cousins with the matriarch of the family. Back row, from left: Collin Prusse (19, going on a mission go Puebla, Mexico); Roman Kulwicki, 13; Grandma K; Richard Kulwicki, 13. Front-ish row, from left: Camille Prusse, 14. Front row: Ty, Shane, Eve, Grace, and Colette Prusse, 12. Don't wanna mess with that posse...

Back at the Crawford homestead, we each opened a Christmas Eve gift. The big reveal: Ty's Nerf gun! I almost hate to even say it, the looks of shock and disgust some moms throw at the mere mention, but we've got a strict rule in our home: boys are allowed to be boys, as long as no one's in actual danger. Which they often are. But, still, the rule stands! And it's Nerf, for cryin' out loud...

All of Evie's begging paid off: an Ipod shuffle! Which she promptly loaded with U2, Disney, Hannah Montana, High School Musical...you get the picture. Our other strict rule: no one listens to music mom and dad can't approve. Which clearly means no light rock, no smooth jazz, no hip hop, no rap, no anything not U2-Zeppelin-Floyd-Beatles related. Still sensoring the Stones for 'em...

All of our Christmas baking done and parceled out to neighbors, all we had left for the Big Man was store-bought, but we figured he'd manage. Love that sign Eve left for him before we all scurried out to scatter Reindeer dust on the front lawn: "Dear Santa: Is it true that you have a child? Wright yes or no in this box."

You Gotta Fight for Your Right to PAAAAAARTAY!

In a psychotic whirlwind of merriment, all four knuckleheads celebrated Christmas or the solstice or whatever...the project of choice was a graham cracker cottage, at least amongst 1/2 of the kids' and their classrooms...I walk into a classroom and Eve dissolves into a complete goofball, it's not like I bring it out or anything.
Ty's masterpiece: check out the gingerbread Jedi in front wielding the peppermint stick light saber. Must have gunplay at all times, it puts the teachers at ease.

Gracie's...candle...I think.

Shane snackin' on cheese and crackers at his mouse party...props to the kindergarten room moms who came up with this one, and even more props to me for saying NO just this once to planning all the kids' parties. My biggest gift to myself this year: just showing up with a hug and a camera.

Dance of the Crawford Girl Cuties

Nope, the girls didn't dance in the Nutcracker, but did put on a Holiday Revue that was the talk of Castle Rock, lemme tell ya what...Gracie, holding her prize from the post-recital gift exchange: does it get any better than a miniature tarted-up Barbie in an oversized plastic locket? Hot diggedy!
Knockout, graceful Eve, giving her swimming skills an even match in dancing ability...that blue package? A High School Musical white board. Dreams do come true.

Prima Ballerina and her best friend, Ella, tearin' it up in a dainty, cough-ridden way. Loved that bow, it flopped over her left eye all night long.

The gorgeousness just hurts my heart. Yours?

Step back and feel the magic. NOW!

Why, this sound sounded merry!

The boys, from their earliest days, have loved the big man in the red suit (crown of holly is, of course, optional). They'll visit his stout helpers a good 4 or 5 times per season, this time at the Grange family celebration. Couldn't resist asking for Lego Star Wars, even armed with the knowledge that Santa knows our family rules and probably wouldn't disappoint their parents by giving them a video game that the boys themselves had not purchased. You gotta admire their pluck.
More useless Christmas crafts! Ah, guys, ya shouldn't have!

Grace, visiting the big man in the red suit. What do you do with all the coal your kids collect on the morning of the 25th? Can Santa switch to a greener alternative?

The highlight of Grace's Santa visit. She's an amazing artiste, very deliberate and patient...must use every ounce of it on the creative process.