Can a Girl Be Too Fancy?

We're going to go with "no."

Tonight Eliza announced that she needed to "wear something special" and went trotting off to her room. This is what she came back with:

Here's the back...b/c if you're going to wear the ears, you MUST wear the tail too. For the record, she also has the bow tie that came with the cat costume around her wrist. Along with three purses and a change purse.Work it, baby!

Eliza hearts President Obama

Aunt Mary sent Eliza an awesome gift to commemorate this historic day. She is very proud to wear it (click on the pics to enlarge if you can't read the shirt):

And she's a little cheesy as well...this is what you get when you ask her to smile:

Green Dinosaur Cookies

As anyone with access to any kind of news source probably knows, it is frickin' COLD in Chicago right now. Our high today is zero. That's right, zero. So, as you can guess, our desire to go anywhere is slim to none. Hence, baking as an afternoon activity!

For Christmas, Eliza got a green dinosaur cookie kit from Aunt Mary. Yesterday we made the dough and today we rolled them out and baked them. The raw dough tastes a bit like Play-Doh and honestly, the cooked version isn't much different. I won't lie to you - they're not good. But I am not the intended audience, so here is the true judge of taste.
She likes them!

December Recap

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season. We had a great, albeit hectic, time and are now trying to settle back into a routine. Eliza started pre-school on Monday and is doing fine, so far (she's only been two days, so Harvard hasn't come knocking yet - or should that be Williams?). She has also decided that naps are completely optional and she would like to opt out of them. Mac and I do not agree with this view of the world, so life around here is pretty fun as you can imagine!

However, here is a look back at our December. It was a very snowy one! Here are Mac and Eliza "making tracks" and examining snow. I wisely stayed inside and took pictures from upstairs.
We made our annual pilgrimage to Zoo Lights and were rewarded with some gorgeous Hollywood snow. With all the lights and the carols playing, it was like being in the finale of "It's a Wonderful Life."

Part of our visit included a stop at the Conservatory where they had a special train display set up in one of the rooms. Eliza was mesmerized (she must have inherited this from Gramps) and just walked back and forth between the displays, happy as can be.We stopped in the Lion House to warm up and found there was a very special guest inside...
Santa!!! Eliza really got Santa Claus this year - that he was coming on Christmas, that he would come down the chimney, that he would bring presents. She had no idea WHY he was doing these things, but she was on board with the plan. She told him she wanted "Dora presents."

Ask and ye shall receive:

She also got some fabulous dress-up clothes from Aunty Anna to go with her Dora purse. Stylin'!
She also got to spend time with one of her favorite people in the whole world, Aunt Mary, who is probably second only to Santa Claus in Eliza's eyes.We look forward to many more adventures in 2009!

Cookie Baking

We all did some holiday cookie baking yesterday. Andrea came over to take pictures, I mean help, and Heather and Connor showed up as well. It was quite the scene.

Here are Eliza and Connor helping to mix some cookie dough... Connor decided it was also a good time for some smooching.

Here Eliza returns the favor.
Post nap, Eliza worked on her rolling skills.
Then she cut out some shapes. I'll admit, she didn't quite get the whole just push down on the cookie cutter part, so most of the cookies have little finger prints in them for that extra special homemade touch!
And then there was this moment. I could explain it. But it wouldn't make any sense. So why bother? Just enjoy the insane picture.

Young Love

I'm so far behind in posting anything that I've given up trying to do it in a coherent or linear fashion. Instead, here is a paean to best friends and young love. Also to summer, since it's now cold and gray here in Chicago!

This is from Labor Day weekend in Michigan. Eliza and Connor LOVED the fountain (here they just got sprayed in the face...special thanks to Jamie for all the awesome pics):

Well, I said it was young love, didn't I?

Can't you just picture them 60 years from now still rocking on the porch?
The happy couple contemplates the view.
And in case you think it's just a summer romance, fear not...love knows no weather.
Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

The Endorsement

Forget the New York Times or the Washington Post or even the Chicago Tribune. THIS is the political endorsement everyone has been waiting for. Please also appreciate Eliza's brief homage to Chevy Chase as Gerald Ford (could her Tina Fey/Sarah Palin impersonation be far behind?).

Also, as a footnote, we just got back from the doctor, which is why she has stickers and Band-Aids that must be talked about.