The Holiday

 We spent three weeks with my family this Christmas, leaving New York in mid December and coming back after a conference Rémi had in Atlanta the first week in January. Christmas morning, Camille got a beautiful table and chairs from my parents, and a cute tea set. We gave her that robot and apron. She spent hours pouring that robot tea, and we all had Christmas breakfast around the little table.

 

 

Earlier in the week we had breakfast with Aunt Jami.

With Papa on Christmas eve.

Here Camille is helping to prepare for guests, my mom's side of the family joined us on the day after Christmas.

Rémi plays cards with some of my cousins, aunts and uncles, and Camille's uncle Andy in the Santa hat.

Rémi with his good luck charm. She was watching the play so intently.

 Pops shelling a walnut for Camille. He did this a lot this holiday, just like he did for me as a girl.

Family story time.

Watching the snow and waiting for Julia to arrive.

When the cousins are finally together, they both want to head directly to the playroom in the basement.

My parents bought us all tickets to the Georgia Aquarium for Christmas.  It was such a highlight of the holiday, the girls LOVED it, we all did. I think Rémi and I were both behind the camera for the above picture.

 

Whale Shark!

 There is a giant theater-style portal with a wall of glass two feet deep, two stories high and 60+ feet wide separating viewers from the most amazing, enormous fish. It's a jaw dropper.

This audience was torn between looking at the two girls and looking at the fish.

Of course, Camille wanted to touch everything, even when she said "berk!"

Playtime back at the house with Grandmother.

 

Right after this video, Julia said "Camille get down?".

Snuggle time with Pops.

For new year's, we drove to Niki and Nick's house just outside of Asheville. The weather was pretty bad, but we had a great time playing with all Julia's new Christmas toys.

Then, just before coming home, I celebrated my 31st birthday.

C'est le Père Noël!

Santa came a little early this year and gave Camille a kitchen. She woke up asking for her present from Pere Noel and was not disappointed.  

She likes it!

We did some baking later in the week, Camille is an expert egg beater.

 Since we'll be in Atlanta for most of the holiday season, we didn't get a real Christmas tree. This construction paper substitute seems to have symbolically filled the void for Camille.

 Cheesey Cheese.

 No comment really needed here.

 Putting the money in the laundry machine is always a highlight of our day.

It was very cold outside.

This is Camille's adorable friend Caroline. She invited us over to play this week, notice Camille came right in and made herself at home with Caroline's baby.
Good thing Caroline was such a gracious hostess!

Snack time.

Roll around on the floor time.

  

 

 Bisous et

 Joyeux Noël!

To be thankful for

I had a tough time picking the lead picture for this post, that tells me I have plenty to be thankful for. The sheer abundance of sweet, beautiful moments like the one above makes them easy to take for granted. That's why I love Thanksgiving, what a wonderful holiday. Not only do we get to spend time with our family, eat great food, and kick off the holiday season, but also we get this other side effect, the reminder to be grateful for our passing lives. Here Camille is playing in her sun-flooded window.

 

Dressed up in my hat and scarf.  Petite Maman.

 

Airborne tea party, headed to Hartsfield.

 

Playing with Julia at Mimi and Pops house. The morning after this was taken, Camille woke up with a fever and was very sick for the rest of the trip. Not surprisingly, a few days after Camille, Julia came down with the same sickness. Hard not to regret putting them in the same office chair! But they were soooo cute.

 

Crunching leaves.

We took a long walk along my favorite trail to scatter Will's ashes in the creek where he loved to play. This is one of my favorite places in the world.

 

Back home and ready to go to dance class.

Of Late

 While in Macon for my grandfather's funeral, we had some good time with my family (here with Pops). I took this picture through a screen door, that's why it looks so cool.

Camille hanging out on my Mema's  beautiful embroidered couch.

Fun time with Aunt Kiki and Jooyah.

At Mimi and Pops' house, Camille helped carve the pumpkin. I think she was a little grossed out when she looked inside.

"Let's just keep that top on there."

 Back at home and headed to school on a rainy day.

Camille had her first ballet class last week.

 

 

Practicing at home before.

 

She's was so great in class, a natural.

Here we are at the playground one cold morning.

Not sure if this is how the balance beam works.

 

On the double slide with Papa.

Our local playground got a nod from Rick Moody in the NY Times here.

Representin'

Fall in Prospect Park

In Memoriam - Newsome Corbitt, my Grandfather

May 5, 1927 - October 24, 2010

I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground.
So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind:
Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. Crowned
With lilies and with laurel they go; but I am not resigned.

Lovers and thinkers, into the earth with you.
Be one with the dull, the indiscriminate dust.
A fragment of what you felt, of what you knew,
A formula, a phrase remains, --- but the best is lost.

The answers quick & keen, the honest look, the laughter, the love,
They are gone. They have gone to feed the roses. Elegant and curled
Is the blossom. Fragrant is the blossom. I know. But I do not approve.
More precious was the light in your eyes than all the roses in the world.

Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave
Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind;
Quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave.
I know. But I do not approve. And I am not resigned.

- Edna St. Vincent Millay