Declan Hercules & Keevah Nyx House: Tis the Season...

Life got in the way of getting out a pre-Christmas blog…so here are all my thoughts and experiences from the past few weeks, in one monster-blog post.

December 7^th was Daddy’s C12 Office Holiday Party. Mama and Daddy had debated about whether to bring me to the party, and eventually decided that I should stay home in Napa with nanny Heather. Mostly, they didn’t want to disrupt my schedule too much after just returning from Paris. But, guess who won the argument??? That’s right…Declan wins! (again). Get used to it Mama and Daddy! After I found out that the party was black tie, I argued with Daddy (Mama is always harder to convince) and gave him my best puppy-dog face until he caved. I was IN! Hooray. There’s little I love more than wearing my tux…I take after Daddy in that way. And, I always love me a good party since I quickly become the center of attention.

Mama and I drove into San Francisco (Daddy met us there later) early in the day because Mama still didn’t have a dress to wear. (Actually, according to Daddy, she has plenty of dresses to wear, but I reminded him that ladies can only wear a dress once among the same crowd of people). So, Mama and I set off for Macy’s. I was so good in the dressing room, though I did try to eat a few of the dresses. After trying on too many dresses, I had enough and told Mama to make up her mind. With my help, she found the perfect gold beaded gown to offset my studly tuxedo. We made quite the handsome pair…sorry Daddy!

Daddy met us at the hotel and then we were off to the party. Everyone looked so lovely in the long gowns and tuxedos. As per standard operating procedure, I quickly became the hit of the party. Most of the people had not seen me in action with my new walking skills, so I obliged them by showing off my best moves. I did my best James Bond impersonation with Daddy, but was pretty upset that I didn’t get my own Martini. (I did plunge my fist into Daddy’s drink in revenge).

As the evening wore on, Mama and Daddy happily caught up with friends and I hung in there for as long as I could. But eventually, I just crawled in my stroller and took a long snooze, waking up just in time to wave goodbye.

The whole family at C12's party

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Bond, James Bond

Do you like the dress I picked out for Mama?

Socializing...

Where's my Vesper?

Making the rounds with Daddy

Up next??? Tahoe!

I love our Tahoe home and I am so excited that I’m going to collect a lifetime of memories with friends and family up in the mountains. This trip started on December 13^th – as a special celebration for Mama’s birthday.

Earlier in the day, our family of three drove to San Francisco to meet Bill and Cara. Nanny Heather took care of me while the grown ups went to the SF Symphony for Handel’s Messiah. Though beautiful, the general consensus was that it was more than a little repetitive! After the symphony ended, they came to pick me up (I had gone to bed long before) and the five of us drove up to Tahoe in Mama’s awesome car. After stopping for the obligatory In & Out Burger, Daddy promptly passed out (he gets a pass since he flew in from a business trip that morning). I shockingly stayed awake chuckling at my own jokes, and Cara helped keep Mama awake so she could get us there safely. We arrived about 3am, but it was so worth it in the morning. We awoke to snow covered treetops – straight out of a postcard. After last year with only minimal snow, this was a real treat!

We had a relaxing and celebratory weekend with Grammie, Grandpa, Uncle Ben, Aunt Aubree, Bill, Cara and Jason. Daddy gave Mama something she’s been pining over for 7 years – new Diamond Earrings!!! He had asked me what he should get Mama, and we agreed that it was time for some bling. Way to go Daddy! Mama was so excited, we scored major points!

While many people skied, Mama and I played in the snow, and I helped Grandpa shovel snow off the deck! I tried to pick up the snow several times, but it just kept melting through my fingers. That stuff is cold…and amazing! I also took some walks with Grammie & Grandpa – probably my favorite Tahoe activity.

Shoveling snow with Grandpa

Loving Grandpa

Giddy-up Daddy!

Playing with Grammie

Mama got a cheetah print onesie from her co-workers...I can't figure out why yet!

The gang in Tahoe

And now…onto more Christmas experiences!

Mama and Daddy surprised me and took me to see Santa Claus. They had been telling me all about that jolly old elf with his beard and red suit. Everything they said was positive, and I was really looking forward to meeting him. I helped Mama pick out a festive little dude outfit, and we headed off to meet Santa in person. We anxiously waited in line for a few minutes…and finally it was my turn. Holy Cow…I have one word to describe this supposed good guy of Christmas…SCARY! In the span of 2 seconds, I was happily in Daddy’s arms…thrust into the arms of another person….looked up to see spectacles, a red hat, and a beard…and then Screamed bloody murder! Daddy was sad that I wasn’t brave…”Son, you’re Hercules! You need to be brave!”. But, Daddy, you’d be scared if you had to sit on Santa’s lap too! Thankfully, Mama & Daddy rescued me pretty fast (mostly because there was a long line behind us), and I recovered after a few minutes. Phew!!!

RESCUE ME!!!!!

We also got to go pick out our tree. That was a lot less scary. Apparently chain saws scare me less than oversized elves. I was much more actively involved in selecting the perfect tree this year compared to last year. I raced around the muddy lot, grabbing at branches until I settled on the perfect 9 foot tree. I also picked out some big wreaths for the front of the house, and some garland for the stairs. By the time we had everything home, I was too exhausted to help decorate and went to bed. Mama and Daddy were worried that I would destroy the tree and eat all the ornaments, but they couldn’t have been more wrong. The tree was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, with its ornaments and glittery lights. As soon as I laid eyes on it in the morning, I knew I had to protect and show off my tree. Every time someone came to visit, I would bring them to see my tree. I pet its branches and I gently touch the ornaments and lights. Mama couldn’t believe that her little devil of destruction could possibly be gentle with anything!

Entering Steve's Trees Lot

On the hunt for the perfect tree...

Found it!!!

Instructing the man to make the base even!

Daddy put up all the lights

And Mama added the finishing touches

Grandpa hung up the wreathes and the lights on the house

Mama and Daddy share their annual special back-to-back wrapping session

All done!

The Christmas weekend was full of fun and adventure.

We spent two nights in Elk Grove with Grammie, Grandpa, Uncle Ben, Aunt Aubree and Great Grammiew. Mostly we relaxed and chatted and had some yummy Christmas food. I’m still perfecting my eating skills…2 months with no gtube feeds. We read the Night Before Christmas and drank eggnog. And finally, we opened some gifts. I got a spiky bouncy ball and a football, some clothes, my first Bible, and the standard US Mint Coin set that Mama has received for the past 34 years. She doesn’t get it anymore now that I’m around. Grandpa and Grammie were also incredibly generous, giving us all some help with the Tahoe loan and providing more promises to help improve the Tahoe Cabin. Thank you Grammie & Grandpa for helping to make Tahoe a place where I will grow up and bring my family some day!

Grammie, Daddy, Grandpa, Me, Mama and Great-Grammie

Check out my Christmas duds

Love Grandpa!

Happy Dude!

Hanging out with Uncle Ben

Thanks for reading to me Grandpa

Aunt Aubree with Daddy & me

Uncle Ben passing out gifts...can't wait to take that tradition from him next year!

Opening gifts with Great Grammie

Doing my best to eat Daddy's new globe from Great Grammie

My 2012 Mint Coin Set

Opening gifts with Grammie & Grandpa

Serena (Mama’s med school friend from New York) came out for Brunch on Sunday. We enjoyed Auberge de Soleil’s magnificent food (where Mama & Daddy got engaged). I slept part of the time, and played with spoons the rest of the time. I also loved watching the torrential downpour! Mama loved catching up with her old friend…she keeps trying to convince her to move back to California. Hopefully she’s making progress because Serena is so much fun!

Christmas Eve

My excitement was growing for the big day! Mama and Daddy worked on me full time to give Santa one more chance. Christmas Eve started with a trip to the over-crowded market…and then we made up for it by heading up to Dean & Deluca! I’m a kid after my parents’ hearts…I loved all the fancy foods. Relaxation, reading time, and family nap time followed. We went out to a super fancy dinner at La Toque, with me wearing my Santa’s helper outfit. I mostly slept while Mama & Daddy enjoyed their many fancy courses…they are so hilariously gourmet, I’m constantly amused at their ridiculous taste in food. Daddy can’t stop talking about his love of foie gras, and how he wants to work to overturn the legislation that just banned the sale of it in CA. Intermittently, I kept stealing Mama’s spoons off the table without her noticing, and ended up with two ravioli spoons that she didn’t find hidden in my car seat until the next morning! After dinner, we gathered around the tree for our Christmas Eve tradition (borrowed from Mama’s childhood). With all the house lights off, and the only light coming from the tree, we gather to read Twas the Night Before Christmas and drink eggnog. I could get used to drinking that stuff! All the eggnog and fancy food was enough to put me in a food coma until 9am on Christmas Day! But I dreamed visions of sugarplums and Santa jumping over the moon all night long.

To Santa....From Declan Hercules

Mama...LOOK!

Daddy...LOOK! Santa!

The whole family Christmas Eve

Watching NORAD...where is Santa now??

He's getting close to Napa!

I don't think I can sleep tonight...

'Twas the night before Christmas...

...and Mama in her Kerchief, and I in my cap...

Christmas is Here!!!

Mama and Daddy picked my smiling face out of the crib as soon as I was awake and we raced downstairs to see if Santa had come. I like him in the abstract now, but was glad I didn’t accidentally bump into him last night. I must have been a really really good boy because Santa came and left me all kinds of presents. We opened our stockings and then had a yummy breakfast of pancakes, eggs and bacon – I even had a few bites of each. Then it was time to open the many packages under the tree. I got to open two for each one of Mama’s and Daddy’s. I got a very cook tricycle from Mama and a wooden train from Daddy, (too) many other toys, some clothes and some books. I spent most of the rest of the day exploring my new possessions – after pleading with Daddy to help me set them up. Daddy’s big gift was a new BBQ, and Mama got a bunch of gardening stuff, the ingredients to make the “perfect” Manhattan, and some fabulously shiny new kitchen pots. We were a really lucky family – Santa must have had a hard time fitting all that down the chimney, and he probably had to make a few trips! We had an awesome day…I can’t believe I got to play all day with Mama & Daddy. I was fat and happy and went to bed around 7, and then Mama & Daddy got to have a nice grownups dinner. Caviar, sherry-mushroom bisque, 60 day aged prime rib, creamed corn, and gingerbread soufflés with eggnog ice cream! No wonder they couldn’t eat the next day!