Many thanks!

Moss fans!  You have sent us delightful presents.  We have managed to thank many of the givers of these presents, but many others have not yet been properly acknowledged.  These presents arrived varying degrees of "a long time ago" and we didn't thank you yet, and that is crappy.  Here's the other crappy thing: a few things were sent in July or early August and were mushglopped together in the hazy newborn-addled fog of my brain such that I'm not totally sure about the origin of a few of these things.  I *think* I've sorted it out in this post, but if I've gotten it wrong, please forgive me -- my priority hierarchy didn't even include showering that month, and I didn't manage to do a good job of tracking what came from where.  We are very grateful for everything we've received, and we use everything we've received A LOT.  So thank you -- this post is dedicated to you, in honor of your thoughtfulness and in apologies for our forgetfulness.  And to those whom I've doubly forgotten by not even remembering in this post but still have not thanked for something, well, you should just bop me on the head.

Let's start out small with Gramimi -- I've only let this one slide since Xmas morning, and since it's only now the 12th day of Xmas, I'm actually still maybe within an acceptable range of thank you noting.  So thank you -- Moss loves these.

They have an interesting rubbery texture and he sits there and scratches each one with his fingernails, which keeps him busy for upwards of 10 minutes at a clip.  He also enjoys eating them like apples.  An all around winner.

While we're at it, Unkie Adam and Aunt Chelsea sent the killing-me-with-cuteness outfit featured above.  THANK YOU.  My heart grows three sizes every time I glance in his direction when he's wearing this.  Let's take a closer look, shall we?

Er. 

Mer.

Gerd.

And now on to some lovely gifts for which the passage of time is a little more shameful.  Moss's Auntie B thought of him upon two separate occasions and for this Moss has to show a jaunty little red tee-shirt...

...and some quite weather-appropriate little sandals...

...which don't quite fit yet but which Moss wants to eat...

much

more

than

anything

The blanket is also from Auntie B in spirit, as she crafted it for me 30 whole years ago.  Thank you!!

Greats Pete and Patti sent a food-related gift package of amazingness, which is only now coming in handy this week as Moss can finally sit up pretty well and will start eating some solids, so really, my tardy thank you note is STRATEGIC...  ahem.  Thank you -- this seat is awesome and is totally going to be our regular high chair.  So compact and not trip-over-able!

Thematically appropriate outerwear courtesy of Gigi

My wonderful Mama remembered that the Burrs sent the precious tiger-themed outfits, but I don't even remember the day we received them.  :(  What I *do* know is that we *LOVE* these and Moss wears them ALL THE TIME.  Thank you muchly!  We reach for them a lot -- spontaneous photographic evidence abounds:

9/7/13 - The day of many biting flies -- the long sleeves came in super handy

10/1/13 - Hanging out with dad, just learned how to smile on cue

With matching diaper cover of course...

10/23/13 - Just chillin'

11/29/13 - Meeting Grandpa Trofatter for the first time

12/18/13 - Being the cutest baby in all the land

12/29/13 - Just hanging out with Dad again

Last Friday - Looking downright cherubic

The Montoyas sent us *adorable* cloth pads with hand-sewn decorations of jungle animals and frogs and sports thingies and we LOVE THEM.  There aren't any pictures with them just lying around because they are *constantly* in the washing machine because we use them every single day as burp cloths.  Not kidding, every day, no joke.  They serve a grungy but noble purpose.  <3  Thank you.

The Hursts sent us this stupendous doggy blanket, which we use a ton.  It has a flannely side and a satiny side, depending on whether Mr. Moss is in a flannely or satiny mood.  He likes to eat them both, but variety is a wondrous thing.  Thank you!

The Glasmanns sent the only other non-onesie tee-shirt Moss owns (besides the Auntie B Mike Mulligan one) along with some matching shorts and a hat.  This is another one we reach for a lot, (although he just now fits into it) because iguanas are super cute, and this outfit is unlike anything else he has (in a really good way).  Very cool.  Thank you!

11/27/13

12/21/13

The Georgia Roushes sent a couple of very *very* soft, sweet, powder blue onesies with lions.  We love these for jammies because they are soft and quite warm but also breathable and super soft (and they're SOFT), so there aren't a ton of pictures, but trust me, these are heavily in the rotation.  Thank you a ton.  :)

The cute blanket again too!  Double thanks!

And finally, another item we use as jammies exclusively when nights are warm is a beautiful wearable muslin blanket.  This came from Kristi, who at that time had a 4 month old tiny one herself (not to mention two others under 8 *and* a teenager) and she *still* managed to send us a gift, and yet we couldn't even get it together enough to write a thank you note.  Great.  Well thank you so so so much, because this thing is fantastic.

Again, I'm very sorry if I mixed anyone up, and I'm very very sorry this comes so late, and I'm very very very sorry if you still haven't been thanked for something you sent Mr. Moss.  There is no doubt that everything sent has been greatly appreciated, but there is a doubt as to my ability to function as a reasonably courteous human being.

Baby Bug's First New Year

Moss only had one new year's resolution, and it was to get more sun.

Check and check.

Baby Bug's First Christmas

What a treat to stay put this month.  It was restorative, almost luxurious.  No airports, no packing, no fiddling with time zones, no immune threats, no extra expenses.  But sadly also no grandparents, no getting off the housework hook, no nostalgic shivers of Christmas past.  I have a fantasy where my home and my family are both within reach on the same day, but the absence of this is an unfortunate side effect of the unique opportunities we've all used to build our wonderful lives, so I can't complain too loudly.  And anyway, I'm obsessed with this miraculous new family subset of my own right now.

The fun never stops

Oh Mossie, look at the nice orname --

Nonononononooooooo! How are you so FAST?

First Beco back carry.

Everyone is pleased.

And a little amazed.

Yes Moss, you fit in your stocking, but that's because I made your stocking comically large.

And anyway it's nice to inaugurate our own family Christmas traditions, so Moss will be able to have his nostalgic shivers someday.  Roast chicken (and the ensuing bone brothy goodness), charcuterie/relish plates, bacon and eggs, and roasty toasty vegetables are the food traditions so far.  Chocolate oranges, Pez, boxer shorts, socks and pajamas are the stocking traditions (albeit modified in age-appropriate ways moving forward).  A Christmas family hike is a fantastic idea (although it will be more fun when I'm in better enough shape to make it to the end...), and a close second for my favorite Trofatter family Christmas tradition.

The only flat part of the entire hike, the first 0.3 miles.  I'm apparently not quite ready for 5 miles of an UNRELENTING 12% grade.

But my absolute favorite new custom is that every year we'll be crafting family ornaments.  This year Ben went all out with the paper mache, and I managed to contribute some wee little knitwear.

 Mousie Mossie, Subi Snowman, Aoro Soldier, Mama and Papa Claus

 Due to knitting error, Mousie Mossie has a proper Scottish Tam o'Shanter instead of a normal hat...

Subi Snowman is the least involved paper mache-wise, but that scarf was an epic adventure in knitting cotton thread...

Aoro Soldier doesn't have knitwear, but he has awesome brasswear, and his mutton chops keep him warm anyway

Mama Claus and her dishtowel kerchief bonnet thingie

And sooty Papa Claus doesn't have knitwear either.  Might try to add a macrame little holly leaf, if I feel like learning macrame by attempting to fashion a tiny pain in the butt holly leaf...

And of course Moss is just swimming in loot.  I'm missing photos of him with his new favorite stacking cups from Gramimi, and a few additional outfits from Gigi and MimiT (to be rectified next week), but here's the bulk of the rest of the haul:

I don't know why people even bother making baby hoodies without adorable animal ears...

Nor why they bother making baby pants without animal face butts.  I rest my case.

Nice.  Thank you Gigi!

Candy cane Moss, courtesy of Gigi

It is approaching impossible to take a non-blurry Moss pic.

And when I get close, there's a blurry Aoro in it.  Can't win.

Jailbird Moss, from stripe-loving Gigi.  This thing is completely knit, and is pretty much the cutest thing I've ever seen.  However, the person who designed its tiny adorable buttons closing the legs will die and go to a circle of hell where you have to repeatedly take this garment on and off of squirmy 5-month-olds forever.

Kimono-gnome Mossie in our new jogging stroller!

Jogging with Mommy = win!  Thank you from the bottom of my heart and the heart of my bottom, MimiT, Mike and Pete!

Annie created the Animal of the Month club for Moss, and he got this magnificent moose butt to start.

 He is a fan.  It suspiciously resembles an Aoro toy, though, so Mama vigilance is high...  For a slightly better view of this noble creature's non-butt areas, refer to the candy cane Moss and the reindeer Moss butt photos above.  Butts are cute.  QED

A Moss rocket from Uncle Pete and Auntie Anna.  

Do I like it?  Well I don't know yet, hold your horses.  Important question: can I eat it?

Okay then yes.  Yes I like it.

Plus there were some Mom and Dad presents, like a Totoro,

some of those brilliant bibs that catch all the food for re-offering dropped food and not making your dogs obese,

and sippy cups for delicious water and juice,

and a silly monkey cloth with 2 dozen tags.

Next week there will also be photographic documentation of the excellent and visually interesting wooden teether from Dad and the various long-sleeved onesies from Mom.

A pretty decent Christmas, and yet it pales in comparison with Christmases to come, I'm sure.  But in the end I'm pleased with our restraint this time, and despite the moderate consumerism I think we demonstrated an acceptable ability to balance stuff with doing.  Huzzah.