Nora has grown long enough – 90th percentile in length – that she can recline and kick the pictures hanging above her.
She seemed to have a great time doing it. The yellow one continues to be her favorite, but to a less extreme extent than when she was (more) little.
Hendrik
The tree was naked for a while before we got the lights and ornaments up but now it looks fantastic! Bonus points for anyone who can find the Enterprise NCC-1701-D, complete with blinking light and glowing nacelles (it plugs into the strand of lights).
We even have enough ornaments to make it look dense (just don’t look at the back of the tree). Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
Since we can’t do anything too interesting right now, let’s do some time travel. Here’s a flashback to the Winter Solstice in 2009 when Hendrik and I got engaged! I can’t believe it has already been eleven years. We looked so adorable and young back then.
Even though neither of us lived in Portland at the time, we got engaged overlooking the city at the top of the Aerial Tram while we were visiting Hendrik’s parents. Perhaps a portent of our future as Portlanders?
We have our decorations up for Christmas, but some of our neighbors are much more into the whole thing than we are. When we’re walking the poodle, we get to enjoy some great stuff.
These folks have a full set of Christmas-themed Star Wars blow-up figures.
Hendrik
Nancy and I bought each other out annual household-related Christmas gift: a bird bath!
We got it curbside from our beloved neighborhood Backyard Bird Shop. We’re very happy with it. Hopefully the birds like it as much as we do.
Hendrik
On Saturday, we attended a Hanukkah party over Zoom with our trivia team. Sarah made matzo ball soup for everyone and dropped off jars at our houses. We wanted to share something too so I searched for Hanukkah themed beers from local breweries. I had a hard time finding anything until I had the brilliant idea to search for local Kosher breweries and that’s when I found Leikam Brewing Company. They had the Maccabeer IPA and they deliver! I didn’t actually understand the pun until I learned about the Maccabees, the group of Jews associated with Hanukkah, but then it is pretty clever.
I also ordered Challah from the Challahman. I know it isn’t a traditional Hanukkah food but who can pass up an excuse to eat Challah?
They lit the menorah over Zoom, read Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins, a Caldecott medal winning storybook, and then we played Codenames using this website, which worked great! Everyone made latkes except for us. With a two month old taking up our time, we didn’t quite have it in us to make latkes so we made hash browns and used our imaginations. It was a very successful Zoom party and proof that we can still have holiday fun during a quarantine.
Nora had a very simple first Sankt Nikolaus. In northern Germany, children leave a boot out the night of December 5th to find it filled with gifts the next morning.
You can’t fit much in a shoe that tiny anyway. Nonetheless, Nora did receive a sprig of noble fir.
Hendrik
I’ve had a few important work meetings recently, which carried the risk that I might need to turn on my camera. This results in formal mugshot, but comfy pants.
After all the trouble, I didn’t even end up turning on my camera.
Hendrik
I went for my first bike ride since having the baby! Actually, I think it was my first ride since June. It definitely seemed a lot harder than I remembered. Good thing I picked a route that avoided hills; you can see that I skirted Alameda Ridge for a while there. It was chilly but not too cold, windy, or rainy. I didn’t go far or fast but at least I’m back in the saddle again!
This year’s Christmas tree hunt consisted of googling to find out how to have a tree delivered. After all, we have everything else delivered these days so why not a tree too? Good thing there are enterprising folks driving U-hauls full of Christmas trees around Portland!
The tree they brought us is a bit taller than the 5-6 feet that we requested and we’re lucky it actually fits in the living room. The top nearly touches the ceiling! It is for sure the nicest, fanciest tree we have ever had, although technically it is only the second tree we have had. Maybe next weekend we’ll even get around to putting up lights and ornaments.
EisenOrem Adventures 