Zoo Friends

We spent New Year's Eve {day} at the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, SC 

with Alekzander's best bud and his family.  

The little ones thought the animals were cool, 

but enjoyed the other attractions just a little more!

We rode trains, carousel hopped, climbed animal statues,

and checked out the zoo's outdoor classroom.

Let's Pretend

We got to pretend to our hearts' content 

with nearly 1,000 other pretenders, big and small, 

at Discovery Place Kids on Tuesday.

We were excited to share this field trip with Andrew ... 

who may have enjoyed the day even more than Alekzander did!

A special meal with Daddy

 

 A sponsored driver

On top of the world

 Dr. Alekzander prescribing some hard love pats

Hanging out with a hero

 Captain of the sea

Cruising with Daddy

More Snow

After being snowed in at the cabin, we came home to our own winter wonderland.

Alekzander is clearly unimpressed with the snowfall in Charlotte!

Babushka

Some words from my childhood, like hallupkes (ha-loop-keys) and babushka (ba-boosh-kah). sound like they were made up.  And my parents were just silly enough to make things up, like crocodiles living under the restaurant tables (to keep us from getting up) and feeding my friends chicken lips (just regular chicken tenders with ketchup...although I thought chickens had lips for the longest time).  However, hallupkes and babushka are real words and reflective of our Polish/Ukrainian ancestry.  And both words were represented and celebrated this Christmas.  

Hallupkes (stuffed cabbage rolls) are a Markovitch staple especially at Christmas time.  While ATB requests homemade pizza (also a Markovitch celebratory/holiday staple), my request is always hallupkes even when I was supposedly a vegetarian!  Gruffalo didn't disappoint this year.  He had his biggest stock pot filled with hallupkes simmering on the stove when we arrived on Saturday afternoon.

We were often called babushka babies whenever we had a blanket on our head...which I guess was a lot.  This year for Christmas, Mia made her version of knit babushkas/head-neck warmers.  Gruffalo modeled his and Alekzander and I joined in on the fun.  

Little Man

{{Taking a break from opening presents for a little snack.}}

Snow Bowl

 For lack of a cone, Alekzander enjoyed a fresh snow bowl.

He loved to play in the snow, 

watch it fall, 

and immensely loved to eat it.

Sledding

 Big Smiles

 Dada, I want to go down that big hill!

Sledding solo

White Christmas fun