Anna is possibly warming up to the snow? At least, she does love her little pink boots!
It’s also my observation that Carolyn has improved leaps and bounds in her dance abilities since last year. I was very, very impressed with how much she’s learned this fall!
OK, I’m right up there with Anna’s feelings on snow. Yep. It’s cold. And wet. And the boots I bought Carrie last week don’t fit right. (Side note: she has the skinniest little legs of any child I know, and I can’t zip the things up over tights, let alone socks or leggings – who on earth are these made for?!?) So I was very unprepared and unhappy to wake up to sleet hitting the window.
Slushy, wet, heavy snow everywhere, and a five year old in mary-jane style sneakers. Great combo, that.
At least Anna has hand-me-down boots and a winter coat that fit, so she’s stylin’ in the snow she’s not so sure she likes that much! (It would probably help if I could convince her to leave the mittens on her hands before touching that cold white wet stuff.)
I came home from work tonight to candles in the windows. It’s been on my mile-long to-do list for a while now, to put those up, but it hasn’t managed to percolate to the top yet. I do so love seeing those in houses this time of year. I was so shocked to see them there that I almost drove right past our house!
What a sweet surprise my family gave me tonight!
We went to church this morning, and then to the pancake breakfast with Santa after.
This Santa was slightly less intimidating to Anna, although that might have been because this time I sat down with her.
Carrie was so excited to get to see Santa again that she sat on his lap twice – once before and once after breakfast. You know, just to make sure he got her order wish list straight and all.
I took the girls to see Santa today. Luckily, Denis met us at the mall after work and we all went together. Yep, that was pretty lucky. Because while Carrie was more than happy to climb right up on that red velvet-covered knee:
Anna wanted absolutely nothing to do with Mr. Claus.
That’s right. Not even with Daddy sporting his festive Mets hat sitting with them.
Nope. No Santa for Anna this year.
Luckily, Carrie was happy to pass along that Anna really wants a doll for Christmas this year. And I don’t think Santa takes it personally when babies scream at the sight of him. At least, I hope not!
Carrie and I had a conversation tonight about what she might like for Christmas. I know she’s planning to ask Santa for pink ice skates and roller skates with “training wheels”. (I hope Santa knows what she’s talking about, because I sure don’t!) But I thought she might have some other ideas for other people (namely me) who might like to buy her a Christmas gift.
me: So, Carolyn, what else do you want for Christmas besides ice skates and roller skates with training wheels?
Carrie: PONIES! And also, a Barbie named “Alexa”, or a book about a Barbie named “Alexa”. And a sun that babies can’t play with.
me: A sun? Like a model of the solar system?
Carrie: No, a yellow ball. That’s really hot.
me: Have you ever seen a toy like that anywhere? What does it look like?
Carrie: You could take lots of little pieces of yellow paper and make them into a ball and then somehow make it be hot. Maybe by making it be on fire!
me: But then the ball would burn up, if it was made from paper.
Carrie: Well, maybe instead you could make me some yellow cookies. With points!
me: Um. OK, then. Is there anything *else* you might like for Christmas?
Carrie: I don’t know. I’d really be happy with anything I got for Christmas!
me: Well, that’s easy. I’ll get you some spinach!
Carrie: No, not spinach!
me: How about dirt?
Carrie: No, Mommy, that’s silly!
me: Underwear??
And it got even sillier from there. She finally suggested that maybe we should stick to toys. Or books, or art supplies. Basically, anything that’s fun.
I guess spinach is not fun.
There was a smattering of snow on the ground when we went out to wait for the bus this morning. Carrie was thrilled, running through the front yard in her sneakers (remind me to buy her some new boots soon!) and picking up the very packable snow to throw everywhere.
Anna’s not so sure about this cold, wet, white stuff. It’s cold. And wet. And did we mention cold??
I rearranged the living room a smidge so we could put the tree up this evening. I do love going through the ornaments we’ve collected throughout the years, and Carrie loves to hang things on the highest branches she can reach while Daddy holds her up.
I remember our first tree – senior year of college, we rented half a duplex with another friend, and we put up a tree even though we’d be away over Christmas. We really had no ornaments to speak of, so I bought all red and gold ornaments and tried to do one of those decorator-type trees. It came out…well, honestly, pretty ugly.
I like this tree, in all of it’s homemade, mismatched, colorful, paper-towel-angel-on-the-top glory much better!
Our family has a little extra to be thankful for today. My cousin (the one who had the baby shower a couple of weeks ago) had her baby this morning. A little early, but healthy. We’re so happy to welcome Charles (already nick-named “baby Charlie” by Carolyn) to the family!
I finally feel mostly back to myself. I was never officially tested, but the PA at my doctor’s office is pretty sure I had H1N1, followed by a sinus infection. Luckily (knock wood) nobody else in my family seems to have caught it. (Washing my hands several billion times in the past two weeks probably helped.) We haven’t had access to the vaccine for the kids, but I will definitely get it for them when/if it becomes available, because that is easily the sickest I’ve ever been in my adult life, and I wouldn’t wish that on anybody.