Merry Christmas!!

ONLY FIVE DAYS until CHRISTMAS!!!

The anticipation is killing me.  Especially because Christmas will be extra fun this year with a one-year-old.  (Note: I'm already counting down to Christmas-with-a-two-year-old!)

I finally took some photos.  Christmassy ones.  So at least if I don't take another photo of MiniM.E. until 2013, I have a couple photos that I can show her later and say, "here you were doing Christmassy things when you were one."  That's all that really matters, right?

My checklist?  Shopping: done. Wrapping: done.

Baking: done. Decorating cookies: done.

Christmas Cards: done.

Really, all that's left is to eat an inordinate amount of holiday goodies and watch The Santa Clause (my all time favorite Christmas movie.  Some hot chocolate might be in order as well.

So, until next year (probably, because Christmas is a busy time, you know? and then there's all the Christmas take-down, and playing with presents, and planning activities for New Year's Eve...), here are some photos of MiniM.E. (doing Christmassy things).

Hope you all have a a wonderful Christmas, safe travels, and best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year!

I shouldn't be playing here...

I should be up on the desk!

This looks fun

So does climbing on this chair... 

Ahhh, the table is way more fun from up here...

Playing by the tree

Testing the pokeyness

Kitty!

Just looking...

AND... pulling the owl off the tree

Can I have that back?  "More owl!"

Checking it out from a different view point

Chilling with the kitty

Organizing Mommy's cabinets while she bakes

Helping to bake

...can't even say what's going on here... 

taste test

"All done"

Rearranging a train city while at our friend R's house

"What? It was already like this!"

Reading with Jingle

Building a gingerbread train

"I think I dropped something in there!"

"Want these?"

Carefully decorating

Then un-decorating

Then decorating...

Playing outside in a new jacket

Wagon ride!

Indoor sled ride
 

Playgroup gift exchange (we got a sweet giraffe backpack!)

Our tree, all decorated (and a kitty)

First family photo: Fail.

Not bad.  The other cat is totally under the tree.  You just can't see him.  You know, because we're in the way.  This is probably the best we're going to get... Merry Christmas! From our family to yours.

The Countdown

10 days to Christmas.

To Do List: Wrap, bake, decorate cookies, deliver gifts, caroling, watch Christmas movies, "make snow angels for two hours, then... go ice skating, then... eat a whole roll of Tollhouse Cookie Dough, and then... snuggle." -Elf (2003)

I do love a good Christmas movie...

So last year at this time I felt like I had a lot to do, but fortunately, I could pop MiniM.E. in the car, drive around the block, and be certain of a two-and-a-half hour nap in which to decorate cookies.  Or I could set her up in the swing and bake cookies.  Or I could put her on the playmat and she would contentedly watch as I frantically wrapped presents.

This year, I set myself up with an even longer Christmas to-do list thinking MiniM.E. was older, so it would be easier to get things done.

Apparently the Christmas season has rendered my brain useless, because really? Easier???

Our days have been busy with MiniM.E. friendly activities like building towers and learning new words, while every second of nap-time is crammed full of Christmas prep.  Did I mention naps are rarely longer than an hour?  AND MiniM.E. has recently developed a full-on case of mommy-itis that allows me to leave her side for no more than a millisecond before blood-curdling screams erupt?  Needless to say, my countdown is more than a little nerve-wracking; there just aren't enough hours in the day.

Aside from Christmas preparations, MiniM.E. is an amazing little learner.  She's talking up a storm and knows well over 100 words.  A few days ago she started stringing two words together, like "jammies on" and "bye daddy" and "all better".  It is so cute and all I want to do is show you all, BUT MiniM.E. cannot be video taped because as soon as she sees the camera she rushes over saying, "baby, baby, baby," because she wants to see videos of herself.

Not only are there no adorable MiniM.E. videos, but I've been so busy, I don't even have any photos.  For at least a week.  I am actually very upset and have added "take photos" to my Christmas to-do list...

edited to add:

Check.  Photos taken.  Best photos of MiniM.E. ever... no.  Not really even good ones.  BUT, they are pictures.  I blame the lack of being outdoors.  And also the fact that I haven't opened my Christmas present yet.  It might be a camera.  Shhhh... don't let on that I know!

Ready to go out

WITH her own backpack (full of toys, of course)

At M's house.  Best play thing: stairs.

Nice up-the-nose-shot.

Testing out M & G's nursery.

Rocking Tranquil Turtle in the swing.  Too cute!

Out to eat.  Best plaything: butter knife.

Ready to order...

or is she?  Maybe there were too many choices on the kids' menu.

Hope you are all enjoying the season and are crossing off more things on your to-do lists than I am.  But isn't being busy half the fun?

Welcome, Christmas!

We've been doing all we can to get into the Christmas spirit (not that I need to do much...). Christmas music is always on now (MiniM.E. is sad that it's not always kids' music anymore, but she still dances around, so it can't be that bad).

We've been to Starbucks to admire their decorations. (really, we just went because I have a caffeine addiction)

One grande non-fat peppermint mocha, please!

So pretty!

(signing) More coffee!

 We went to the Victorian Christmas Walk downtown.  It was no Dresden Christmas Market, but it was still fun.

Looking at...

the reindeer.

We waited 20 minutes for that giant balloon!

And, now I finally feel like it's Christmastime in our house.  It's about a week and a half later than I would have liked, but such is life with a toddler.  Decorations are finally up.

with Metzger's help

We went and cut down our tree on Saturday at Ellms Farm.  It was cold, so MiniM.E. got to wear her snowsuit for the first time.  There was even a dusting of snow!

not sure how to move in this...

 The best part of finding a tree (for MiniM.E.) was taking the tractor hayride out to the lots.

Yippee!!

It took a lot of traipsing around to find the perfect tree because we were set on a blue spruce this year and they were hidden (actually, they were in plain sight, but there were only 8 or so and they were all so hideous that we walked right past them a few times).  We found this Charlie Brown tree (okay, it's not that bad).  Bob cut it down with his awesome muscles.   (Striking the same triumphant pose as last year)

MiniM.E. didn't share Bob's enthusiasm

It's hard to get up in a snowsuit...

At least there were goats to pet...

Awake for this year's train photo... much better than last year

 Once we got it home it seemed a bit big for our living room...

But now that the lights are on- which was an endeavor thanks to a super fussy and clingy MiniM.E. and super prickly needles- and we finally put the ornaments on, I love it!