We went to Eastman Nature Center for a walk in the woods, crafts and snacks with Santa. Willow did end up sitting with Santa (when he gave out candy), but Grammy had technical difficulties at that point, so there are no photos. Grammy was going to arrive during the class and take them home with her so I'd have the afternoon to do Christmas shopping. She showed up right as the class was starting! I had no problem leaving early and got a bunch of errands done. All these pictures are thanks to Grammy. Thanks, Gram!
The bear was part of a school assignment: each Kindergartener takes the bear home for one weekend and then writes a journal entry about their time together with photos included. He made it to the Holidazzle parade, the Nature Center, and to the over-night at Grammy and Papa's house that weekend.
Lily bundled up at the Holidazzle parade:
This is one of my all-time favorite Christmas shots:
Lily bundled up at the Holidazzle parade:
It's hard to believe this is the same child who had 30+ fits a day when I first met her. She is happy and silly and bright almost all the time. When she's mad, she's REALLY really mad, but when she's happy - she's joyful:
Willow has named her American Girl doll (from grammy) Fan. That's right: Fan. I asked her one day what the doll's name was. She blinked in thought, looked at the doll, looked back at me and said "Fan".
One night when I got to her room (after bed time stories and prayers on the couch) she had her PAPER gingerbread man in bed with her. I said "You're not going to sleep with a stuffed animal or a doll tonight?" She patted her little craft from Di's house (daycare) and said "no". I said "You're going to sleep with a piece of paper?" She said "Yes". So I kissed her good night and she said "Night night, mom. Night night ginger man." His little head was on her pillow and he was under the covers just like her. WEIRD!!!
That same "ginger man" had an incident on our couch recently: As I was reading bedtime stories, Willow (as usual) got up off the couch and went into her room. I kept reading to Lily, ignoring Willow's inabililty to sit still as long. She came out of her room with "gingerman" and climbed up on the couch with him. She bent his little legs like he was sitting on the couch between her knees, patted my arm, and said "Boo boo biaper, mom". That's how she tells me her diaper is in need of a change. So, this gingerman was going to the bathroom on my couch! Lily and I laughed 'til her eyes were watering. Willow was all business. She just kept saying "boo boo biaper", I kept telling her to get his stinky butt off my couch, and Lily kept cracking up.
We always have our Santa pictures taken at Portraits of the Heart in Andover. I love that we get an appointment (instead of waiting in a line), Santa sneaks in the photo while the camera ladies make the girls smile (instead of terrified kids forced to sit on the stranger's lap). Plus - it's not much more expensive that the mall shots. I love how Lily is her typical poised self and Willow is bursting out of her skin with JOY:
Before we left they asked the girls if they wanted to visit with Santa. Lily did; Willow didn't. Lily sat on his lap and told him what she wanted for Christmas. I have to admit that I put Willow on his lap for ONE SECOND in case I could get a cute photo (which I did NOT), and she screamed for about 5 seconds. As we got in our car leaving the studio, Lily and I waved saying "Bye, Santa. We love you!" Willow said "Willow no love you, Santa. Only Lily."!
