Hyper Happy Merry Christmas

Dear Maya,

You have been a totally crazy kid lately. Hyped up on glitter, Christmas lights, wrapping paper, chocolate, giving and receiving presents, and excited expectations for the holiday and your birthday. So many of the pictures we've taken in the past week and a half show you spinning or in motion and quite a few are blurry. Mommy's happy that you've caught on to the joy of the season, but we could all do with a little less hyperactivity. I guess that'll have to wait until next week after your birthday, though. Sigh...

Last week we babysat your cousin Grace one day. Aside from lots of spinning and running around you were very good. Gracey was teething so she had a rough patch in the afternoon but you were so helpful in bringing her bottle over and patting her head when she cried.

Last night we celebrated Christmas Eve at our house with Kelsie, Shawn, Grace, Bobbie and David. At first you helped hand out gifts by searching for letters of the alphabet, but soon it turned into a frenzied unwrapping session. Afterwards we Skyped with Grandma and Papa Stan while Baby Grace jammed out on your piano, the adults fought over your new toy guitar, and you climbed in and out of the little 'dwelling' that Uncle Shawn and David made for you out of cardboard boxes. It was a fun time.

This morning we went to your great-grandparents' house for Christmas brunch. There was so much good food, as usual, and you loved your new table and chairs from Nanny and Poppy and your arts and crafts set from your Great Uncle Jerry and Aunt Kim to name a few. After all the eating and the opening of gifts, we got to enjoy another of your dance performances to Nanny and Poppy's digital player piano. It's so funny to watch you get so into to music by Chuck Berry!

 

Well, mommy's headed to bed early. Merry Christmas and love you, my almost-3-year-old!

Snow, Santa, More Snow

Dear Maya,

This last week has been a blur. There were presents wrapped, crafts worked on and all kinds of other holiday and birthday preparations. But looking back at the photos all mommy sees is snow and Santa and, to you, I'm sure that's all that matters! So here are some of your favorite moments of the week in pictures:

A little snow:

Visiting Santa:

More snow:

Well, these last photos sum up how tired mommy is this evening, so off to bed for me. Love you!

Snowflakes, sprinkles and sparkles

Dear Maya,

The magic of the season has you all abuzz. It's been taking you an hour or more talking and singing away to yourself in bed each night before you fall asleep, but it's all happy chatter and you don't seem to be bothered to have been put to bed before you were completely ready.

I suppose some of it could be the sugar talking. We made gingerbread cookies yesterday afternoon and you loved pushing the cookie cutters into the dough, especially the bell and candy cane shapes. Then we decorated them last night and you loved sticking candy eyes on everything!

You've been eating and sleeping Christmas trees lately. It started with the fake one in the living room last month, then on Saturday we went to cut down our real tree to put up in the front room. It had just snowed overnight so you were having a blast throwing snowballs at us--your aim and speed are frighteningly good!

  

 

Tonight we finally got around to decorating it. Since snow was covering it when we chose it, mommy missed how misshapen it was, plus it didn't help that daddy trimmed too much off the top (don't worry, he actually screwed it back on!) so it isn't the most beautiful tree. You are absolutely in love with it, though. You cried when it was time to go upstairs, but luckily you received a wooden tree-shaped music box/advent calendar yesterday which made going to your room that much easier. It's your other favorite Christmas tree.

A few more notes before signing off for the night--I'm not sure where you got it from, but you've started saying "Happy Holidays" this week! Also, your art skills are still improving every day. You surprised mommy with this yesterday and I managed to calmly ask you what it was before gushing over it. A spider, of course!

Well, mommy has to get some rest if she's going to keep up with you for the rest of the week. Love you!

Thankful for our family

Dear Maya,

What a whirlwind beginning of the holiday season we've had! Here's the breakdown:

*Tuesday afternoon Grandma, Papa Stan and Tessa arrived. On Wednesday Aunt Bobbie, Aunt Kelsie and Baby Grace joined us for family time and an early Christmas gift exchange. You were as excited to hand out the gifts as you were to open your own. You were also so good about sharing toys with your little cousin!

 

 *On Thursday we went to the awesome restaurant that Aunt Sue and Uncle Carl manage for a delicious Thanksgiving feast with the whole extended family. Afterwards we went to Nanny and Poppy's house for coffee, dessert, and, thanks to you, a dance-off. Your energy astounded us all!

*On Friday we had another Thanksgiving feast right here at our house. Aunt Rhi and mommy worked in the kitchen all day while daddy kept you out of our way. After Uncle Matt got home dinner was served. You mostly ate stuffing and Grandma's cranberry sauce. I think even Baby Grace had more turkey than you did!

 

*Saturday we went to a craft fair at Aunt Rhi's library with Grandma and you got to bring home what you call a "gingerbread man house" of your very own. Later while you napped Grandma made a special skirt for your birthday party later this month. Mommy is so excited to see you in it!

 

*Yesterday you and mommy went to another craft fair to visit our friend Charlotte's booth. Afterwards we went to a dollar store and finished shopping for daddy's advent calendar gifts. When we got home you took a nice long nap so mommy could finish wrapping them and slap a construction paper tree on the wall to line them up in front of. Starting last night you are in charge of finding the tag corresponding with that day and giving daddy his presents. You love gift-giving so this should be great number recognition practice for you!

Well, it's been a full day of crafting, cleaning, and elving. And much more holiday fun to come! Love you!