2017 Holidays, Part 2

Dear Maya and Emi,

Christmas 2017 came and went in a flash! On Christmas Eve we went to Grandma and Papa Stan's house to exchange gifts and have a southern food feast with your aunts, uncles, and cousins. Add all the stuffed animals and remote control cars underfoot, and it was a houseful but so much fun!

A couple other things about Christmas Eve: Maya, you lost tooth #3 that day so both Santa and the Tooth Fairy came that night! Luckly the 4-5 inches of snow we got overnight didn't scare them away, and neither did Bridgette, who we were dogsitting at our house because of the weather!

Christmas morning you two were actually pretty patient, letting mommy and Baba sleep a little later than expected and even have coffee before going downstairs to see what Santa left for you. When we did, you found costumes, jewelry, stuffed animals, tickets, craft stuff, and lots more!

The snow slowed everything down, so instead of our usual Christmas breakfast at Nanny and Poppy's house, we went for lunch instead. Again you two had fun playing with your cousins, eating yummy food, and opening presents--this time from your great grandparents and great aunts and uncles.

Yesterday, the day after Christmas, we tested out the new sled that Aunt Kelsie and Uncle Shawn got for you guys. It was cold out, but it's going to be even colder for the next week or ten days so we didn't waste time!

Well, mommy is going to go get lunch ready and then head out to get the last few items to prepare for your 7th birthday party coming up this weekend, Maya. It's very likely that by then you'll have lost tooth #4, too. Please, stop growing up so quickly!

Love you both!

2017 Holidays, Part 1

Dear Maya and Emi,

The roller coaster that is the holiday season is here! Every week has been filled with fun events, bright lights, and sweet snacks galore. Of course we've also had the inevitable hyper moments and epic meltdowns to even that out!

Since my last post, these are the fun things we've been up to:

• Thanksgiving at Grandma and Papa Stan's house
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Cutting down and decorating our tree exactly as you two wanted
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Emi, you've been having fun at dance class
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Visiting Santa and the animals at the garden center
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Emi, a great first trip to the dentist (despite the worried look)
  
  

  

  When they told Emi she had to stop sucking her fingers for the sake of her teeth, she quit cold turkey!!
  The only problem is that now she's taken to scratching her cheek instead. 

  
  
• Maya, you went to the hobby horse workshop at the library
  
  

  

  Due to the weather, we didn't attend the Nutcracker ballet after the workshop as planned,
  but Grandma and Papa Stan took Maya to an Irish dancing Nutcracker the following week!!

• And other shenanigans

  

  No, that nose isn't from the icicle. Maya took a dive into a chair one night and got scratched up.
  Combined with her missing teeth, she looks like a hockey player!

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  Watching Christmas movies in a fort

  
  
  
  
  Well, mama's going to go make some holiday foods for the next couple of days. Love you both!