The Day Called Christmas Eve

The day called Christmas Eve comes right before the day called Christmas! It was a very busy day!!

This morning, I helped Mom make cookies for the Santa Man. Apparently, since he leaves you cool presents, it is polite to leave him a snack. :) I had fun helping Mom in the kitchen. I wore my apron and everything!

I was in charge of the sprinkles. We made cookies that looked like stockings, trees, and even the Santa Man himself!

I took a bath and got all festively dressed. But I grew too much and my outfit was too short Mom said. I was happy anyway. :)

After a wardrobe change, we went with Grandmom and Granddad to Lancaster. We went to Grandmother and Granddaddy's church for the Christmas Eve service. There was pretty music at the beginning. There was some singing. They talked all about the Baby Jesus in the manger and Mary and Joseph and the shepherds and the angels. Good stuff, that Christmas story. I got tired in the middle and tried to take a nap. They were singing this great song called Away In A Manger. It sounded like a lullaby to me, so I thought it would be a good time to sleep. Until the man at the front started playing this weird whistle-y thing. Mom said it was called an "ocarina". I said it was called "annoying" because I was trying to be night night! Anyway, I eventually got to take my nap.

After the service was over, we went to Grandmother and Granddaddy's house. The people with teeth ate food. Mom was particularly excited about that chicken salad food. I thought the peanut brittle food looked tasty, but Mom said I was too little.

I had my picture made with Grandmother Auten and Mom in front of the Christmas tree.

Grandmom joined in the fun.

I sat on the couch like a big girl with Mom and Katie and watched Bobby play football on tv. Mom said it was a video game, but it looked pretty real to me!

After we got home, it was time to get ready for the Santa Man. I put out his cookies and his milk.

I had to make sure everything was just right.

The table for Santa is all ready.

My stocking is hung by the chimney with care (even though there is no chimney...) All of the packages are wrapped. The tree is sparkling. And Sadie, festively attired in her Christmas sweater, is trying to steal Santa's cookies....

I have had my bottle. Mom read The Night Before Christmas to me for storytime. And now I must get to bed. I do not want Santa to pass me by!! I'm very excited to see what tomorrow brings!!!!

The Lunch

Yesterday, we had lunch with Auntie Trina. We met her at the place called Olive Garden. She brought me a present!! She gave me new jeans, a cute sweater, and a Christmas book that will talk to me! She also gave me some snuggles! :)

After Mom had her soup food, I requested lunch of my own. Then I sat nicely in my seat and played while Mom ate her pasta food. I'm a good girl like that. :)

Then I became very interested in Aunt Trina's cup...

What?!?

I decided I would make it my own...

I was pretty determined...

Foiled! I guess I'll just eat my bib.

After lunch, we went to the Target store. Good times.

In the afternoon, I helped Mom finish the presents. We watched Christmas movies and played. It was a great day!

The Lights Before Christmas

Well, this was a great day! I got up and played with Mom for a little while. Then we got ready and she took me to see Mrs. Leigh Ann. She let me stay there for a little while so she could get some stuff done. (It might have been secret Christmas stuff!!)

After Mom and I came home, we had some visitors! Mr. Harry, Mrs. Hope, Will, and John came to my house! They came by to get John's birthday cake. (Happy Birthday, John! Nice to meet you!) It was so fun to play with everyone. AND they brought me Christmas presents!! They gave me a puppy that talks and sings and a book with lots of stories! Mom will read the stories to me later.

Oh, how I love this puppy!

She is a great new friend! Thank you so much, Mr. Harry, Mrs. Hope, Will, and John!!

After our visitors left, Mom and I got ready for a big adventure. We were going to the zoo!!!

Wait. What is a zoo?!? Well, according to Mom, it is a wonderful place where lots and lots of animals live. But she said that I wouldn't get to see many animals this time because they would be night night. I was very confused about why we were going to a place where we couldn't see any animals, but I was sure Mom had a plan.

We met Grandmom, Granddad, Uncle Corey, Aunt Meredith, Colin, and Brenna and headed to this zoo place. It was a long car ride. I took a nap.

After we got there, I understood why we were there. Christmas lights!! Lots and lots of Christmas lights!! It was very sparkly and pretty!

We walked around a lot. Even though I had my stroller, Mom carried me so I could see. I got to sit on this baby elephant. It was cold though, and I didn't like it very much. Mom said we'll do better in the spring when we go back to see the animals.

Look! Elephant lights!!

Over by the farm animals, there were lights that looked like pigs!!

Mom really wanted these elephant lights. She thought they would look pretty at our house. :)

We sat with Brenna on this tiger. Ordinarily, I am not tolerant of tigers, but this one seemed ok. It was still and I think we subdued it when we sat on it.

We sat on this monkey fellow too. I think Brenna was trying to be a monkey. :)

I saw some real flamingos. They were very loud and kind of stinky. But they were just like Pinky! It was exciting! Then we sat on this lion. Somebody else's camera has a picture of the whole lion on it. This is just us, but I promise we were sitting on a big lion.

I had a fun time looking at the lights at the zoo. Everything was very pretty. There was even snow falling from the sky! (Mom said it wasn't real snow, but I thought it added a nice touch.)

I can't wait to go back to the zoo when the animals are awake! It seems like a super fun place!!

The Gift

Well, I still have that "cold" thing. But life goes on, I suppose. :)

Mom said it was necessary for us to run some errands today, so we got ready to go. I really liked my outfit today. :)

We went to the Walgreen's place to pick up my Christmas pictures. Then, much to my dismay, we went to the WalMart store. Boo. But Mom said it was necessary because the girl at the WalMart store last night did not give us Santa's milk after we bought it and we needed Santa's milk. Sigh. After the WalMart store, we went to a place called City Hall. I had no idea why we were there. It was a very official looking place. But Aunt Nelle was inside there!! Oh, I had the best time playing with her! She made me laugh and laugh and laugh! :)

After City Hall, I was exhausted and not feeling very well because of the "cold". So I took a nap. Mom and I were supposed to go somewhere, but she decided we would just stay home.

Somewhere along the line, while I was napping, I think Mom lost her mind. She wrapped a diaper box with pretty paper and stuck me in it! I don't go in boxes!!

Then she put this goofy elf hat on me!!!

Mom said she put me in the box under the tree because I was the best gift ever. She loves me. :) Even if she has gone a bit loony...

Ok, Mom, seriously. That's enough. Can I get out of here?

That's our big tree. I think it's beautiful. :) But I'm still in the box...

I guess I'll have to chew my way out. Too bad I don't have any teeth....

Can somebody come get me out of this box?!? Please?!?

The Cold

Well, I'm not too sure about this...

When I woke up this morning, my tiny nose was all clogged up with some foreign goo. Mom kinda freaked out a little when she rolled me over and saw it, but then she went to work helping me and had it fixed in no time. Over the morning, I sneezed and coughed some. Mom says that I seem to have a touch of a "cold". I thought "cold" was the temperature outside, but Mom says that it can also mean a certain kind of stuffy-nose, scratchy-throat sickness. Ah.

I spent the day feeling kind of out of it. I slept a lot and sniffed and sneezed. Mom did this thing where I think she was trying to suck my brain out of my nose with that green thing. She also put some droppy things in my nose. She said it would help, but I didn't like that part. And she hooked up my little elephant that sprays mist into the air. She said it was called a humidi...um..humiddy...um... well... it makes the air not so dry.

She also made me go to the store called WalMart. Yuck. But she said it was necessary so she could get the stuff for my nose to make me better.

I'm not so sure about this cold.

But my pal Pinky makes me feel better!

I hope I'm better tomorrow! I want to be well before the day called Christmas!!!

Church Times Two

Mom and I woke up super early this morning. Well, super early for a day when Mom wasn't going to big work. Mom was in a really big hurry. She got all clean and dressed and then she gave me a bath. Then she made me wear my really fancy Christmas dress. Was it the day called Christmas?!? Already?? Nope. False alarm. Mom said we were going to church.

Church was interesting. I learned about the star that helped the shepherd people find the Baby Jesus. I also saw some people that I haven't seen in a while. That was fun. Everybody said the same things. "Her eyes are so big!" "Look at her hair!" I'm getting used to that...

After church, Mom and I went to Grandmom and Granddad's. Everyone showed up for lunch. I discovered that my feet were wearing the shiny red shoes that Salleigh gave to me. I love them.

I thought I would taste them.

Apparently, they're not for eating, so I just stared at them. They're great.

I spent the afternoon with Uncle Corey. He took care of me while Mom and Aunt Mere went to do "errands". I asked Mom about it, but she told me not to ask questions when we were so close to the day called Christmas. I think that means she bought me a present. :)

After Mom and Aunt Mere came back, we went back to church! Granddad's choir was singing something called a "Christmas Cantata" (Mom says that a cantata is a bunch of songs put together with some words in between) and Grandmom was playing the piano. It was all very interesting, but it was also very tiring listening to all of those notes. I fell asleep. So did Brenna. After my nap, the people with teeth ate cookies and then we came home.

It was a very long and fun-filled day. Mom and I are very excited that she does not have to go to big work tomorrow!!

Slow Saturday

Oh boy! Saturday!

Mom let me play with the big toy this morning. I had a good time!

After some snacks and good naps, I took a bath and got dressed. :) Mom and I were going to go shopping, but there was this weird icy stuff falling out of the sky. Mom said that we'd just stay home because the weather was yucky.

I played with Thing.

And my elephant pal.

I thought she needed some kisses. :)

Now I'm watching a movie about some street in New York City. Apparently, there are some completely crazy people who don't believe that the man called Santa is real. The man called Santa and another nice man are trying to convince them that he is real. I don't know what all the confusion is about. Clearly, the Santa man is real. People are so silly.

As soon as the movie about Santa is over, I'm heading to bed. I'm looking forward to going to Grandmom and Granddad's tomorrow!