Holiday House 2010 & more...

Every year, our local Junior League sponsors Holiday House. I mark my calendar every year and I don't miss it. Last year, I was VERY pregnant and swollen beyond belief. I had already started worrying about how I was going to walk around Holiday House being 9 years pregnant and all. Amelia decided to help a Mama out and come 5 weeks early. She was two weeks old when she experienced her first Holiday House. She was tucked away in a sling right next to her Mama the entire time. I remember women coming up constantly, asking to peek into the sling to see her. She was so tiny. Unless I knew them, they weren't allowed to peek. So hardly anyone was allowed to see her. I was insane enough to take my 2 week old baby out in public, but not insane enough to let complete strangers breathe on her. (LOL) Going to Holiday House with Amelia is something I plan to do every year. I love Christmas and I want her to love it just as much as I do! The story of our Savior's birth, the music, the decorations, the smell of cinnamon & cider, the movies, making Christmas cookies & candies, the warm/fuzzy feeling you get while shopping in a crowd.

You may experience a panic attack.

I experience warm fuzzies.

I love EVERYTHING about it. We've already started watching Christmas movies and I have to say, my girl is showing great promise in the I-LOVE-CHRISTMAS-AS-MUCH-AS-MY-MAMA department. We watched White Christmas (a classic and favorite of mine) and she was glued. I emailed my Momma immediately...I just had to share the happiness with someone else. She wrote back, "she's our girl!!"



Here we are at Holiday House this year. She was such a good girl. Just sat in her stroller, ate her snacks, waved at people, tried to pull ornaments off trees, etc. I usually find one thing at Holiday House for my home and this is what I found this year. It sits outside of our front door. I'm going to add some garland to it for Christmas. I love it because it flips over and has a Christmas greeting as well!



On Tuesday evening, I planned a date night for me and my sweetie. We've been trying to do better about taking time, just the two of us. I didn't realize just how hard that would be, once kids came along! Seems like there is always something to do and then we also have to arrange a babysitter for Amelia. Our church had given Alex a treasure chest full of gift cards for Pastor Appreciation Day. We had dinner at the Butcher Shop and it was delicious. Filet & twice baked potato? Yes, please. We were so thankful for our S-I-L, Elaina. She came over and watched Amelia for us. It's amazing how just two hours can "recharge your batteries." We had the best time together. We were laughing after dinner because Alex asked me where I wanted to go and I said, "TARGET!" Like I never get to go there. I just never get to go there without a baby to get in and out of a car seat, to change a poopy diaper (never fails) and to keep happy all through the store. I love the life of a Mama, but a break is needed sometimes.



Yesterday, Amelia had her cousins over for a play date and it was great fun! We've been trying to do this once a week. I have noticed that with older kids, Amelia does really well. She sits and watches them and will try to do whatever they do. I've also noticed that with kids her own age or smaller, she is more likely to take things away and is constantly wanting to touch their face, their eyes, their hair, etc. These play dates are teaching her to share and to not poke other kids eyes out. A very important life lesson. I just want her to play well with others and I know that she can't do that if she's never around other children. Of course, I love having some adult conversation during the day with Jen!



Amelia was begging for a "DAT" (bath) and "Nigh-Nigh" (night-night is her crib) by 6:30 last night. We usually don't start that process until 7:00 or after, so that Alex can have time to play with her when he gets home from work. He had stopped to pick up dinner and wasn't home yet, so I called to tell him that she was having a meltdown and asking for a bath and to go to bed. She would not stop saying, "DAT-DAT-DAT." He said to go ahead and that he would just give her a bottle and rock her when he got home. She was in bed asleep by 7:00pm and didn't wake up until 9:15 this morning! The girl was tired. She has been waking up at 7:00 every morning (since time change) and this Mama has been trying to adjust. I'm hoping she'll go back to sleeping until 8-9am, once her body gets used to the time change.

I bought the ingredients for french toast this morning and it was a hit! I made Joy's recipe and Alex said it was the best french toast he's ever eaten. Amelia agreed. It's actually the only french toast she's ever eaten, but the girl knows good food when she tastes it. She gave it a "YUM-YUM." That's equivalent to two thumbs up!



And now my two sweeties are napping and I'm going to grab a shower. Since it's after 1pm and all. :)

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Alex said we might put the Christmas tree up tomorrow afternoon. *fingers crossed*

Love to all,