The First Week of Christmas

Dear Abigail,

It's that time of year again - Christmas time!!!  I heart Christmas time and this year it started extra early for us thanks to Thanksgiving being early and all the activities we have had going on, BUT, I like to think that we officially started the Christmas countdown on Saturday, December 1st.  We have an advent calendar and in the past I would put little presents or candy or even a clue to something bigger, but this year (and going forward) I decided we would fill the advent calendar with Christmas activities. So far, it's been so much fun and you get excited about seeing what the day's activity is.  So, as timing would have it, Mommy was out of town on December 1st (on a girls trip with Aunt Steph and Miss Leigh!!! woo-hoo!!) and Mimi came up to watch you and Katie bug on that Friday (we left Thursday afternoon and Daddy had to work on Friday) and requested to bring you back to her house to go to her Christmas parade in Munford.  I said yes, even though it meant you missed YOUR Christmas parade, but potato potAto, a Christmas parade is a Christmas parade to you.  SO, on Friday (Nov. 30) Mimi loaded you and Kate up, but first she let you pull the "1" card from the calendar and guess what it said??? "Start the Christmas countdown with a Christmas Parade!"  Hooray!  On Saturday, you and all your cousins got together at Mimi's and took a few pictures and then walked to the parade.  Mimi said you were SUPER excited to see Santa and kept yelling "Hey Santa!!!"  You told me you also saw "the ranch", which took me a bit to understand that you meant "the Grinch" and you said he was scary.  You got lots of candy, so much that Pic-pic had to hold the bag for you!!  After the parade you went with Clara Lee to a cook out birthday party but came back to Mimi's house to spend the night.  OH!!! And guess who made an appearance at Mimi's house???  Pinky, our house elf!  She and Dolly had a platter full of white donuts for you to munch on (and apparently they had eaten a couple themselves!).  You were thrilled to see Pinky and you got a lovely little letter from Santa delivered via Pinky about how good you are doing with sleeping in your bed all night long!  Mimi brought you home on Sunday and you got to pull another event.  Sunday's event was to make a gingerbread house.  This event will probably not be on the calendar for next year, because, well, it just is not all it's cracked up to be...

Here's you and Daddy and Kate working hard on that house (a pink Barbie gingerbread house, at that)...

And here's about 10 minutes later...

 Like I said, not as awesome as it seemed.  Lesson learned my friend.  Lesson learned.  I think you had fun though, and you loved eating the candy, so there's that... Pinky got stuck in traffic traveling from Mimi's to the North Pole and then back to Mommy's so she didn't show up again until Monday, but she did it with style.  She flew in on your pink Little People plane and was waiting on you in the playroom. You were super thrilled to see she found your house.  Our '3' day activity was to make a care package for a soldier and take it to the post office.  You learned about the special people overseas 'protecting us and our country' at school recently, so I thought it might be a good idea to keep that fresh in your mind, because we are ever so grateful for those people and we know they are sacrificing a lot being away from friends and family over the holiday season.  You drew several pictures and wrote a thank you letter to 2 different soldiers and then we boxed up some candy (you picked a bag of M&Ms) and a box of Power Bars (because Mommy read somewhere that they are always wanting those - who knows) and we went to the post office to mail.  You were very involved in the whole process and even asked to pick out the stamp.  I was proud of you especially when you told the postman what we were doing.  That was a special activity that will become an annual tradition! Also on Monday, you had your first ballet recital! Man alive were you beautiful all dressed up in your sparkly leotard.  You were super excited because it had 'tiny cds' on it!

 You sure do love your sister...

 Your recital was at a Christmas luncheon and you did fantastic!!!  You performed to Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and Hark the Herald Angels Sing and it was so perfect.  Daddy and Mimi and Kate loved it too and we thought you were the best ballerina ever.

 Miss Missy is such a great ballet teacher.  She makes you say the words perfectly, which I like because Mommy still has trouble saying "arabess" much less spelling it!

 And, I don't know if you can see or not, but yes, that is a big rip in your costume.  It wouldn't be you if something wasn't ripped or torn or, whatever.  I know this, and feel your pain, because Mommy was the EXACT same way, but we perform so well, whatever it is, that no one really notices that torn leotard :) Just a beautiful ballerina!
So on Tuesday, December 4th, you went to school but when you got home you were super eager to find out your activity of the day which turned out to be "Write Santa a letter".  What's so ironic is Pinky was sitting write beside the paper and pen and told me she would take the letter to Santa herself, to ensure it made it to his hands in a timely manner.  You were VERY excited about that and wrote a nice letter.

All you ask for Christmas is a drum set, a dog that barks and a doll that looks like you.  And, you have been doing so darn well with sleeping in your bed, I bet Santa brings you one of those for sure.  We helped Kate write her letter and sealed them tight in the envelope and sure enough, they were not there the next morning.  And guess where we found Pinky Wednesday morning???  Playing Chutes and Ladders with Buzz and Woody.  I think Buzz was winning and you really really wanted to play with them.  I even caught you poking a stick at the game (possibly Pinky) but you promised me you did not touch her.  Our activity for Wednesday (after ballet practice and a quick trip to the grocery store) was to Help Mommy Wrap Presents.  Now, I have to say, you were rather good with this.  I wasn't sure if it would hold your attention long enough but you loved cutting the paper for me and holding your finger on the ribbon so I could tie a bow.  Our cleaning lady came while we were wrapping and was so impressed, she asked if you could show her how we do it.  You had no problems showing her how to cut and hold that finger!  Then you got busy with wrapping your own presents.  You kept telling me they were surprises for me, but you just couldn't keep it a secret for very long and say "it's a vacation" or "it's a watch" because that's what Mommy tells you she wants for Christmas :)  We left so Miss Meeran could really do some good cleaning and got some dinner.  Unfortunately, you feel asleep in the car for the 3 minute drive to Mexican and were not too happy when I woke you up.  You weren't mean, but you were determined you were sick.  You even curled up in a ball in your chair at the restaurant and didn't eat ANYTHING.  You did ask for your cheese dip but you never touched a single bite of it!  I thought maybe you were sick, but I think you were just tired.  And your sister had no problems eating your share of food that night!  We came home and you got right in bed and were just fine and dandy the next morning.  Three minute naps don't cut it, huh!
Thursday morning we woke up and low and behold Pinky was reading a book (your Big Sister book!) to Unicorn, Puppy and Giraffe.  Now you thought that was hilarious and sat in the room and listened as Pinky read it to everyone.  What's ironic about THAT is that night Mommy was having her book club meeting at our house.  That Pinky knows everything huh!  You went to school, but after I picked you up, we got to see what the activity was - decorate for the Polar Express Christmas Slumber Party!!  That's right, we are having a slumber party on Saturday, but more on that later!  We had to do some decorating so we decided to make Rudolph reindeer out of water bottles.  I sure wish I would have made a picture of one because you did a mighty fine job putting the antlers on and the eyes, and of course, the red nose.  Because of the book club (and because Mommy wanted the house to stay clean for a few more short hours), Daddy took you and Bug to Chick-fil-a for dinner while I got things geared up for the meeting.  I was a little worried that you would have issues going to bed with Mommy and her friends downstairs, but low and behold, Daddy had ZERO trouble with you or Kate!  Can you believe it?  I should have, I totally should have.  I was so proud of you and even gave you an M&M for breakfast :)
You were excited about that, but also you were excited because Pinky was in Mommy's bathroom with fingernail clippers, a nail file and a bottle of red polish.  We couldn't figure out why she decided to paint her nails until we pulled out our activity of the day.  It said "Paint your toes and fingers with a pretty red polish so you will sparkle at your slumber party!"  Oh yeah, that's right, Mommy got to give you a pedicure and manicure, all for the Christmas party!!  We waited until after school to paint them and man alive they were so pretty.  You sat very still and only messed up two toes, which is record breaking for you, wiggle worm.  We fixed those toes, jumped in the bath and guess what, all the fingers came off!  "That's okay!" is what you told me and when we got out we tried again.  That night we went to your school's church "Walk through Bethlehem" program.  What part was your favorite you ask, why meeting Baby Jesus of course.  You were super excited about that and even had to go to see him twice.  You also got to make several crafts

 Afterwards, we went to Mexican (yes, again) and met Ellie and Aunt Steph (Christopher was sick and with Uncle Jaybee) and this time you had NO problems eating your cheese dip!  And Daddy even took all the girls outside to play for a bit.  Of course you tore a big hole in the tights you were supposed to wear for Christmas eve, but whatev.  Not important, not important at all.  You are so clumsy and get every bit of it from your momma!!!
So, our first week of Christmas and I'd say it was pretty awesome!!! Two plus more weeks to go until the big day and I can't wait to see what's in store, including that awesome Polar Express Slumber Party we decorated for!!!!
Love you sweet girl.