We made Reindeer food this year. Its a Top Secret Recipe... just for Santa's reindeer. She loved it, well she loved eating all the sprinkles. We told her that we had to sprinkle them on the drive way on Christmas Eve so Rudolph and the gang have something to do when the Big Guy is getting all your toys set up. She was in awe... but then wanted more sprinkles.
If you have noticed she lives in the gowns that Nina and Papaw got her at the Disney store. I think they were meant to be for Christmas, but she went nuts over them so we never wrapped them because its so exciting to pick out what princess she will wear every night. We have to hang them on the drawer and then she names them all before picking her favorite for the night. And if you ask her to wear pant-jammies - no way! "I want to be like a princess" (I never thought I would love the girly-girl stuff... but I like the gowns so far)
We love Princess and the Frog.
Baking Sugar Cookies at Nina's house. She was so serious....
So proud of her Happy-Face cookie. We tried to get it on the pan... but it didn't look like a happy-face after baking. I loved it. Everything gets the happy-face seal lately... the chalkboard, any piece of paper, her leg, the couch, her new ugg boots... ya know! P.S. no more pens unless its VERY supervised.
Don't worry it came out of the ugg boots... and they were water-proofed MiMi!!
Nina wanted to let her open a gift early.
It was the sweetest little necklace that matches Nina's that Charlee always wants to wear. She is a little too young still for it - so we found out when she was kinda
throwing a fit being grouchy because she was tired. *I always act like she is tired when she has a meltdown... and I'm very aware that sometimes she isn't tired, she is just being naughty/a 2-year old. And its a joke between Nina and I so I'm going to keep doing it.
You can see the meltdown coming: She got mad about something and tried ripping it off... yeah, pretty much the opposite of how you want your child to act after getting a super sweet gift. Thank the lord it was Nina.
Christmas Eve at MiMi and Papaws...
I'm still annoyed at my husband because as we are getting ready to go Gavin yells.. "hey, everyone is just wearing their PJ's"
Me: "Really... we always dress up?"
Gavin: "Yep, just talked to Laura"
Me: "Gaston and Jenny are too?"
Gavin (annoyed) "YES"
So we walk in... in our finest jammies to a house filled with everyone looking their Christmas best NOT in jammies. This is a reoccurring thing with Gavin, every time I'm reminded that I need to talk to his mother about everything (seriously... everything) and to not just take his word for it. It must have been the Christmas Cheer and not wanting to question him and possibly cause an argument (on Christmas Eve) I just TRUSTED that he knew what he was talking about.
Nope. Nope. Nope. I never learn... and we looked like idiots. Everyone got a laugh and we didn't get any cute family Christmas pictures dressed up. Yes, that is why I was mad... I have no family Christmas picture that isn't in Jammies.
The picture above is a tradition that Jenny and I made up this year because we have such a good one from last year... we are going to get pictures in front of the tree of them in their cute 'dressed up' outfits... thanks to Gavin Charlee is in jammies. Still cute and now there is a story to go with it I suppose... (the silver lining)
Opening their gifts to each other!!
The BIG gift from MiMi and Papaw Groninger.
She wanted nothing to do with it until I got on... then she wanted to ride with me and slowly transitioned into steering, pushing the pedal, tossing it into 'fast' mode, and eventually wanting me to "get off mommy... I do it"
She thought it was hilarious to put it in high gear and fly down the street taking out curbs, mailboxes, or Gaeton. Gaeton got a BIG race car... only down side is Charlee's is so much faster. I think Papaw was sad, and is trying to Tim Taylor it to even the playing field. I'm proud of my girl for driving like a pro and she even wanted to kick off her slippers to get a better grip on the pedal... Thankful I had socks in the diaper bag... since we were in jammies and all...
Gaeton got the Big Blocks that were hours of entertainment. Need to get us some when we have room someday.
After MiMi and Papaws we went to Grandma and Grandpa Crowes to visit with everyone before we went to Nina and Papaws to watch Christmas Vacation. We sprinkled Reindeer Food in Nina's driveway in case Santa wanted to stop at Nina's.
OH MY.... Santa came to see Charlee at Nina's house.
She was surprised. Santa was very jolly and with the help of his sleigh bells she did warm up to him a little. I was nervous that she recognized him, but she was just in awe...
She told him she wanted a princess castle and Little Miss Muffins. So Cute. I teared up just a little.
We went home and Charlee didn't fall asleep until 11:30ish and Santa had lots to build... He probably was up till 2am building all her toys. Santa and his helper did a knock out job with the Castle, had a few setbacks with the easel... because Santa was a big grouch and had a mini wig-out over directions.. or the lack of. Pretty good times all in all.
Christmas Morning
We had to wake her up before she was ready because we had a fun filled day so at 8:30 we woke her up to have her walk out to see what Santa had left for her. She was in shock, and it took a while for her to touch anything.
She instantly grabbed the Little Miss Muffins and hugged them and said "Your my favorite" my heart was swelling because I saw the pure innocent joy she had because Santa brought her what she had asked for, he remembered and she was so excited. I looked at an equally proud daddy and made sure he got that on video... because it was Priceless.
This is the Little Miss Muffin pic...
We didn't have time to play really before we went straight to MiMi and Papaws (in our Jammies AGAIN) This was what Laura was talking about... Breakfast, not Christmas Eve Dinner.
As in Tradition: Great Grandpa Don is making sausage... yumm!! MiMi's house is the new "Waffle and Sausage" spot on Christmas morning.
After Breakfast we went to Ninas again for gifts. Charlee got so many gifts we put several away for rainy days or when she is sick. She will never know... she was overwhelmed.
She would open one gift and want us to actually open it so she could play with it, and when we wanted her to open another she would kinda get upset... so after a few she just didn't want to open anything else. I don't blame her, she wanted to play with her new toys dang it. So we opened some and she was a happy girl. Could have played for hours.
Keekah painted her this Rocking Horse! So sweet and goes perfectly in her room. Keekah is so good to her Charlee.
The Christmas Pickle
Every year mom and Greg hide a little pickle and whoever finds it gets a special gift and bragging rights that they are the champion of finding the pickle. That's not entirely true- we all get gifts! Its always the last thing we do after gifts and stockings...
This year was a scavenger hunt for our gifts.
Gavin found the Pickle... he tried to show Manny, but she is too pure of heart to take credit for it when Gavin found it... Totally has Madison written all over that!! - I love her for that.
We all got some cash!! And poor Nina... she thought she was getting Charlee the best gift ever and it was the exact four-wheeler that she got at MiMi and Papaws. Mom was in tears the night before when Gavin sent her a video message of Charlee riding it. I know mom was disappointed, but if she would have just mentioned it to me... I would have told her. But i know mom, and she has a bigger freak flag than i do when it comes to Christmas! She wants everyone to have the best Christmas ever and she tries to get everyone surprises... and they are always good surprises. Such as... Gavin got an IPad!! The fact that she knew he had no idea he was getting it, made it even better for her... she loves it. She is the best at Christmas, I hope I'm that good someday.
I had to take a nap before we went to the Gentry's for Christmas. Gavin got Charlee all ready and took her to Loretta's Christmas and met me later before I had to go into work.... (sick i know)
I had extra time to spend some special time with Grandma Kay and Grandpa Jack before Charlee got there. MoMo Kay looked really happy today to be around everyone. It was a humbling Christmas, very thankful for my family... all of my family... and how we all are coming together to make some lasting memories with the ones we love.
Harper having a tea party with Grantie Janet and MoMo Kay.
MoMo Kay got to love on some baby Jax as he napped. I'm a little jealous because I had to go to work and didn't get to snuggle with the newest member of our family.
By the time Charlee got there you could tell she was in a zone... on a mission to play with Harper and nothing else. No pictures, no eating, no talking... just playing. This usually means she is super tired and is trying everything to stay awake. This involves constant movement so she can fights like a Jedi to avoid sleep. If she sits for a second... shes done for.
Grantie Karol and Charlee... Looks like M&M's were involved.
By the way I'm going to give props to my hubby for dressing our baby for Christmas! He did such a good job and it was totally solo.. I laid it out.. that's it. He did her hair and figured out tights... Love him.
I'm in love with these... in case you didn't know.
Photo shoot before I went to work... trying to capture all the memories.
Um.. I don't really need to put words to this but remember how sitting isn't part of the staying awake plan. The best part is Harper isn't fazed... Love this picture!
Special moments were shared. Good food was eaten. And celebrate we did... for many things.
I put Charlee in her car seat and she cried for me to hold her... and that broke my heart. Thank you Gavin for reassuring me she would be fine and its just because she is beyond tired. I didn't want to go to work.
When I woke up the next day we had Christmas at Poppy and Mae Mae's House
She got some great stuff from her cousins in W. Laff and Tenn.
Baby Alive was a huge hit from Tia, Uncle Curt, Tucker, and Jackson. We were sad we couldn't play with them this year. I wish someone would work everything out for me on Christmas... I'm not enjoying it so much anymore. I LOVE the Holiday, but not spending enough time with everyone kills me and that some family gatherings get shorthanded, we both have huge families and there is 7 places we need to visit in 2 days... Impossible. And the worst is that Charlee didn't even get to enjoy her presents like she should have. Its very heck tick and mixing in I have to work one of the nights every year its just sad and makes it a little less enjoyable. One year we should just stay home all day... like everyone else with small children say they do. But then I feel like the tradition of going to the Grandparents will fade and memories will be lost because these times are so very special. I just don't want to end up hating the holidays. Maybe there is a "talk" with the Hubs in order... he knows everything so maybe he will be able to help our family manage the Holiday better!! :)
Poppy and Mae Mae got Charlee a kitchen with an apron (my fav part)... she calls it her restaurant.
Big hugs for Poppy.
and she knocked Mae Mae down with her big kiss...
This was a very long post but I wanted all of Christmas to be on the same one. As usual I'm a little behind but that's how it goes more often than not. We had a great Christmas and Charlee was obviously so fun at this age. I love how magical it is with her around now. I'm sad that Lucy had to go. Most of all I'm sad that now the seasonal depression sets in until spring break... uh so depressing just typing it.
Cant wait for New Years!!
