Christmas 2008

Maybe you can recognize the play-doh we don't go anywhere without.

Gift from Santa

Gift from Aunt Elsie

Gift from Auntie Kari

Looking at all her new sea creatures

Christmas is getting more and more fun each year as Isabella begins to realize what Christmas is about, not just the materialistic side, but the family traditions and faith. We are so blessed to have her and she is just an angel.

This morning she slept in till 800 where we got her ready to come open presents from "Santa" (she didn't care that these were the same gifts that we bought during Thanksgiving at the Long Beach Aquarium). She loves the set of sharks and marine animals and spend a long time in the bath playing with them later in the day. We opened the rest of the gifts and then had breakfast. We set about our usual daily routines and then around 3 o'clock family arrived for Christmas dinner. We had a great time talking and eating. It was nice and relaxing just to be with everyone and hearing the giggles from the kids. They are growing up too quick. I have asked Izzy several times this week, "Can you please stop growing and stay 1 1/2 the rest of your life?" In my brain I hear her sarcastic 1 1/2 year old response "No, No, No". Yes, that is a favorite of hers. Which I am done with! But anyways, we had a great time opening gifts and playing.

Next stop MiMa and Grandpa's house for more family time and Christmas.

Toys

Paul and I had a great time the other day laughing with Izzy at the good ole' Wal-Mart. She discovered the aisle with "Don-key" and wouldn't leave and then started to dance with the toys that when you push the button they sing and move. We had more fun playing at Wal-Mart for free. Another free place to entertain a child.

Eco Bowls

For Christmas, Izzy got a book that has really cool ideas from Aunt Steph, Uncle Colin, and Cousin Jude for using items around the house that otherwise would have been thrown out. We decided to make the Comic Strip bowls with the newspaper that Grandpa left at our house. We are just waiting for them to dry and then we can clean up the edges. Then we can use them to sort items.

Play-doh

I learned today that toddlers are unpredictable creatures. I put Izzy to bed last night at 745 and she wakes up this morning at 900am. Most parents would relish the thought of a few extra hours of sleep or the ability to watch Sunday Morning in bed with no kid. We did, but we payed for it later. You might ask, "Well, what was the payback?" Let me start by saying she didn't take a nap. That would do it for most people who have had kids. No nap equals no fun for parents. We had a family Christmas gathering and she decided that the appropriate time to take her nap was, as we were pulling into the driveway of our party. Then she was a perfect angel in her dress, ate all her food, socialized appropriately, a doll. But, you may not know that her Evil Twin (who we have only seen 3 times, two of which I have been able to video-tape [see videos on blog]) decided that during opening gifts time, that when she couldn't open her play-doh, that she would come out. This was shocking for family to watch. Many had not seen "her other side". There is nothing like seeing her on the ground screaming. Maybe that works for some kids, but not our family. Do that and you are immediately removed to sit on a chair. Done! She calmed down quickly and then got to come back, but by then gift time was over. So, yes we had a nice relaxing calm morning, but I would rather take a day with a nap any day and have to wake up early then no nap and the Evil Twin.