And now a Christmas post...

We had a fantastic Christmas.  Even though we got sad news a few days before, I was determined to not let that ruin my mood.  Thankfully, a certain 14 month old healed my heart.  

I hosted Christmas Eve dinner for the first time.  We usually do it at my Grand's house.  I offered to do it here this year because, let's be honest, it is much easier to keep the baby in her comfort zone.  That way I didn't have to constantly be worrying about what she was getting into and we could put her to bed at her normal time...perfect!  

We had a great time chatting with family.  I had really good intentions of getting a group family shot but that didn't happen.  The last time we did that was 2004 and we really need a new one!  That was before Blakely AND Lonnie!

We don't do gifts on Christmas Eve...we just have dinner together.  I made these sliders that I found on Pinterest.  I have made them a few times before and everyone loved them so much they wanted these instead of a ham.  Sounded good to me.  We also had twice baked potatoes, bacon wrapped green beans, and a salad with my Grand's homemade thousand island dressing.  Everything was wonderful!  

Blakely stayed up about an hour past normal bedtime.  She was entertaining everyone and happy so I let her stay up.  Plus it was Christmas Eve and I thought maybe she would sleep in just a little bit the next morning...and she did!   I posted about a few other things we did on Christmas Eve in my Christmas countdown wrap up post yesterday.  

Christmas morning was absolutely wonderful.  When Blakely woke up we bought her in our bed to snuggle.  We stayed there about an hour.  That is seriously the best time.  She gives kisses and lays her head on us and dozes for a few minutes.  Then she pops right back up and plays for a few minutes.  Then repeat.  It is adorable and gives mommy and daddy time to wake up!  

We finally brought her upstairs to see what Santa brought.  

At first she was like "What's all this?"

Then she realized she could play!

stocking...

A stethoscope from her doctor kit.  Not sure she has taken this thing off much.  

We've been doing a LOT of this since we can't go outside because of the snow.  

She helped unwrap some of the presents.  

After we opened presents as a family of three, we headed to my mom's house.  Santa visited Gran Di's too!  My mother went WAY overboard.  I am beyond happy to keep all of these toys at her house.  

She was a little overwhelmed at first.  Then she just moved down the line from one toy to the next.  

Uncle Matty (my brother) bought her this sand box/pool/ball pit combo.  She loved it.  He also got her some To.nka trucks to play with in the sand in the spring...love!

finger puppets...

Little Peo.ple Zoo.  

After we finished exchanging gifts with my mom and brother, the rest of the my family came over.  We ate brunch and opened presents.  My child is completely spoiled.  She is the first baby in my family since my brother 26 years ago.  So yeah....spoiled.

She is a bit scared of this right now.  I'm not sure why but I don't give it long before she will be riding all over the hosue.  

My cousin got her a Mickey that is wearing a Denver Bron.cos jersey.  Of course she loved it.  My other cousin lives in Colorado so she is, of course, a huge Bron.cos fan, so she thought this was just wonderful.  I tried to tell them that B only cheers for the Patr.iots.  They are determined to sway her...not going to happen!  

My Grand got her this backpack/suitcase.  It could not be cuter...

And then there is the princess castle.  Oh me.  She loves this thing and it is now at my house.  I should have made it go home with the person who bought it for her!  JENNI!  I am losing real estate in my living room fast.  We have got to set up a playroom or I am going to go crazy.  Anyway, she loves this thing.  She crawls in and out all the time.  Puts all her stuffed animals in there for a nap.  She covers them up and then gives them all kisses.  Great toy.  Big toy...

all day

Every day when Lonnie gets home from work he gives B his pager.  She loves the thing for some reason.  So Santa brought her a doctor kit.  Whoa....great idea Santa!  She carries that thing around constantly and keeps the stethoscope on most of the day.  Adorable...

It started snowing Christmas afternoon so we all left my moms.  It ended up snowing pretty good so mom came over here and got snowed in with us.  We all snuggled up and watched a movie.  

It was a great Christmas.  My child got way too much stuff but I am thankful to know she is so loved by my family.  She was exhausted after such a big day.  She slept 2 1/2 hours past her normal wake up time!  

Sweet girl.  Sleeping just like her mama.  

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!  

First, a Christmas Countdown catch-up

I have to say that Christmas with a toddler might be the best thing ever.  I know that it will only keep getting better but it was pretty damn amazing this year.  

Before I post about what we did Christmas Eve/Day I wanted to finish up the Christmas Countdown.  I changed a few more things again and we came pretty close to completing all 25!

I made some sugar cookies one night.  I bought the icing in pouches because I thought maybe B could squeeze it out better.  Well she just though they were HER fruit and veggie pouches!  She was trying so hard to suck out that icing!  

One night we met Daddy at Crack.er Bar.rel for dinner.  They had a bunch of ornaments there so we picked one out while waiting.  Lonnie and I have been getting each other an ornament every year we have been married.  I forgot to take a pic of the ornaments but here are my loves at dinner!

Earlier that day I had put together a gingerbread house for her to decorate.  When we got home from dinner I set everything up for her.  She loved this so much.  I really think it was her favorite.  She liked taking the candy off and putting it back in the bowl the most.  I didn't like this one AT ALL.  The frosting was like toothpaste texture and hardened like cement.  The clean up was horrid.  But she had fun so that was good ;)

We didn't have the opportunity for daddy/daughter date night.  The night I had set up for that was my girlfriend Christmas pajama Pinter.est party but Lonnie had something else going on that night.  So I changed date night to go to a Christmas party!  She stayed up late and hung out with the girls.  She definitely entertained us!

I changed the make french toast for dinner to go to lunch with Grand and Aunt Jerry for their birthday lunch!  I just wasn't ever in the mood for french toast so I nixed that idea.  But we did go to lunch for Blakely's great-grandmother's 77th birthday and her great aunt's 89th birthday!  We had a great time although I think B thought the party was for her.  

Theeeeeeeeeeeeen we met Santa.  It did not go well.  

She is totally giving Lonnie the lip in this one.  

I think she would have been ok if Santa hadn't screamed HO HO HO in her face right before I handed her over to him.  I wanted to kick him.  But I love these pictures so much so I'm kinda thankful :)  

Last year I made a footprint Christmas tree for family.  I wanted to do it again this year but a little different.  This time I made reindeer.  Let's just say it was easier last year!  It took a bit of bribing for her to not run off and get brown paint all over my house.  

We went to Gar.van Gard.ens to see their Christmas display of lights.  We have been a few times and even went last year when B was tiny.  They add new stuff each year.  This year they added this huge tree.  The lights lit up with the songs that were playing.  It was great.  B was completely and totally mesmerized by it.  She didn't want to leave!

We marked a couple of things off of the countdown on Christmas Eve.  First up was opening a gift from Mommy.  It was her Christmas pajamas!

And just for comparison, here is me with my girl in her Christmas pajamas last year!

Not gonna lie...kinda teared up seeing that.  

We never really had a good night to drive around to look at lights.  Also, Blakely falls asleep in the car so driving around to "see" anything wasn't going to happen.  So I changed it to look for Rudolph with Grand Cousin Jan.  Jan to always take me, my brother, and our cousin Trent outside on Christmas Eve to do this.  I remember doing it every year and we have pictures from every year.  It was so much fun so I wanted her to do that with Blakely!  

The last thing we marked off the Christmas Countdown was read my Grand's copy of Twas the Night Before Christmas.  Her parents gave her this book when she turned one year old on December 19, 1935!  She has now passed it on to B and it is so special.  

OH!  Can you believe I forgot to leave milk and cookies out for Santa?  Grrrr....  He still showed up so that is good ;)  At the last minute I changed that to HAVE A WHITE CHRISTMAS!!  I live in Arkansas...I have never had a white Christmas.  It was awesome and beautiful!  

checking out the snow with Gran Di.  

this was actually the next morning looking off of my back deck

All in all I am so glad that I did the countdown.  I had to play catch up a few times but I'm thinking 22/25 is pretty good!  Here is the original list with the completed items crossed off.  

1. Decorate Blakely's tree.
2. Have a daddy/daughter date night.  Changed to attend a Christmas party!
3. Decorate cookies.
4. Go see the lights at Gar.van Gar.dens.
5. Sit outside by the chimenea one night.
6. Meet Santa and have B's picture made.
7. Go to a Christmas Parade.
8. Go see the life-size gingerbread house at the Arl.ington H.otel.  
9. Watch the How the Gr.inch stole Christmas (animated version, although I love the Jim Car.rey version!).
10. Read my Grand's 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.  She gave it to B last Christmas and it was hers when she was little so it has been around a while.  
11. Have a Christmas movie night.
12. Pick out a Christmas gift for some special friends and send them.  
13. Pick out some of B's toys and donate them.
14. Get in the car and drive around to see the lights.  Changed to look for Rudolph!
15. Make footprint craft to give to family as gifts.
16. Shop for a special ornament for Daddy.
17. Open a present.
18. Make hot chocolate, sit indoors by the fire, and listen to Christmas music.
19. Decorate a gingerbread house.
20. Mommy and Daddy date night while B stays the night with Gran Di for the first time.    
21. Do a Christmas craft.  I think this is going to be decorating an apron for her to wear when we decorate cookies.  
22. Cut out snowflakes..errrrr, color a Christmas tree!
23. Leave milk and cookies for Santa.  Have a WHITE CHRISTMAS!
24. Color one page in a Christmas coloring book and date it.  I hope to continue this as a tradition. 
25. Make french toast for dinner and eat chocolate for dessert.   Changed to go to Grand and Aunt Jerry's birthday lunch!

If you are interested:

I blogged about numbers 1,7, and 21 here

I blogged about numbers 9, 11,12, 13, 20, 22, and 24 here

Blakely's First Christmas