Christmas Has Come and Gone

My last post (which was 100 years ago) stated that Christmas was coming!  Well it has now come and gone.  This year celebrating Christmas was so much fun with my sweet little family. I loved seeing the spirit of the season and excitement of every thing like the first time through Hill's eyes.  We've talked about Jesus' birthday so much to Hill that he is now talking about birthday's all the time.  Birthday cake, birthday candy, "Happy Day to You" he sings.

Our 2011 Christmas Card
(Thanks, Sukie!)

Of course I am the party mom of the century (or at least of Hill's daycare class) so I was excited to capture party pictures and make goodies for all of his little friends.

L-R: Rhett, Maci, Hill & Britton

The crowd was sparse since EVERY kid was out with either the flu, strep, stomach bug, hand foot & mouth or some other debilitating daycare disease.  These kids have iron clad immune systems and therefore had the opportunity to eat my zombie reindeer cookies.  They did not turn out like the picture I saw online.  Oh well, it's the thought that counts, right?

Note to other party mom's...2 year olds cannot eat pretzels with m&m's mixed with white chocolate and made into a ball.  Their mouths are not big enough and they can't grasp the concept that the food can break into little pieces and they don't have to gnaw on it and break all of their baby teeth out.  My bad. Again, the thought that counts right?

So now that I've learned Martha Stewart is not child friendly in her gourmet goodies I can just be myself.  What a relief.  At least the kiddos enjoyed their grapes.

My mom sent Hill no less than 6,000 presents individually wrapped so the week before we let him open one present a night.  He loved tearing into them.  He'd open it and say "Oh!  Book!  Read Book!" or his favorite was the Cars 2 movie she sent.  I think we've watched it 32 times in the past few days.

My pictures of Christmas are few and far between because I'm still learning how to use my Mac and resizing pictures has not been figured out yet.  I'm sure you have NO DOUBT that I took a million and are probably appreciative I'm not replaying every tear of every box onto my blog....because I could and would if I knew how.

Hill woke up and walked into the living room and straight to the corner where he left the present he'd opened the night before.  He didn't even turn to check out the whole living room was filled with dinosaurs, cars, race tracks, clothes, a Black and Decker workshop, play doh, coloring books, stickers, magnets, and not to forget the slew of wrapped presents.

So, since he totally missed the three ring circus of toys when he walked in the living room Chip and I were really able to see the shock on his face when he turned around and saw all the loot!  His face literally was like, "Umm, what is this?  Seriously, what is all of this?  OH MY GOODNESS IT'S ALL MINE!"  It was a slow motion process and hilarious!  He was so busy running around trying to give everything the attention it deserved I couldn't get a good sitting still Christmas morning picture.  So here you have it... an action shot.

Working on his new fire truck with his new screw driver

His big gift was already given to him since Master Carpenter Chip had to construct it over a few day period.  We've had a 20 foot tree house in our back yard since we moved in.  It was the adult tree house and for sure not kid friendly unless you want your toddler to start bungee jumping early.  So WE built a 1st level 5 feet off the ground with a slide and steps for the young outdoors man to enjoy now.  I use the term "WE" loosely.  I did a good job of moral support.  Chip hammered every nail and cut every board and did all the magical things to make Project Tree House 2011 happen.

Chip and Hill building the tree house.
Hill had his plastic blue hammer to help Dada.

My favorite toy was his digital camera.  My son can now be vain at his leisure instead of insisting 24-7 to see my cell phone to view "Pictures of Hill."  Yay for Fisher Price Tough Kids camera / video camera with a lens that flips so he can film himself!  I'm glad to know that maybe just maybe other kids are as egotistical as mine.

I also liked the fact that my genius son figured out that the dinosaur could hold his jelly beans and then he could put the dinosaurs head in his mouth to get the jelly bean out an eat it.

Who knew dinosaurs liked Jelly Beans?

As for Doug the Elf, he will be missed until next Christmas.  Maybe he will drop by mid year to keep a check on Hilly poo.  This was where Doug was last.... waiting for Santa and ready to ride away on the reindeer.

As Hill would say, Yee Haw!

As if Hill didn't have enough fun on Christmas, he woke up the next morning saying, "Open presents?"

What did Chip and I get for Jesus' Birthday you ask?  Well Chip got the super de duper HD blah blah blah 3D structure detector and monster jaws loch ness monster locator.  That's my translation of a state of the art fish finder for his fishing boat.

And yours truly can go ahead and kick the bucket after February because Chip is fulfilling my #1 bucket list item - - Elton John tickets.  We are going to Las Vegas to hear Elton John and my husband can video me screaming and crying and clawing my eyes out like those teeny bopper girls when they saw the Beetles.  Oh my goodness I am going to FLIP!  I may just go ahead and die while he plays Candle in The Wind.  That might just be better than being old and dying in my sleep.  Ironic, yes, but blissful and Heavenly - no doubt.  I wake up every morning wondering if it's time to go see Elton yet.  I think my other present was that we are getting a garage door, but I can't remember because I'm going to Las Vegas to see Elton John.

Christmas Is Coming!

What a great busy holiday season this has been so far!  I'm loving that Hill is loving the whole idea of Christmas and Santa and elves.  This past week has been full of watching him absorb the spirit of Christmas.  Oh through the eyes of a babe.

Thursday was the M&F Bank Christmas Party.  We had such a great time.  Hill would have sat and watched Dylan Davis play his guitar until the end of time.  Thanks Dylan for being so sweet and singing all the fun Christmas songs.  I'm pretty sure we will have to call Dylan if we ever need a babysitter all he would have to do is just sing and play the whole time.

I told Hill he couldn't watch Dylan all night because there was someone special here at the party to see him.  Hill had no idea that SANTA was there!  I was anxious to see how he would react because last Christmas at 11 months he wasn't really aware of what was going on.  He did the picture thing, but it wasn't really impressionable.  This year we brought a list to Santa of the things he wanted which was a fabulous idea because it was an icebreaker for Hill to walk up to Santa.  I gave him the note and told him to take it to Santa.  So he walked up to Santa sitting in his chair and gave it to him.  He saw Santa had candy canes which was all it took.  Hill popped up in Santa's lap and posed for the camera.  This is the picture I got, but the one the photographer took is going to be great because Hill was cracking up laughing when he snapped it.  I'll share it when I get it.

After listening to music, visiting with Santa and drinking 89 gallons of punch we all headed to the Christmas parade.  I wish this picture wasn't so blurry, but I couldn't help but post it, I thought it was sweet.  Hill and his Dada walking on the Square before the parade.

We went to my office building to watch the parade.  The 3rd floor has balconies that overlook the Square and I thought that was a great place to get a birds eye view of what was going on.  Also, since it was freezing outside we could go in should we need to.
Before the parade we hung out with some of the people I work with.  Hill and the President were conducting serious important business.

Hill was giving Jeff a demonstration of how his dump truck works.

Absorbing all the commotion

Hi FIRE TRUCK!

Chip and Hill watching the parade

Sweet Rhodes hanging out on the balcony.

Silly Ellie!
Hill sure loves him some Ellie Develin.

As if watching someone play the guitar, seeing Santa, and catching the local Christmas parade wasn't enough...when we got home we found someone new in our house!

This is Doug.
Doug is our family's Elf on a Shelf!

 I read Hill the Elf on the Shelf story and explained to him what he does and how we can't touch him.  The first step was to name him!  I asked Hill what he wanted to name him and under his breath he mumbled something.  Chip and I asked him what he said and it came out softly and mumbly, "Duhk."  I turned to Chip and said, "Doug?"  Chip hit the floor laughing.  Doug?!?  It's perfect, but how in the world did Hill come up with that?  We don't know anyone named Doug.  It could quite possibly be that he said 'Duck' but we stuck with Doug.

Doug has already made an impact on Hill.  That night as he was fighting bedtime Chip reminded him that Doug was watching and would report back to Santa him being so disobedient.  Hill looked up at Doug and gave him the meanest look.  If looks would kill Doug would be dead and have lost all of his magic right then and there.

This weekend Chip has his annual Mountain Man Weekend so Hill and I are left to party it up.  Last night, Friday, we went to visit Nana and Papa.  Shane Preston was there and so he and Hill watched the Elf on the Shelf show that came on TV.  Shane Preston has an elf at his house too, his name is Red.
 

Sweet cousins

After a late night at Nana and Papa's we headed home.  Chip and I have established that I am the fun play parent and therefore Hill has a problem listening to me.  Well with Chip gone this weekend Hill sure tested bedtime...again.  On the way home he informed me that we needed to put on our pj's and sit in the rocking chair (recliner) and watch Kiki (Mickey Mouse.)  I was so tired I was ready to go to bed as soon as we got home, but I caved.  Finally at 10:15 pm I went into his room and got into his full size bed and hoped he'd come and join me.  Nope.  So as I started to fall into a coma I decided that child protective services would not be happy if I left my not even 2 year old awake watching Mickey while I went to bed.  Against my inner voices I got up and turned off the TV and made him come to bed.  I don't really remember the fit that was thrown because I was so tired.  Yet, when I woke up this morning he was asleep and didn't wake up until like 8:15 am.  Why is it that I wake up at 7 the one time he actually sleeps late?

ya'll so much for including us.  They had so many fun activities planned out.

Here is Hill and Mrs. Fenwick painting with their hands!

Here is Tanner getting ready to paint with Mrs. Alford!

Mrs. Fenwich helping Hill glue on the ornaments (pom poms) to his hand painted tree.

Tanner and Hill hanging out.

Story time!  Hill doesn't meet a stranger.  He sat right in this lady he's never met lap.

Then as if all that playing and painting and reading wasn't enough for one day we went to the movies!  Junior Auxiliary had their Santa Express this afternoon at the local movie theater.  Santa was there again and remembered Hill from the other night!  Hill gave a half eaten cookie to Santa and he ate it!  Hill thought that was the funniest thing EVER.  So did all the rest of us.

Since Hill has never been to the movies I explained beforehand how we were going to watch a big TV and they had popcorn and Santa there.  I was really worried because he hadn't had a nap and has had such a busy day but when we got there he got his cookies, saw Santa and immediately remembered he needed popcorn.  

He's a professional movie goer now.

This elates me to no end.  I LOVE nothing more than to go to the movies.  I don't even have to like what I watch, I just love going to the movies.  So my heart is warmed that Hill does too!  I will have to remember next time to get him his own drink and a large popcorn.  He ate the whole medium tub of popcorn (well 97%) and didn't like sharing!  He did good about watching the whole movie.  He did get up and sit on the aisle steps towards the end, but he continued to watch the movie...Polar Express.  How fun!  Thanks JA girls for all your hard work on this event.

It's 5:30 pm now and Hill has been asleep for and hour and a half. He fell asleep in the car on the way home from the movies.  Normally this would bother me and I'd have kept him up because he wouldn't sleep tonight, but we are about to head over to the Warrington's to eat and play with Harvey and Tanner so I'm hoping that he wears out again and doesn't put up a fight come night night time.  Wish me luck.

I guess if he gets crazy on me I can always summon Doug.....

Holiday Cards That Create Smiles

I may be too late in the game for those of you that are on the ball this holiday season but I would be remiss if I didn't let you know that tinyprints.com is offering 10% off orders of $49 or more.  All you have to do is enter in the code SMILE10 to receive the discount and 13% of all the sales will be donated to Operation Smile!

How awesome is that!?!