special deliveries

We've had fun finding Christmas packages in our mailbox this week!  Aunt Susan sent the girls adorable handmade Christmas tutus.  Emma Jane and Vivian have worn them several times since we received the package in the mail a few days ago.  They love to prance around and watch the tulle bounce!  Thank you, Aunt Susan!

Last night we made a special evening trip to the mail kiosk to deliver Emma Jane's letter to Santa.  On the way there, the girls were in awe of all the Christmas lights and decorations on the neighborhood houses.  While dropping off Santa's letter, we were surprised to find a package from Aunt Scott waiting for us in our mailbox.  When we got home the girls excitedly took out the presents inside.  Emma Jane was thrilled to play with the manger scene that had the stamp of approval for early opening.  Thank you, Aunt Scott!

getting in the spirit

We spent last weekend getting into the Christmas spirit.  The girls wore their coziest pajamas to have brunch with Santa at a neighborhood function.  Emma Jane was very reluctant to get close to Santa, but Vivian happily sat in his lap.  The rest of the weekend was spent decorating the house...inside and out!  

Ready to meet Santa!

Daddy's big girl

Vivian was in awe of St. Nick!

Santa tried very hard to coax Emma Jane to sit next to him, but she was not ready to cozy up to someone she'd just met!

 

She got nervous and showed him her new Christmas jibbitz on her Crocs.

Emma Jane inched a little closer while Vivi checked out Santa's fur cuffs!

Finally...success!

Emma Jane "helped" Paul hang the snowflake lights.

Vivian loved looking at all of the colorful ornaments and taking them OFF the tree!

 I guess they tasted pretty good, too!

Emma Jane took her job of decorating the tree very seriously this year.

Is there anything more exciting than transforming your home into a Christmas wonderland?  In the eyes of a child, that is exactly what it becomes and it's well worth the hard work it takes to get there!

perfect tree

Finding the perfect Christmas tree is always an adventure!  We headed back to Taylor's Christmas Tree Farm again this year.  Right away, Emma Jane found a tree that she proclaimed was "just wight" for us!  Of course, it was a tiny tree just her size and we thought it was pretty cute that she liked it so much she gave it a hug!  Unfortunately, it wasn't so cute when she had an absolute fit after we told her it was much too small to be our family Christmas tree.  Following lots of pouting and tears, Emma Jane perked up enough to walk through the rows and rows of trees with Vivian.  We finally found the tree that really was "just wight" for us.  Emma Jane had yet another meltdown when she saw that the tree had been "twapped in a giant net!" to be transported home.  Oh, the joys of toddlerhood!  Yes, every year is an adventure.

one is fun

On Vivian's actual birthday, I tried to take a few cute birthday girl pictures.  I think I succeeded, for the most part, but this little one was DONE after about 20 minutes of mommy's camera in her face.  Can you blame her?

Vivian has changed so much over the past few weeks.  She is WALKING almost everywhere, but she drops down to crawl if it will get her there faster.  She's climbing our stairs, so a baby gate has been set up at the foot of the stairs for now.  Climbing in Emma Jane's little wooden chairs is her newest trick, but I have to be sure to spot her since she inevitably stands up.  She just can't quite figure out how to get her tushy in the seat once she climbs up in the chair!

Viv has been slobbering like crazy over the past few weeks.  Suspecting teething as the culprit, we've been checking for new teeth and today I finally felt two on the top and two on the bottom making their entrance.  This will bring her grand tooth total to 12! 

Other than "mama" she hasn't been using words, but this past week she has said "gaga" for dog and clearly said egg, cat, and duck.  Getting her to repeat these words at the appropriate time is our new goal.  Today she simply called anything and everything "gaga"!  Maybe her daddy has told her how much he desperately wants a new puppy and she's trying to get the message to her mama?!?

families that play together...stay together!

We had a wonderful time in Signal Mountain, Tennessee this Thanksgiving.  Paul, Stacy, Vincent, and Daniel hosted all of us for a few days.  Bill, Jane, and Grandma Nora drove up from Florida to make the guest list complete. The food was delicious and the company even better! 

Emma Jane has been talking about playing in "Vincent and Daniel's sandbox" for over a month now, so this was one of the first things she did.  She also had fun swinging and playing the piano with Grandma Jane and, although she'd never admit it, being teased by Grandpa Bill and Uncle Paul.  Our big girl had a ball with the boys and even told us, "When I grow up, I want to be a noisy boy!"  She frequently used both Vincent and Daniel as jungle gyms. 

We celebrated Vivian's birthday with pumpkin pie and our little turkey gobbled it up!  She really enjoyed experiencing the whirlwind of all the animals in the house...dogs, cats and fish.  She even started saying "gaga" for dog and something that sounded very much like cat.  The highlight of the trip for Vivi....rolling grapefruits around on the floor! 

Both girls were worn out on the drive home!