Updates, early presents and explanations

I had already assumed that this year would be a much more fun Christmas with Samantha because she is 2 and would be able to understand more. I had no idea how much she would enjoy it though, and we haven't even made it to Christmas day yet.

Samantha has LOVED everything about Christmas so far. From the presents (more on that in a minute), the lights, the cookies, the music, the decorations, to the Nativity scenes we have set up. She loves it all. Well, almost all - she's not so convinced about Santa.

We talked a little about Santa starting around Thanksgiving. We saw Santa pictures and even waved at him in a mall or two. She told everyone who asked that she was going to sit on Santa's knee (not his lap, just his knee - she was very adamant about that for some reason) and ask him for a "big girl princess bed."

Then the day came where we were going to visit Santa. We saw some other kids who had had a happy visit with Santa and got lollipops. When we were standing in line, Samantha informed me that Santa was a "grumpy old man" and she couldn't go see him. I reminded her about the lollipops and she changed her tune. But when it was our turn, she sat on his lap long enough to get the lollipop and promptly had a meltdown. I picked her back up, and she whispered to him that she wanted the big girl princess bed and we left.

I told her because she didn't take a picture she couldn't eat the lollipop. I then made the mistake of leaving her in the care of her daddy. When I came out of the next store, she was eating the lollipop and had a green tongue. Jeff said she had been playing with it and pulled the wrapper off and asked him to put it back. He told her just to eat it. She, at least, had listened to me and said she couldn't because she didn't take a picture. He told her it was okay and she could. We're still working on that whole "consistency" concept. She now tells everyone that she cried at Santa.

Samantha has learned several Christmas songs, but likes to mix them up and make up her own words most of the time. (She is her daddy's child.) Her favorite one on the radio is "Happy Birthday Jesus" because it has a little girl singing. We have taken several drives (including one very loooong one) to see Christmas lights. All in all, it has been a lot of fun just experiencing it all with her.

The month of December has just flown by for us as it probably does for everyone. However, for that reason, we have not yet gotten out our Christmas cards. So, if you usually get one from us and are worried that you haven't received yours yet - you haven't been left off of the list, we've just been slack. The newsletter is written, printed, and folded and the picture cards have been ordered (and will be picked up after church tomorrow.) And if all goes well, they will go in the mail on Monday.

Now, on to the presents. We have received several packages in the mail and Samantha has gotten some early Christmas presents. I'm not sure what she's going to think come January when she doesn't get to open a present at least once every other day or so. Here are a few pictures of some of the very sweet gifts she has received so far.

Sitting on Daddy's lap opening a present from Granny - she loves the finger puppet Nativity! (She also loves the other Nativity set and says "goodnight" to Baby Jesus before going to bed.)



Here she is snuggled up in her princess blanket and pillow set from Grandpa George. She sleeps with every night, but asked if she could snuggle in it with Cookie on the couch. (She also got a sweet baby doll from Miss Dolores at church.)



Giving a smooch to a HUGE Mr. Potato Head pirate from Aunt Kathy, Uncle Peter, and family.



And after we had gotten all the pictures off of the camera, we got a package today from Aunt Melinda, Uncle Jayson and family. It was a Webkins chihuahua. She has carried it around all afternoon and calls it her "chicka-wa-wa."

Thank you all!!!