FORTY-NINE

Paper bag advent filled with a scripture, a candy, and either a trinket or Christmas activity. She'll request we open another one if it is just an activity. :)

2015 week forty-nine

We wasted no time setting up for Christmas around here and it is 100% magic for Vera.

I set up lights and glow stars in Vera's room. Now I get to hear her whine, "I don't want the stars to glow, Mama!" every night! :D

We have no mantle.

I've always wanted to own a  fire hazard Christmas pyramid. I'm so happy to have this lovely little one this year.

Christmas kitchen.

This little tree was exactly what I envisioned. I love having it up on a table as well so Vera can play with her nativity under it. 

Christmas in every corner!

Leaf painting craft with Vera. 

This was taken before 7am. All about that dress up. Giraffe even got in on the action.

I adore these chilly morning walks. Autumn waits until December down here, but it is still rather glorious.

Reading Calvin and Hobbes to her giraffe. "Mama, no! Don;t come in here! Leave the giraffe alone! Let him sleep!" 

My beautiful baby has started to coo and I can hardly contain myself when he does. And his baby breath smells like sweet potatoes. 

At the Christmas lights parade eating her dinner of plain baguette that we waited 45 minutes in line for.

Though she loves all the unisex things I push on her: dinosaurs, trucks, etc., she is all girl.

Happy Birthday to my sister-in-law. Enjoy the 5 buckets of cheese puffs from us! 

Quotes:

Mama, I'm dancing like a mustard fish!!

There was a small piece of tinsel on the floor and V skirted it with wide eyes.
"I dont like to look at that bug!"
Me, "It's not a bug, it's shiny paper."
"No, it is too scary for me to touch."
Then I put it in her hand and she shuddered and dropped it.

"Mama, look at this!"
Me, "Thats cool, bug."
"Yeah, it's pretty tight."

"Mama, I'm a Cinder-brella!"

"When my nipples get bigger bigger I can feed some babies."

V was playing outside with the stroller and her fox and giraffe. Then she came back in and threw the animals on the floor saying, "These animals need a time out!  Giraffe used a rough voice and didn't wait when I was talking to the fox. He didn't wait and they need a time out!" After that I made her bring the stroller in by herself. It was 5 full minutes of full volume frustration screaming trying to figure it out by herself. I was hoping she'd be so proud once she finally did it. No, the sense of accomplishment couldn't penetrate her anguish.

God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman was playing on the radio.
Matt, "Blech this is a terrible rendition of this song!"
Me, "I cant remember the band. It's like Weezer but it's not Weezer. Someone else just like them. There is an "N" in the name. Aaaaaaaand here enters Sarah Mclachlan. Who is it? It has an "N", Nine inch nails?"
Matt, "It's NOT Nine inch Nails. Good Charlotte?"
Me, "WHAT?! That's not like Weezer at all."
I succumbed to the weakness of looking it up.
Me, "BARENAKED LADIES!"
Vera, "And boys!!!"
Matt and I start laughing really hard, and V laughs from the back seat.
Vera, "Haha, what are we doing? What is happening?

Stories:

The other night after we put Vera to bed she suddenly started crying. I asked Matt to take this one. He went in there and she was sitting huddled in her bed pointing to the floor asking, "WHAT IS THAT PAPA!?!" He turned on the lights and she peered over her bed. "Oh. It's my toy camel! It's not even a fly!" It was sad that she was so scared,  but why would a fly scare her like that?

This is not really a story but I just wish I could have captured the moment. It was after dinner and I was putting away clean dishes so Matt could load the dirty ones into the dishwasher. Vera comes in wearing four layers of dress up clothes (purple leotard, grey cut off dress, blue cinderella dress, topped with a black tutu) and a tiny cloth diaper in one hand and her fox in the other. She asked. "Papa, can you put the diaper on the fox please?" And there was our little family (Theo excluded) standing in the kitchen together after dinner, Matt leaned over the stuffed fox trying to get the diaper to fit over it's tail and Vera bouncing with excited anticipation, occasionally half-jumping on one foot or the other.

Vera helped Matt wrap some Christmas presents and had the kind of unparalleled joy that toddlers experience doing anything special for the first time. I wanted to take a video because she kept saying, "The presents wont peek! Don't want the cousins to peek! Wrap the presents so no peeking!" But naturally, we had to prompt her to continue her cuteness once the camera was rolling.