Christmas ~ Part 3

We are back from Christmas with Penny, the girls are sleeping, I have chocolate sitting on my desk and some good Christmas tunes playing on Pandora, Michael is blogging on the couch, I am editing photos on my new (THANKS HONEY!!!!!) monitor, and life is good.  We had a fantastic time this weekend.  Of course we love spending time with our family, but the girls, oh my goodness they can hardly even contain their excitement.  It is always funny recapping the weekends we spend with family, because Maya remembers everything ~ it's not just the big things ~ the gift opening or the amazing meals (thanks Penny!) or the maiden ice skating voyage that Maya took.  When we say, "so Maya, what was your favorite part of the weekend?" she will say things like "hanging out with Uncle Chris was fun" or "I liked reading in the chair with Sydney" or "remember how Grandma took my picture with Charlotte in our matching jammies?  That was pretty fun."  She remembers that she ate string cheese and colored goldfish crackers, that she shared her toys with Unai, that Uncle Bill pretended to be a people-eating-strawberry-fish (her made up creature that apparently lives in the ball pit).  It's not that she doesn't enjoy the more "major" things ~ she certainly does!  But in her mind, the everyday type things that happen are just as important and exciting as the big events.  It makes me so incredibly happy that she has these people in her life that love her to bits and that she knows that, and also a little sad because we don't get to see family nearly as often as we would like.

One funny story ~ as an amazing gift, Penny bought tickets to the theatre production of "Mary Poppins" for herself, the (adult) children, and the grandchildren!  Maya, as I have said before, is VERY into Mary Poppins, so you can imagine that this was quite the gift!  We explained that we would be going in May, that she would get to dress in a VERY fancy dress, and figured that she understood.  But, on Saturday morning, we got up she did her morning routine of potty-and-get-dressed, and then looked at me with the most excited face I have seen in a long time, maybe ever!  I asked her what was up, and she said, "Mommy!  Do we get to see 'Mary Poppins' today???!!!"  It was so cute, but I felt a little bad telling her that we had several more mornings (of much less fun and exciting things) before we would get to see "Mary Poppins".  Something to look forward to, though!

***Totally random "Mary Poppins" tidbit:

Maya has now figured out that Daddy AND Nick's (her boyfriend's) daddy share a name with THE Michael from "Mary Poppins".  She also walks around all day randomly yelling, "Jane!  Michael!"***

Next weekend we will spend some time with my mom, my dad, and Michael's dad, and we are looking forward to that so much!  I basically just want to pack our suitcases, have Michael take the week off, and head down there already!  But patience is a virtue, right?  And I am VERY much looking forward to Christmas Eve at our church and Christmas morning at our house.  Two very special little girls are going to be quite excited to see the new toy that Santa is bringing them!  I am beside myself looking at it in the garage everyday and just anticipating their reactions!

Ok, enough with the sappy ~ I know that you guys just want to see pictures of the kidlets!

I love love love that we can sit around playing games for hours.  LOVE.  And I am extra in love with the new "Scattergories" game that Chris got for me.

In true Maya fashion, she spent quite a bit of time coloring pictures for everyone.  Michael drew the outline of the tree but she used her signature "use every color in the palate" technique to color it in!

Uncle Bill in the role of "Strawberry Fish".  Watch out, Unai!

Despite my worries, the "BuckyBalls" we got as gifts for Michael's siblings were a huge hit!  We did make sure to warn that they are not a child-friendly toy, however!  Michael has a pack and they will be kept at work!

My new monitor.  Thanks for the Christmas present, honey (and double thanks for giving it to me early! :)).  <3 <3 <3

This morning Maya insisted that I take pictures of her "Toy Story" characters :)

Night!