The Girlies with Nana & Papa

Ward Christmas Party

We had our Christmas party last Saturday and we really enjoyed it.  Loved the food, let the decor, loved the whole set up: Santa, dinner, nativity play.

Lainey was the only one willing to actually visit with Santa.  Apparently Liz is too old and too cool to to interact with him, but she did swipe a candy cane.  And Ellie liked to watch Santa from afar, but was too afraid to approach him.

Alaina was a bit chatty, but when it came to a gift request she kind of froze up and Santa had to ask her several times and tell her to speak up.  Turns she wants a teddy bear--I had no idea. 

Midway through dinner Ellie decided that she really did want to see Santa and kept asking us to take her to him.  We waited till the line died down and good thing too because even after her multiple requests she panicked when she got close to the guy and wouldn't let go of Drew.

Lizzie and Lainey initially didn't want to participate in the nativity play, but I was one of the dressers so I made them come "backstage" with me.  Eventually when Liz saw all her friends in costume and realized that there was only one angel costume left she decided that she wanted to wear it.  Of course she when she came out on stage she was in a shepherd costume . . .  Once Alaina saw Liz in costume she decided she wanted one as well and once she got on stage she was pretty excited.

Baltimore Dollar Days

We went to the Maryland Science Center and we loved it just as much as we did last year.  

The favorites were the dinosaur area and the Kids Zone.

The girls liked brushing sand off dinosaur bones so much that we did it on the way in and on way out.

 Kids Zone: it was crazy busy in there, but the kids were contained.

 Bed of Nails:

On the way out the girlies looked at the ducks in Baltimore Harbor and Liz tried to teach her sisters the difference between the males and females.

Drew wasn't with us.  He didn't want to go to the museum and I didn't want to make the food I volunteered to take to the ward party later that evening so I brokered a deal (I think we were both happy with the result).

More on Lainey

Yesterday Lainey told me that she wanted to go to Build-A-Bear and make a "pink unicorn with a horn" just like Lizzie has, only she wants hers to be "better than Lizzie's."  She wants it to "sing and grant wishes."

Lainey is still talking (daily) about her next birthday party.  Her latest plan is to have a slumber party where she and her guests wash our cars. 

She can't seem to say her S sounds if another consonant follows so it's tupid, tart, and top, instead of stupid, start, and stop (I sure I wish I could say that my four-year-old didn't say stupid).

Today I took her and Ellie to the local bounce house.  As always I made Lainey try the slides with me once.  Usually screams and fusses, says she doesn't like them and refuses to go on them again.  This time after once with me she loved them!  Hooray!  I'm glad she's finally over her fear of them.

Miniatures today

The girls were completely enthralled with the holiday-themed miniature display at our local library, and, we all enjoyed some rounds of I Spy.

The Season Starts

We've begun our holiday activities.  We made and delivered treats to our neighbors and Liz worked on her gingerbread house this weekend.  I actually didn't plan to get one of these, but she made her request early Saturday morning when I wasn't fully awake and said something along the lines of, "Yes, yes, sure.  Mommy just needs a little more sleep." 

We finished putting up our last few decorations (though Liz is frustrated that we don't have anything on the outside of the house) and the girls started pulling links off their advent countdown chains (we made these at the last Activity Girls activity).  Lizzie and Lainey had written services they could do for others on each link.  Lizzie's first one was, "give mom a hug" so that was nice to wake up to.