Even though Missy Monkey Feet has had a few Christmases now, this was the first one she really started to get the hang of. Oh, and she knows who the guy in the red suit is now. All we heard about for 2 months was how much she wanted a talking princess cash register for Christmas. After finding out Santa was visiting the mall she insisted that I take her to see him, waiting in line for half an hour only to refuse to sit on his lap. We did manage to get a picture of her sitting beside him, looking terrified, for the bargain price of a small fortune.
Through the ups and downs that come with the chaos of "the season" we managed to do a pretty good job of keeping things in perspective this year. For example, we listened to nothing but Christmas carols in the car the whole month in an effort to teach MMF what they were and their significance. We went to church when we could and talked about the significance of Baby Jesus and Christmas. She baked lots of cookies with me and helped me deliver them to family and friends. She and I put up a nativity scene on our front porch. Daddy strung lights all over the backyard just for her viewing pleasure between 5pm and 9pm every night. We took her to the zoo (one of her favorite places on earth) to see their impressive annual Christmas light display. We made a family project out of making Christmas cards. She sang in her preschool Christmas program while we proudly videotaped every second. We went to the same tree lot we've been to for the past several years to pick out a tree together. She fell in love with the Polar Express movie. She got to see all of her cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc. within the same week- sheer bliss for her.
INSERT HERE A FEW CONVERSATIONS HELD WITH mmf OVER THE LAST MONTH.
"Mama, is Santa gonna land on our roof even since we don't have a chimney?"
"Sure, honey. He's Santa."
"Mama, turn off that movie quick! The ginch (grinch) is staring at me with his big wickers! (whiskers)"
After an unannounced visit from a cousin while at Manny's house the front door was closed and MMF put both hands up and declared, "well he seemed like a nice man".
After being spoken to in the grocery store by a beautiful Latina lady behind us in the checkout MMF stared at her for a moment then broke into the Christmas carol, "Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad".
"Mama, I want to sing a Christmas carol to you".
"Okay, let's hear it".
"This old man. He played one. He played knick knock on my cat, with a knick knock pattey knack, give the cat a bone. This old man came rolling home".
"Mom, let's pretend you're Mary, I'm baby Jesus, and Daddy is Josefus".
8:15 am- "Mama, can I have a piece of candy?"
"No sweetie, remember we don't eat candy for breakfast".
"Oh. Is it so I won't ruin my appetite for dinner?"
"Mom I will be extra good so I won't go on the naughty list" followed by, "Mom, what does Santa bring naughty kids?"
"Coal".
"What's coal?"
"It's a kind of fuel".
"It's not nice to waste fuel".
Here are a few pictures that highlight our travels over the last week or so, along with our beautiful tree this year, which MMF proudly helped decorate for the first time.
Christmas tree shirt Mama made
MMF picking out our tree...
and decorating it.
After Santa visited
After MMF discovered Santa had visited
The wait for the talking princess cash register is finally over!
Christmas at Mamaw's with our family
Christmas at Grandma M. with family
Christmas with Manny and Kerri
