I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, we definitely did! I always wonder where the time went. Seems like just yesterday it was a year ago and I can only anticipate Christmas next year will be here before I know it. Time just seems a blur when you have a little one in the house. I try to remember to cherish every moment because I know its just fleeting at best. We spent Christmas eve with my parents and Uncle Dave (Cailee’s Uncle) and Christmas day with JJ’s parents and family. Cailee took advantage of the opportunity – scoring sweets and attention whenever she could and there was plenty of both to go around. She also racked up some good loot, I can concede that she is definitely one spoiled baby. Let’s see if I can remember the highlights of Cailee’s second Christmas (sugar overload is taking its effect on me as well).

  • Pottery Barn Kids Cottage Playhouse – there is a story here, I procrastinated and when I actually went to purchase it, it was backordered (recall the ordeal with the PBK crib, it brought back the memories). They gave me a list of every store that claimed to have one in stock and after calling nearly every PBK in the country I found one available in CA, and even then I had to wait to ensure that another customer who had a hold on it didn’t purchase it. Luckily, all the stars aligned (ok, it was really about the fervent prayers I made), and we received the cottage with two days to spare. Uncle Dave and JJ enjoyed what I expect to be a Christmas Eve tradition for some time to come and put together the playhouse in time for the big day.
  • A Shopping Cart (or a “buggie” as they call it in the south) – It might seem odd but everytime Cailee went into the store, she went right to it. And Christmas morning was no different, I have never seen a bigger smile when she saw the cart. It was the highlight of the day hands down. What I didn’t anticipate was the cheap groceries I got (a basketfull of plastic food for $1 from Target) to accompany the cart would be such a hit, but you have to have stuff to put in the cart, take out of the cart, put in the cart, well you get the picture.
  • Ball popper (more fun for Mom and Dad potentially), blocks
  • A baby doll (Sophie) (from Cousin McKinley)
  • A raggedy ann doll
  • Fisher Price Noah’s ark & the nativity scene (GG and Granddaddy Herrman)
  • Tons of books and dvds
  • Dora doll (from Greyson and Miss Tracy and Rob)
  • An art easel (from Uncle John)
  • A cash register (from GG and Grandaddy Dewar) just like the one at the kid’s museum, complete with a credit card, are we teaching her too young? 🙂
  • A zhu zhu animal – have you seen these things – its a little gerbil/hamster like thing that is really quite entertaining… what will they think of next

    • I am sure there was more, it was a very good Christmas for Cailee, and she certainly got a lot of loot, now we just need some place to put it. Thankfully JJ is working very hard to finish up Cailee’s playroom (its really just a place for me to let all the toys go wild and I don’t have to see it from the hallway – out of sight, out of mind).

    Cailee still didn’t quite get what the hype was all about, but I know she could sense the excitement. This year, it was just plenty of hiding behind the tree, pulling ornaments off the branches (thanks mom for the new soft ornaments, that should make up for the glass balls we lost this year), and pulling the tissue out of gift bags. I shouldn’t complain, before long, she’ll be waking us up at the crack of dawn (or so I’ve been told).

    More than anything, we are so grateful for the real reason for the season, our family and friends and the memories we made this holiday season. Those are the real gifts we’ll cherish (and are not at risk for lola to eat :))

    https://photos.amidewar.com/2009/December-19-2009/
    https://photos.amidewar.com/2009/December-25-2009/
    https://photos.amidewar.com/2009/December-26-2009/