Christmas 2012

This was our first Christmas alone.  With the timing of our closing date and airline policies regarding traveling while pregnant, we decided to stay in Seattle this year.  Our families aren't going to like hearing this, but Erik and I enjoyed staying at home, avoiding busy holiday airports, disrupted toddler sleep schedules and routines, and the general craziness that comes with holidays away from home.  

We started some fun traditions of our own. Christmas Eve we opened presents early and had cheese fondue.    Jane was thrilled to open presents of course!  We kept gift giving minimal this year, yet she still seemed to get so much stuff.... Christmas morning Santa came!!!  It was so exciting!  Jane seemed to get most of it and even insisted that she heard reindeer footprints on the rooftop (just like a character in one of her books).  Jane also opened a few presents from mom and dad.

A few favorites:

Jane's favorite Christmas books:  Olivia Helps with Chirstmas, all four of her Christmas Little Critter books, Bearenstain Bears Trim the Tree

Jane's favorite Christmas movie: Berenstain Bears Christmas movie

Jane requested: Toys, no pretty dresses and no books!

Jane's favorite stocking stuffer: an elephant stuffed animal that was peeking out of her stocking

Jane's favorite present:  Green Toys flower stacking toy (I was surprised, I thought it would be the easel or the stroller)

Jen's favorite thing about Christmas: enjoying Christmas in our new house with Erik and Jane

Erik's favorite thing about Christmas: The new house (and having all of the furniture moved in before Christmas)

Decorating the Christmas Tree

We closed on our house on Dec 21st.  We got the keys late that night so didn't start moving until Dec 22nd. The tree was one of the first things we moved in!

 

Christmas Eve

We opened some presents and had cheese fondue.  Below is a picture of our delighted daughter as she heads to the tree to choose a present to open.

Jane expertly rips open a present from Bumpa Dave and Grandma Karen (left, a tea set which she loves to play with in the bath tub!) and asks if the present is hers (right)

Jane got an easel from my parents.  The little artist LOVES it of course!

Erik's mom sent him a stack of books and Jane redecorates the Christmas tree

Cheese fondue at our new dining room table.  It's a little blurry because the flash wasn't on but it's the only picture where Jane is holding still and looking at the camera.

Finally, we left milk and cookies for Santa!  We told pink dogs that the cookies were for Santa, so they better not eat them!

 

Christmas Morning

Jane LOVED the Santa traditions, despite not liking Santa himself!

 

Jane mastered present opening!  She's ready for more (as she says; I think she has plenty of toys!)

 Jane paints at her new easel wearing her Santa hat (all her idea) and her new dress that she got from Santa.

Jane pushes her new doll stroller (notice who has joined the pink dogs in all of Jane's adventures) and makes waffles for Christmas breakfast.  

And finally...a very short video.  Jane made up her own sign for open presents and says "ho ho ho!" I had been trying to get her to say that for the entire month of December and she finally did it!  Jane remembers everything that was in her stocking (she says "ho ho ho" and points to whatever it was that Santa brought her).  

 

christmas card photo shoot fails

I sent Christmas cards out yesterday.  I was late getting them out because we've had such a busy past months and it is really, really challenging to get a great holiday shot of an active toddler!  The actual photo card is a mailbox surprise (so I'm not posting here yet!) but I thought I'd post some adorable-but-not-photo-card-worthy pictures of our adorable little Janers.  

Photo Shoot 1: I went for the classic kid tangled in lights photo.  I thought we'd get some really great photos because Jane loves lights.  But she was so unimpressed and bored by the whole thing!  On to the next idea!

Photo Shoot 2: I took our little artist and some of her art supplies for a little painting in the woods.  Jane was so excited about the project!  The pictures are cute, but not photo card worthy.

We're homeowners!

It's finally happened!  We are home owners!  We built a house in a northern Seattle suburb.  The whole road to home ownership has been a long and stressful process.  But it's over.  We closed today and should get the keys in a few hours.  We are so thankful that we found something before baby brother's arrival!  We also look forward to having Christmas in our new home.  I have a whole series of photos from the building process and will post those sometime after the holidays.  

fun comparison

Christmas 2011 and 2012...Our girl looks so grown up!

Jane and Jen in MN (Day 1)

Jane and I are in MN for a few days.  I'll try to post photos to the blog everyday because it's the easiest way for Daddy to see the photos.  We had a fun morning at Nana's this morning!!  Jane got to open her presents, which of course she loved doing!

  

Jane and Nana play with Jane's new cupcakes

Jane redecorates the Christmas tree, hangs with Great Bumpa, kisses pink dog under the mistletoe, and bakes cupcakes for pink dog.

Nana made reindeer food for Jane at a local nursery

After Jane's nap, we hung out at my parents' house.  Jane loves 

the piano and Christmas tree.

Jane checks for presents under the tree.  No presents.

Jane had a BLAST playing out in the snow.  Doesn't she look ADORABLE in her snow pants!

Jane hangs in the snowbank with the Christmas lights

Jane threw snowballs

Jane LOVED sledding.  The second the sled stopped moving, Jane

exclaimed, "AGAIN, AGAIN, AGAIN!"