Christmas Night

Our last stop on our Christmas vacation was at Papa and Gigi's house Christmas night.

Kendall was so wore out from opening presents that Papa had to hold her. Isn't that the life!

Gigi helped Kendall try on her new mouse slippers. Notice the tails on them. Too cute!

Every princess needs a princess tea set.

It was a fabulous Christmas. We are so thankful for the blessings God has brought to our family. And mostly, we are thankful for the most precious gift of all, Jesus coming to earth for us.

Merry Christmas to all of you. May you truly experience God's peace and joy this season.

Christmas Morning

Merry Christmas, little Kendall Wendall!

Kendall wasn't sure what to make of the paparazi in the den when she woke up. There were two cameras and a recorder flashing and rolling when she emerged. It took her a few minutes, as usual, to really wake up. And she is not one to be rushed. The festivities were paused while she drank her morning milk in Daddy's lap.

Here's a glimpse of the loot from the North Pole.

Ten minutes later she was ready to check it all out.

Mommy never knew bananas (Kendall's FAV fruit) grew on the North Pole, but obviously they do, and Santa knows her love for them, becasue one was in her stocking. And who REALLY knew that it would become her favorite present of the morning. Go figure...

Seeing what else is in her stocking, and holding on to the banana for dear life.

Santa also knows Kendall loves to read, and felt sorry for Mommy who desperately needed new reading material. We were both happy.

Cute little Santa's Helper donned in her antlers. (and Mommy)

Notice the banana. Mommy tried to get the poor bruised and squished little thing from her, but she wouldn't put it down.

"This is my Christmas banana brought straight from the North Pole. It's the best present ever!"

Hark! Do you see what I see??? It's yellow, but it's not a banana! It's Big Bird!

Long live the banana!

She attempted to pick up the bouncy ball while not putting the banana down. Lots of coordination and effort is needed when you're fifteen months old. Can it be done?

Nope.

Ahhh! Kendall finally gets to eat her Chirstmas banana along with the family tradition of Christmas morning cinnamon rolls.

Christmas Vacation - Day 2 continued

Christmas Eve we opened all our presents back at Grandpa and Nana's house. Good thing...we had to get them opened and out the way to make room for all Santa's loot the next morning!

Kendall is showing off her "Jesus Loves Me" purse that Mommy and Daddy gave her.

Aunt JuJu knows just the gift-a Sesame Street suitcase! Yes, the love for Elmo (and all the characters) endures.

It didn't take Kendall long this year to figure out the whole gift opening thing. She was tearing into the paper before we knew it.

Tissue paper is pretty fun, also. As is carrying around JuJu's camera case. Sigh...all those toys, and she wants a case.

Kendall got a bookbag for when she starts Mother's Morning Out in January.

Take a good look at the gift from Grandpa and Nana. This may be the only chance Kendall, or anyone else for that matter, gets to see the super duper "Whisper Ride" car. Daddy opened it up to put it together, and there are NO WHEELS included. Seriously??? No wheels? For a toy car? Sams is already out of them and our last ditch effort is to call the manufacturer to see if we can get some wheels. Poor thing, she has a hoopty just like her Daddy. (Insert note: Daddy just read this blog entry and wanted to clarify that he does NOT drive a hoopty.)

Daddy got an Elmo hat. I think it's more for Kendall, though...

Yep, Kendall likes it!

Christmas Vacation - Day 2

Day two we all went an hour and a half down the road to visit Grammy and take her out to lunch. Kendall donned her antlers to get everyone in the festive mood.

We watched Grammy open all her presents. Kendall sipped on celebratory juice.

Grammy stole some sweet sugar from Kendall after all the gift opening.

Afterward, we all went down to the rec room of Grammy's apartment complex so JuJu could do a mini-recital for Grammy and all her friends. (JuJu is majoring in music in college, so Grammy loves to hear her play.) Kendall played her first piece as well for the audience and recieved a standing ovation. Hmmm...another little musician in the family, maybe?

Oh You Better Watch Out, I'm Telling You Why!

Kendall and Mommy spent day one of Christmas at Nana and Grandpa's in the doctor's office so Mommy could get her pink eye treated. Fun! Well, fun is what Kendall and JuJu had in the waiting room-so it seems from the picture-for the TWO HOURS Mommy spent waiting for her coveted eye drops. I guess she figured she should show off her diamond-studded sunglasses to the doc.

To be rewarded for being such a fine princess during the wait (Kendall and JuJu read the same three books OVER and OVER, walked around in the hall, climbed on and off the couch, pointed to all the cheesy Christmas decor, and waved to all the patients as they entered and exited), Mommy and JuJu took her to the park. She had a blast. Someone forgot to remind her she is still a little kid. The little dare devil climbed all the equipment, and even walked up the slides.

Here is Mommy showing Kendall the correct way to go down a slide.

And here's Kendall teaching Mommy the more fun way to do it.

2 For 2

So Kendall thinks it snows every year around here. She's two for two. It snowed last December when she was three months old. And December has rolled around again, and low and behold, more snow! This year she was curious about this strange white stuff and was ready to go exploring.

Too bad Mommy didn't have any mittens for the poor kid. She learned the hard way how cold snow is. After falling once, she was extra careful to see that it didn't happen again.

We stayed outside a grand total of 15 minutes. She had had enough by that point. Her cold hands won out.

Back inside where it's toasty warm, she had fun watching Sophie run around in the back yard while donning her Christmas antlers.

Meeting Little Collin

Kendall got to meet sweet little Collin last week. He is the precious little boy of my dearest friend, Danielle. (I blogged about him last month when he was born. Check it out here.) I don't think Kendall has ever seen a baby quite this small, at least not in a close setting. When we got there he was in his little bouncy seat with the vibrator on full blast so his little foot was just a shakin'. Kendall eyed him closely. I could see her little wheels turning, "Hmmm...I THINK that's a baby doll, but hey... he just moved! Hey, wait a minute...that thing is... alive!" She walked up to him real gingerly and reached out to touch his little foot to see if her speculations were true. It was so sweet!

And later when I held him, she was so gentle and soft with Collin. She had a funny look as to why Mommy was holding another baby,but she quickly decided to crawl up with me and get in on the action. She "petted" him real softly, just like we are teaching her to do with Sophie. It's funny how she instinctively knew she could not jab his eye, or swing him by the arm, or tote him around by the foot like she does her baby dolls. Guess you just don't have to teach little girls how to nurture and love a baby.

Now, is Mommy ready for Kendall to be a big sister??? No, not quite. But we'll get there!

Mommy and Daughter

Carey, 18 months


Kendall, 15 months

The Princess at Story Land

While visiting Grandpa, Nana and JuJu, we took Kendall to Story Land in City Park. I remember going there as a kid. Mother Goose nursery rhymes and Disney are depicted in fun ways for the children to play. Here is the entrance (yes, even for the adults) under the "Hickory Dickery Dock" clock.

Kendall thought the fountain was the best! Hold on tight, Daddy!
AAARH! Peter Pan's pirate ship.

No wonder Jack and Jill fell down. If the hill was as steep as this slide, they had no chance! Not like the slide at the park by our house, it took help from Mommy and Daddy. But that didn't stop Kendall from climbing the hill and sliding down twice.
A much needed rest on the bench.

Um, Daddy, Did you REALLY think this one through?? Mommy just saw two boys slide down at breakneck speed. (Did they grease these slides???) JuJu was the photographer. Mommy was covering her eyes.
Click on the picture to get a good look at Daddy and Kendall's faces. This was definitely an "Oh CRAP!" moment! Daddy said he used the 2.2 seconds to figure out what to do when he reached the bottom. And Kendall used the next ten minutes to get over it.
Safely back on the ground and in Cinderella's pumpkin carriage.
Climbing in and out of Cinderella's pumpkin.
Alice in Wonderland's crooked house.
One baby, slap wore out. Story Land was a success!