You Better Watch Out!

Christmas time is quickly approaching and I feel that I have neglected to post many of the happenings at our house during this exciting season. Julia is so excited for Christmas she can hardly breathe. She asks me daily if this is the day Santa is coming. It consumes all of her thoughts. Audrey was screaming yesterday and Julia went up to her and said, "Audrey, the elves are watching you." This has worked as a great tactic on Julia and was quite effective in getting her to take her nap today (I may have even evily threatened a phone call to the North Pole). Bryan gave her a toy catalog and told her to circle all of the items she wished Santa to bring her. Each page was littered with SEVERAL circles and some were double circled because those were the ones she REALLY wanted. We have decorated our house and we have glittered ornaments that have glittered the carpet as well because Julia is under the tree with the Nativity Scene playing all day. I think we hit a low point when the ponies were wondering If the baby Jesus wanted to come to Pinkie Pie's Birthday. It has really made this year so fun. It has been delightful to talk about Santa and his reindeer but even more special to talk about the birth of the Savior and what it means. I have indulged her in playing with the nativity scene to her heart's content if just to give her little three year old heart a glimpse of what the Christmas season is all about. Though when I mention that she needs to get Audrey a present because Christmas is about giving, we quickly revert to what she needs Santa to bring her for Christmas. Oh, well. At least we are trying.

So after that long bit. We attended our ward Christmas party yesterday which was such a fun evening of music and food and best of all (for a very excited Julia) a visit from Santa.
I must thank my mom for getting the girls their adorable matching dresses. They looked like two little Christmas princesses. Julia was particularly pleased with the color choice. Cute little Audrey. She actually started clapping this week. And she's figured out that if she yells enough and holds her arms up her mommy will ALWAYS pick her up. Bryan thinks that I'm spoiling her. That's probably true, but look at that face! I cannot resist her.
Cute Julia making a weird face. I must take another picture of her in this dress on a later date with a cute smile, not a "I think I'm gonna be sick" smile.

And the moment we have all been waiting for...

SANTA! When the big moment arrived all of the little kids gathered right around Santa without forming any type of line. Julia was absolutely and completely tortured when Santa put a child other than her on his lap. Every time he picked one of the eager children out of the massive crowd she would cry out and look at me with panic in her eyes. She was sure that he was going to forget her. She was so close and yet so far away. But lo and behold her turn finally came and she didn't even choke. She proudly told him that she wanted a the "big big big present." Those were her exact words.

Upon arriving home Julia informed me that when Santa comes to our house and leaves her this big big present, she is going to leave him cookies and leave carrots for the reindeer. Then she is going to take a ride on a great big reindeer and Audrey can ride a little tiny reindeer. They are going to ride high in the sky with Santa and Jesus (Can you picture this in your head?) Hmmmm.... I suppose we get a little confused with heaven and reindeer and such. But her excitement truly is contagious and she makes me want to enjoy every minute of this Christmas season.