It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

We are getting excited for Christmas we pulled out all of our decorations and toys a couple of weeks ago. We decorated the house outside – Katheryn says it is beautiful! We pulled out all of our Christmas movies.

We had our annual family Christmas parties. I think there was 40 members of the Ridding family there, all of the kids (all 2nd cousins) loved playing together and running around.

The dancing Santa is always a hit with the kids – I did have Nick out, but for these pictures he was too busy eating. I actually had the chair and Nick's walker out - but he didn't want anything to do with walking.

 (This was before the CE party where he was much more comfortable walking in his walker with a group of people.)

Getting ready for Christmas also means getting our Christmas tree. Every year we go and chop one down. This year is was too wet and rainy and warm to go out and cut one down on the weekend we had available.

But we still got a pretty good one.

And Nick thought it was great riding in the cart above his head!

Yes I'm aware that I look a little crazy taking pictures in Home Depot. But I don't care. Look at that look! It's just asking to snapped in a photograph!

It took us about a week to decorate the tree.

Katheryn really liked these snowmen and kept bunching them together.

Nick liked playing peek-a-boo with his! He’ll pull the hat down over the eyes, then back up and say ‘boo’.

 

When daddy came home from work it was time to put the star up. Katheryn tried to help but got scared.

But it was up!

Now that the tree is up, and we are feeling suitably Christmassy, it was time to bring on Santa.
We talked about Santa and that we were going to go and visit Santa. We had it all planned with my in laws to have the 4 cousins all go to the mall and visit Santa. Both kids were excited. Santa is one of Nick's new words. (As well as tree)

Katheryn was very excited, waiting in line and waiting because she’s going to see Santa.

Nick kept saying ‘Santa, Santa!’ He might not look very excited - but he was.

We got up to him. Nothing.
Katheryn would have nothing to do with him.
We did get a family picture of the cousins – with my leg in the picture. I kept trying to move farther out of the frame and move Katheryn closer and she stops and looks at me “Mommy! Stop pushing me”

She has her model pose!

Katheryn and Nick are actually supposed to be matchingish, with their sweaters - but do you know how hard it is to find cute boy sweaters?!!!

When it was time for Nick and Katheryn and Santa, she just ran.

But I was getting a Santa picture for 2011 – and if Katheryn doesn’t want to be in it, that is fine. So my picture is just with Nick.

Both of them still get excited to see pictures of Santa – just not ready for the real version yet.
Katheryn has told me that she wants a hippopotamus for Christmas, so maybe next year she can ask Santa for one.

The next couple of weeks are going to be a little less busy. So we'll finish up our shopping and spend more time a home as a family, instead of on-the-run as a family. Maybe get some cookies baking or some of the fun homemade things I've been reading about. Have Christmas music on

And some snow wouldn't hurt either!