Merry Christmas!

So it is almost that time of year! I cannot believe for a minute that in a couple weeks we will getting together with family and celebrating another Christmas. This year started out with such excitement welcoming Nate in our lives and now I am already thinking about his birthday as the year comes to a close. Nate is keeping very busy and has accomplished many things this year. He is ten and a half months now and is really starting to look and act like a toddler. He is near walking and is starting to babble a little. He loves to play with blocks, Eddie, markers (I just tape the caps on and he thinks he is one of the big kids coloring), cars/trucks, books, and his brother. His favorite game is peek-a-boo and will often prompt a game on his own. He is drinking independently from a sippy cup and is eating finger foods (he is a big eater). Jay and I enjoy his long-lasting cuddles and his occasional kisses and love pats.

ET is three and a half now, and so this Christmas he has shown more excitement than the years prior. He has completely memorized the songs, "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer," and "Frosty the Snowman." These are also currently his favorite movies to watch. ET is well aware that Santa Claus will be making his way down our chimney on Christmas Eve night and he has been talking A LOT about it. He recently drew these two pictures to leave for Santa when he comes...

This is Santa,

and this is Frosty.



On Saturday I went shopping for Christmas presents and picked up the singing Frosty doll they are selling at Hallmark this year. We asked ET to close his eyes and hold out his hands for a special early Christmas present from us. His eyes instantly lit up when he saw what it was. He has held tight to this thing since Saturday and won't let it out of his sight for too long. We also surprised him with a Frosty ornament for the tree. We had done all of our Chirstmas decorating the weekend before, but saved our tree ornaments for a night when we were all well and relaxed to enjoy placing them on the tree. Each year we have purchased an ornament for ET that shows something he has shown interest in over the year. Two years ago he got a train, and last year we gave him a bulldozer.

This year ET has shown a lot of interest in any type of Christmas music. He has always loved music and so this is not a real big surprise. He will ask us to turn on the Christmas music channel on TV and he will listen to the music for a entire afternoon as he dances, sings and plays his own musical instruments to accompany the music. Yesterday, ET was in his bedroom belting out songs as loud as he could for probably twenty minutes. I went in his bedroom and saw that he had created a pretend microphone out of Lego's and was singing Christmas songs with his Frosty doll. :)



ET is performing one song with his preschool friends for our Christmas program this Sunday at church. The song is "Away in a Manger." Unfortunately, every time Jay or I ask him to practice his song, he says "no" and wants to sing Frosty or Rudolph instead. I have done my best to teach ET the real meaning of Christmas, but apparently his love for Santa has overruled this year. Oh well, I know as he matures his understanding for the real spirit of Christmas will grow as well.

We hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and enjoy spending time with your loved ones!