Christmas 2009

I think I started this post Saturday and am just now getting it up on Monday night. It's been a whirlwind around here.

It was a big one, and we enjoyed every single second of it! It's the first year we have stayed in Birmingham for Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, and I look forward to continuing that tradition for a long time. We had a blast just being at home and waking up in our own beds to see what Santa brought!

I purposely packed our day on Christmas Eve because I was afraid if I stopped to think about the fact that the rest of my family wasn't here I'd get sad! Boy was I wrong...we had so much fun, just the 3 of us. I also made sure I stopped to think about the fact that it was our last Christmas as "just the 3 of us!" Don't get me wrong, I cannot wait to meet this precious baby boy, but I/we are cherishing every minute with Ellie these days!

We started out going to a fantastic brunch Christmas Eve morning. Ellie was absolutely without a doubt not up for pictures this entire day so they are very few and far between, and the ones we got are pitiful.

Out in the foyer after brunch...trying to escape again! A kind lady walked up and politely asked if we would like a "family picture," and I politely declined and told her we would be leaving right that second before another meltdown. I was sweating like crazy and found myself getting really frustrated, and then I decided it wasn't worth torturing her for the "perfect picture!" How silly was I being?!
After brunch I headed out for a couple of last minute errands while Daddy and Ellie stayed home and napped. We then headed to church at 4:00 for the best Christmas Eve service I have ever attended. It truly made our night so special. I only wish Ellie could have been in the sanctuary with us to see all of those candles while singing Silent Night. After church we headed over to our neighbors, the Dellaccios, for a little Christmas Eve Open House.

We thought we'd try again with the pictures....it just wasn't happening.

Then Daddy bribed her with a cookie, and we got this!

and this...

This sums up her mood that day!

She got over the crankiness real quick at the party and found a buddy. This is her friend Douglas' cousin, Charlie. We ended up not leaving until well after 8:00 because she was so entertained by him! It was hysterical.

Once we got home we had bathtime, and Daddy and Ellie read "Twas the Night before Christmas" together.

The next morning...Santa came!!!

and filled her stocking!!

Santa knew that this little girl loves some Dora...the bubblebath and Dora and Boots help make bathtime that much more enjoyable! And those boots...they were the very first thing she ran up to and had to put the on that very second!

Another favorite...

Finishing off Santa's cookies and candy...

Opening our presents from Daddy together...

After opening presents, having breakfast together, and loading the car (for at least an hour), we headed down to Goodway to see Rusty's grandmother, Maw Maw. Maw surprised Ellie with a new kitchen!

Cookin' it up!

We spent Christmas day night with Maw and then headed to Atmore Saturday morning to see Lollie, Poppy, She She and Thomas. Ellie walked in to see her new table and chairs from Lollie and Poppy. She chooses the pink chair every time!

After a delicious lunch that Lollie prepared we headed over to my grandmother's house. Ellie usually spends the better part of the time that we're there doing this...

In and out of Sally's doggy door!

Momese surprised Ellie with an Auburn tricycle!! She loves it!

She absolutely loves Sally, Momese's dog, and always has. Poor Sally gets tortured every time we're there!

Ellie and Momese...the two Eloise's...

Putting on her lipstick that was in her purse she got.

Always the entertainer

Sunday morning we woke up and headed over to Meme's house for some more Christmas! Ellie's cousin Mallory was there too!

Meme surprised Ellie with her new slide, and she loved it!!

Then, on Monday morning, we headed to meet Paw Paw Roger for even more Christmas! We had a nice lunch and got to open even more presents!

The plan was to stay in Atmore until New Years Eve and head back, but Daddy talked us into staying a little longer so he could get some hunting in. So, we ended up staying an entire week and enjoyed it tremendously. I didn't want the week to end. We spent New Years Day over at my parent's friends house where Ellie got to play with Mary Ruth. This is Mary Ruth's car, but Ellie got a car like this from Paw Paw and couldn't really understand that it wasn't hers!

Mary Ruth, Ellie, and Jackson having their black-eyed peas, ham, and turnip greens!

I didn't want the week to end, but we're back home now and settled back into our routine. It's nice to be home, but I sure did enjoy having so much help last week! I told Lollie that she's just going to have to move in for the summer after this baby boy arrives! By the way, this baby boy is still nameless. Working on it....