Merry Christmas!

It was so fun and exciting with Carli and her third Christmas.  This year, she really began to understand what Christmas was all about.  She knew who the baby Jesus was (not really why he came), who Santa Claus was and that he was coming to bring her presents.  She still would have nothing to do with him though.  We never could get out of her what she wanted.  Every time we asked her, "'What is Santa going to bring you?" she would only say "presents".  So Joe and I were left to our own devices.

The holiday season began with Carli's first preschool performance.  Due to my health issues, I was unable to attend, but Joe was there ready to go with the camera.  Carli was good, until she saw him.  Then she wouldn't stay with her group, teachers, or sing the songs (which she knew and sang over and over at home!).  She kept running back and forth from the class to Joe.

When the tree was put up, Carli was fascinated with it.  She took ornaments off over and over again.  She loved to look at the lights around town and kissing the Tigger and Pooh blowups in our yard.

Next up, was the Christmas program at church.  This year, the two year olds were singing and doing motions to "Away in a Manger".  Carli knew these and did them all the time at home.  But, like in preschool, when it came time for the performance, she only stood there dancing around.

The Saturday before Christmas was the Herndon family get together.  Carli was a little shy since she didn't really know everyone that was there, but she played and had a good time.

Christmas Eve was the Laws family get together.  Carli loved seeing her cousins again and playing with them.  She really loved getting presents and new toys to play with!

It is a Minnie Mouse vacuum!

 

making sure Uncle Kyle doesn't miss anything!

Christmas morning was so fun!  Santa brought Carli an easel and put it under a sheet over it to hide it from her.  Carli came into the living room, running, but stopped short when she saw the sheet.  None of us could coax her into unwrapping any presents from Santa.  Austin even brought one to her and she would have nothing to do with it.  After opening his gifts, Austin got Carli and helped her pull the sheet off her easel.  That was all it took.  She tore open her gifts and giggled and laughed often!  We can only think that she thought Santa was under the sheet.  Hope he never does something like that again!

notice she is now wearing her new outfit!

add to read her book

love the easel!

reading with Austin

Later, Poppie came over and brought several things including a camera!  Carli loved it!

Next year should be even better!

Princess Elf Has Arrived

This year we began a new Christmas tradition with Carli, Elf on a Shelf.

This is a book and elf that is sent from "Santa" to help him watch the children to see if they have been naughty or nice.  The elf watches all day and reports back to Santa each night.  Then she shows back up in a different place the next morning to watch the child again.

Today, Princess brought breakfast to the family along with the book and DVD explaining what her job is.  Carli was more excited over the "chocolate cupcakes" (muffins) than anything else.  Now we just have to keep Carli's hands off the elf every day!

Elves always bring socks because it is so cold in the North Pole.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving this year with Carli was a blessing! She is growing up so fast and learning so much. Now that she is in Preschool, she is learning everything that her brain can collect.




On Friday, November 16th, Carli's class had their feast.  I was able to go and enjoy a "little" lunch with her.  Carli on the other hand, would eat only a marshmallow from her lunch.  She wouldn't stay in her seat either.  Too much going on for her.  She wanted to read, play, and run down the hall.

really checking it out

Thanksgiving Day was busy.  Carli enjoyed watching some of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  She loved seeing Elmo and the rest of the Sesame Street gang since. She danced with the Rockettes.   She enjoyed seeing the big balloons floating above the city.

Later in the day, we went to "Mee-nah's" for lunch.  Carli ate blueberries while the rest of the family feasted on turkey and all the fixings.  She played with everything she could get her hands on. She loved seeing her brother.  After lunch, she ate Daddy's dessert when Aunt JoAnn stole it from him when he left the room.  (Bet he doesn't do that again.)  After a busy day, she crashed on the way home!

on the way to Grandma & Pawpaw's

eating Daddy's dessert

so tired after a long day!

Next on the horizon is Christmas!  That will be a busy time of the year.  Can't wait to see how she is this year.

"Trick or Treat"

This year, Carli was excited about Halloween.  She started learning all about it in preschool earlier in the month.  Everything was "spooky" to her and she loved it.

Joe began putting out his Halloween decorations and Carli became fascinated with the "scary man" in the basement.  It was actually "the Butler" that our neighbors gave Joe when they tired of him.  Carli wanted to go see him every day, but when Joe would take her down, Carli would begin to scream.  So...the Butler stayed in the basement this year.  (I was glad, because I hate him!)

The days leading up to Halloween we began to teach Carli to say "trick or treat".  She already understood that she would get candy.  We also told her she would be a ghost.  It didn't take long for her to catch on.

After dinner on Halloween, we got Carli dressed in her costume.  First thing she said, "I'm a princess."  She loved her costume!  We were off to get candy.  After going to a couple of neighbors, we went to visit all family.  Carli did a good job saying, "tick or teat," to most of them.  She loved putting her costume on and off (the easiest way to get her in the carseat) and getting candy.

It was a great Halloween!

Learning Time

Carli has been working on her ABCs.  She is doing pretty well!

Austin Hangs the Moon!

Every time Austin comes home, Carli runs to the door to see him yelling, "Austin, Austin!"  Today when he came home, she was in her room playing.  Austin went up to join her.  Usually he plays for just a few minutes.  Today, he stayed for almost an hour.  Carli was in heaven!  She loves her big brother.  They played with the building blocks.  They even made a secret clubhouse and I was told I couldn't come in.

the secret clubhouse

reading a book

robot time

"Where da zebra go?"

Our second mini trip was to the NC Zoo in Asheboro.  We had been telling Carli for over a week that we were going to see the animals.  Joe had been reading stories with African animals in them and going over various animal noises.  Finally the day had arrived.

After packing a picnic lunch and snacks, we headed out. Carli fell asleep before we even got there.  Once inside, we began the trek around Africa.  First up, the giraffes, ostriches, and zebras.  We saw the giraffes and ostriches, but the zebras were no where to be seen.  Carli was disappointed and asked, "Where da zebra go?"

looking for the zebras

Next up, the lion's den...both the "mama" lion and the "daddy" lion were out sunbathing.  Carli thought the lion laying with his belly in the air was funny.  She even roared like a lion, which did get his attention, briefly.  Then he went back to his nap. But again, "Where da zebra go?"

The chimpanzees were the next animal to see.  Carli loved watching the almost two year old chimp play.  She was running around the habitat, climbing all over the other chimps, rock, and the branches.  Reminded me of another two year old!  But again, "Where da zebra go?"

watching the chimps play

The gorilla was a HUGE animal.  It even came right up to the glass and sat down in front of us.  It was an incredible sight to see.

After a quick stop for a map check and a cool snack, we headed to see the baboons (a word Carli loved saying over and over again!).  The red butt on the leader made her giggle.

Could she be looking for the missing zebras?

up high to see the baboons

The rhinoceros had gone under cover, so it was off to the elephants.  The elephants at our zoo are not gray as in all our books, but red.  There were a bunch and Carli liked watching them.  Then we went in to a little elephant park to take a break while Carli climbed on the statues.  But still we heard, "Where da zebra go?"

Carli and Daddy on a rhino egg model

Since the circle around the zoo was complete, Joe took Carli back around to the zebra exhibit hoping they had shown up. THEY HAD!  Carli finally got to see her zebras.  It even came up pretty close for us to see.

FINALLY a zebra!

As we were leaving, we stopped into the gift shop to get her a stuffed zebra.  She named it "Mommy Zebra".   We thought Carli would sleep most of the way home, but she never did! She just played and played with the new zebra.  Since our trip, Mommy Zebra has slept with Carli nightly and gone around the house.  Sometimes it goes even before Elmo.  We had a good time.

looks a little pooped!