The next part of our Christmas Break took us to Huntsville.
With Katie Lane - they both loved getting in the toybox!
How cute is this!?! Both girls love to read!
Playing with Grandad and Dede
Enjoying one of Everett's Christmas gifts while sporting her boots.
It seems like we never have enough time to see everyone to see everyone we want to see! Plus, I don't even have pictures from half of the trip! This has made realize while we are getting to enjoy the moment in the moment, we better take some pictures so we can remember the moment later on!
We had an amazing Christmas holiday, filled with family and friends and most importantly filled with Jesus.
Brad and I were both lucky enough to be off for 2 1/2 weeks at the end of the year. This was a great time for us to spend time at home, visit in Huntsville and then on to DC.
Before our "break" Paige was able to enjoy her Christmas party at school. They dressed up in their PJs for the event. It was awfully warm for December that day and we put her in the coolest thing she had that was Christmasy. As you can tell, some of the kids didn't even dress up because it was so warm. Below she is sporting the Santa hat one of the Grandmas monogrammed for the class. This is the same grandma that made, yes handmade with monogramming, bags at Halloween.
The next day we went to the Breakfast with Santa at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear.
Since we had been down here I had wanted to go and see it all decorated for Christmas. I also thought it would be fun to take some pictures of Paige looking cute too. Then we heard about the Breakfast with Santa and thought that would be a perfect way to do it all.
We arrived bright and early for our 7:45 am reservation (yay us for being early!) and were able to get a few pictures before breakfast.
For breakfast they have a huge buffet. It had everything imaginable and was fantastic! The inside of the Dining Room was finely decorated and just screamed Christmas. If you weren't in the Christmas spirit before walking in, you should have been by the time you left. Around the buffet they had a working train that circle round and round - pretty cool!
This is as close as she would get to Santa. Oh well - at least we didn't have to wait in a terribly long line!
The rest of our time before we left for our 12 night journey was spent baking and relaxing. We threw in our small group Christmas party and our Christmas Eve service at church (although it wasn't on Christmas Eve) and there you have Christmas Break Part 1.
I really do like the Paige's school. Each Christmas they put together a little Christmas program for the parents. Last year we missed it because we were in NYC so I didn't really know what to expect. I also didn't know what to expect because Paige has changed so much since their last performance at the end of school year.
Let me tell you, this girl likes to have fun. I laughed and laughed at how sweet this girl is. She loves to dance, sing, and doesn't mind performing on stage.
Side note: This was my first time use the video camera and I am by no means an expert. I will not be quitting my day job to become a camera girl! This will become obvious when you watch and see the camera shake or move (can we say Blair Witch Project!) and when you hear my comments and laughter. I was also definitely focused on Paige and not the group as a whole. Other kids could have been doing what she was doing, but I didn't really see them. Also, it may be hard to find her at times, but I kept the camera going so I would be ready whenever she popped out.
The week before Thanksgiving I went out of town for work. I am participating in this year long program that will require me to travel more than I used to but not too much. Overall, I think it is going to be a great year and a great program. Anyway, this week was our first meeting. Leaving Paige this go around was one of the hardest things I have ever done. It ranks right up there with leaving her on her first day. I don't know what my deal was because it was not the longest I had left her, but man it was HARD!!!!! I knew she was good hands (I think I just wanted them to be my hands :).
I had one rule while I was gone - take LOTS of pictures!!! They did pretty good so I will share a few.
I thought this was funny because this is one of Brad's least favorite games and he let her do it! Funny how little girls know how to work their daddies!
Loving the wind blown hair!
Where are my sisters? (you can kind of see one on the far left - ha!)
On Veterans' Day the Pharmacy School had a school-wide Thanksgiving lunch. Paige and I joined Daddy and we all loved it!
Such a ham!
What a big girl!
She did really good and was sweet to the students and faculty. The funniest part to me was when she realized there were cookies and reached her hand right on up to the plate and made sure she got one. This girl loves her sweets!
Paige has never been the best napper at home. Sleeping at night we got down, napping at school we got down, but naps on the weekend are never predicable (meaning we don't know how she will do, not that we won't try, sometimes she gets her paci while other days she doesn't. Speaking of paci - this is the only instance where she gets it - she knows how to work us!).
So, yesterday was nothing new when she didn't want to go down.
What was knew was being greeted in the den by a crying child who scaled her crib and got out. Yes, she climbed out of her crib, opened the door and came on down the hallway. This was pre-paci yesterday so after we got over the initial shock of what happened we gave in and let her have the paci.
Fast forward - nap time is over and what does she do? She climbs out again!!!
Needless to say, the mattress is on the floor now (still in the crib frame). Poor thing tried to climb out again at bedtime but ended up bonking her head because she couldn't get out.
Has anyone ever experienced this with their child? Do you have any advice?
We have ordered a crib rail (this was done while we were in the initial shock phase) and it should be here by early this week. Her crib converts to a full bed so that is another option (with bed rails).
After climbing out she proceeded to bring her pillow and blanket that she had thrown over the crib into the den. Nice, huh?
