Christmas 2007

The scene at our house this past Christmas was… well, probably atypical from what you might expect.  We probably had the only children in America that didn't want to open their presents.  Not because they don't like presents - they were just very sick.  Seems like we were all sick at one point or another from the 3rd week in December through the rest of the year.  The girls just got sick right around Christmas time - Anna got the pleasure of going to the doctor on Christmas Eve. Anyway, we had to laugh at the thought of us sitting around the Christmas tree, with crying children, feeling like the ogre parents forcing presents upon them, the poor things.  So to appease their short tolerance for all things exciting, we spread out opening presents over a few days, so each day we'd open just a few, then let them play.

I updated our picture gallery with pictures from Christmas (Day-to-Day->2007-2008 Winter).  You can just tell that the girls felt awful.  You can even tell they were crying even as they're opening presents.

 They did really like their presents, though.  They really enjoyed the books, the videos, the puzzles, the stickers, the new pajamas… Anna actually wanted to wear her new pajamas with the footies, which was a change from her always wanting to wear the silky snowman PJs with fluffy slippers that she got from (I think) Abuela and Titi Edna while we were in Orlando.  She still loves those PJs, by the way, and even when she's not wearing them, she'll frequently insist on wearing the slippers to bed.

They really enjoyed the Curious George and Sesame Street blankets that Aunt Raquel made for them - they use them every time they go to bed. Cara was enthralled by this little Silent Night book that plays the song and has lots of little twinkling lights that flash around baby Jesus' head.  We heard that song all night long, and all day long, for several days.  They really did enjoy all of their presents - I won't list all of them, but thank you all for the gifts.  You helped make their Christmas very special.

I unfortunately had to work to meet some deadlines - Christmas day was the only day I completely took off.  I did get to take the girls back to see the big Winter Lights display, which I had promised we'd go see again before they took all the lights down for the season.

The girls are giggling in their room right now, so have to go tell them (again) to go to sleep.  At least they're staying in their own beds. They've just been lying in their beds, giggling.

Our friend Gracie

Beth took this picture today right after getting the girls up from their nap.  They're obviously still waking up.  Gracie decided to come keep them company and plopped right down on top of them. She actually tolerates them very well, even when they hold her tail.  But I'm sure she really likes it when they're too tired to harrass her!

The Horsie Song

Anna and Cara have discovered the William Tell Overture, and they ask for it by name - "the horsie song."  When I was little, I remember searching through mom & dad's records looking for this song.  I didn't know the name of it; I only knew what the cover looked like.  My little sister and I would then act out a whole story to the full overture.  When it starts, we would be sitting on a ship on the calm seas, relaxing, maybe eating cereal, whatever.  Then the music starts to hint that something dramatic is coming, with the drip, drip, drip of raindrops.  We would look at the sky, very worried at what was coming.  Then the music builds and builds until it bursts into a violent storm at sea that tosses our ship every which way, and we'd roll and throw ourselves all over the floor. Finally, the storm subsides, and for awhile we find ourselves shipwrecked on a beach.  We look around for awhile, wondering where we are, until the final movement, when all of a sudden, we have horses!  And we ride and ride and run and run around and around all the way to the end of the song.  That was our whole play.

Anna and Cara don't really care to hear much of it except for the final movement with the horses. Although Anna does tiptoe during the "beach" music that leads up to the horsie part.  Someday I'll be able to teach them the whole story.

Click here to see a video I recorded yesterday of the girls running around and around to the William Tell Overture.

Hide (over there) and Seek

Anna has started wanting to play hide and seek from time to time. It came out of the blue (for me, at least), so I'm not sure if Beth started playing it with her, or if she learned it in preschool. Her version of the game is pretty easy.  Last night, she asked to play and wanted me to count first.  So I closed my eyes, counted to ten, and said, "Ready or not, here I come!"  When I opened my eyes, I turned my head and saw her laying on the couch with her eyes closed.

I took a turn hiding, and on her next turn hiding, she "hid" on the couch again, only this time mommy sat in front of her to at least partially hide her.  When I came in the room and said, "Hmm, where is Anna," Anna yelled out, "I'm right here behind mommy!"  Then she said it was my turn to hide, and she also told me to hide on the blue couch. I guess not knowing where I'm hiding made the game too hard for her.

You make a good argument

Anna has been in her "no" phase for awhile now (sometimes the 3's seem harder than the 2's), but has also started explaining why she's doing something that we tell her to stop ("but I'm just…"). She's also started trying to make her case when she really wants something.

For example, Anna recently received one of those plastic candy canes that are filled with candy.  After preschool and before dinner, she wanted some, then made a very convincing argument after being denied:

Anna: "But mommy, i'm really hungry for these!"

Mommy: "Maybe after dinner."

Anna: "But mommy, they're for my mouth!"

Firetruck Santa

In our neighborhood, Santa doesn't travel on a sleigh.  He rides on top of a firetruck decked out with Christmas lights, escorted by an ambulance and two other fire trucks, all with lights flashing and sirens blaring when they're on the move. He drives through our neighborhood waving, and when they stop, elves emerge from all the vehicles bearing candy canes for all the waiting kids. For a nominal fee, Santa will even make a special visit into your house.

Last year when Santa drove through, mommy was gone, and daddy took the girls out to see the trucks and wave to Santa. They both liked the lights, the candy canes, and Santa.  This year, mommy took Cara outside by herself to see Firetruck Santa, because for some reason, Anna was terrified of the sirens, especially when they got closer. She would cover her ears and start screaming and crying if the door was open and the sirens were on, and she wanted no part of going outside.  So while mommy and Cara were outside, I went to our upstairs bedroom so we could look at the firetrucks and Santa from our big window.

Fattening waterway

Me: Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream…

Anna: Marely, marely, marely, marely, like a butter dream!

Also, Cara has picked up on Anna's love for "Ring Around the Rosie," only when she's walking in circles, she falls down whenever she pleases, making Anna remind her that she is not supposed to fall until we sing "ashes, ashes." Sometimes Cara will then skip right to the "aaaatches, aaaatches" part when the song starts, just so she can fall down sooner.