Ho, ho, ho...they grow

These darn kids just won't stop growing up. The holiday season is flying and in a few days, it'll all be over again until Elena is six and Michael is two. We'll never get five and one back again and it's a downright infuriating and impossible fact. Before I launch into the holiday fun, an Elena-ism of late is one I had to remember. In her perfunctory manner, she told us that, "I know a lot of big words." {Oh yeah? Like what, La?} "Shiva Frentzen for Supervisor." Oh that girl and her unending hilarity. And Michael...this morning at the very wee hours, he called for me in his first real sentence...."Mama, Aw you?" (Translation: Mommy, where are you?) My sweet boy - I love this stage and all the new words. His favorite are: No, shoe, hat, up, num-num, paci, Mama, Dada, Lala, Nigh-Night, Bye-bye, Hello, hi, ball, puppy, and many more. He's learning quickly.


Now, for more holiday fun...Michael won't keep an ornament on the tree and Elena wakes every morning in anticipation of finding Caleb, the elf. We had the annual Santa Run in the hood again and our children welcomed Santa with a lot of excitement. This is the first year Elena has been so open to talking to and sitting with Santa and Mrs. Claus. We also went to Santa's Secret Adventure on Sunday and what a magical experience THAT was with Elena's first voluntary Santa-lap (kind of...they have a chair between Santa and the head elf these days) experience. Michael wanted nothing to do with sitting near him, but we kind of figured that. We also had pony and carriage rides, helping the elves wrap gifts, a petting zoo and special hot chocolate and cookies with a story around the fire. The horse ranch they turn into this is a wonderland and was something we'll certainly do again. The magic of the holidays is alive and well in the Grohs house and it's going way too quickly. Merry Christmas to all.