We wish you a Merry Christmas

I think this will have to wrap up my entries for 2007, as the holiday is nearing and Mommy is a busy little elf. Elena's favorite things about Christmas include:

• Tiny snowmen ("tiny like me," she says.);



• Cookies;



• Lights;



• Piggy pants (warm jammies); and



• J Bells.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Rockin' around the Christmas tree

The Harper-Grohs house is all a-buzz with the holiday spirit. Elena is either singing "J Bells" or "Bippity Boppity Boo" at any given time (and though it has nothing to do with Christmas, have I mentioned her obsession with Cinderella? Hence the Bippity Boppity Boo).

We decorated our tree today and Elena's favorite parts included the hot chocolate, removing the ornaments from the branches or playing with my old nativity scene and baby Jesus ("Jay-zus"). She put him in his manger several times so he could sleep. Mama Mary held him first to tell him, "ni-night."

I'm not sure it gets much sweeter than that.

It's Christmas time in the city....

Or in EDH, I guess we're in the country.

Elena is full of Christmas cheer. She gets a little of it, but mostly she loves the commotion around her. The lights, the trees, the wrapping of gifts. Every night we go outside to look at the lights on all the houses. She looks for the moon to say "ni-night, moon" and we go inside to read her a goodnight story. After a little milk, it's lights out for Lala. She is the sweetest she's ever been and a bigger handful than I can explain.

Mommy's days are very full. They are full of Lala and kisses; whining and dramatic cries over nothing; sweetness with hugs and; fits of anger over things that we've done wrong (i.e. not putting her pretty shoes on IMMEDIATELY, not understanding that we MUST drink the pretend shake she's made us, or not sitting with her to color at the art table). She's certainly got a little sass in her.

She remains as loved as any child has ever been.

It's Christmas and I've never been so happy that it is.

And here's to Sr. Celine who died this weekend. I'll remember you always. Chocolate and potato chips, my friend. Thank you for laying the groundwork.

Jingle all the Way

J Bells, J Bells, J all the WAAAAAAAAAY. Hey!

And so goes Elena's version of Jingle Bells. We can't even figure out how she knows that much - it just played for the first time today and she has the chorus down.... cute. But weird.

We had a nice Thanksgiving and we've spent the two days following in Marin, Sausalito, Napa, etc. for a short holiday. Stinky-Lala-J-Bells loved the Discovery Museum and all its glorious toddler fun. We could've spent days there.

Home again, we're looking to tomorrow to start holiday-decorating and present-wrapping. It feels as if the Christmas season has really arrived. J Bells and all.

We give thanks

In the days before Thanksgiving, I've actually stopped to give thanks. Novel idea. I am thankful for my family and our lives. I am thankful for my sweet Lala who makes me laugh and pause in awe every day. Her sweet smell and her kisses/hugs, the way she calls for me and the way she loves her Daddy and uncles and grandparents and friends. I love her curls and her voice, her mouth and her big 'ol cheeks and the way she runs from the front door to the family room in anticipation of... well, nothing. She anticipates something wonderful around every corner. It's this that I love most about her. She finds happiness and light in everything. She does this because she is Elena, because she is young and because she is all that is good and happy and light.

For this, I am truly thankful.

Yo, yo, yo...

Busy days again in the Harper-Grohs house. Elena's vocabulary is ever-expanding and she'll point out ANYTHING you do. God forbid someone should burp (or worse) in front of her. She calls you out, boy.

"SCUUUSE YOU, DADA."

Or if a stray dinner morsel might make its way to your chin, Elena makes sure you know right away.

"WHAS DAT, MAMA?" I could share much worse, but let's keep the blog clean.

We're all set for the holidays (Mommy is done shopping early again) and we're hoping to find time for Christmas pictures soon. This time of year always stresses me out a little, but Lala makes it as exciting as when we were little. I'm sure Santa will invoke tears again this year, but the last thing I want to do is rush through these years. She'll be looking forward to all those things before we know it.

Until next time... Peace out.

Cheeser

"Smile, Elena!"

This is what we get. Big cheesy grins with giggles and lots of teeth.
How 'Mommy' am I that I love this too?