Christmas Eve/Morning

Look at me! Posting about Christmas in February ;) We had such a great Christmas this year. Quinny was so cute and so fun, a perfect age to really enjoy the holidays!! This was her face when we told her in the afternoon on Christmas Eve that she could open one present from us. "YAY! A present! Jesus birsday!" (not a typo... thats how she prounces it... she is very vocal and her speech is great, except she cant pronounce "th" or "f" sounds, they both come out like "s")

Opening her Christmas PJs - she opened them in the afternoon since we had plans that evening and wouldn't get home until late!

After opening her pjs that she could wear that night at bedtime, it was time to put on her new Christmas dress! She was VERY excited about this - "oh my princess dress! So pretty!"

Cheering and all around happy

After church that night we went to the Unrau's - they had an open house for anyone from church who didn't have family to go see that evening. I really had a hard time Christmas Eve, knowing that both sides of our families were together and we weren't with any of them. Christmas Eve is always so fun, and it was weird to miss out. But with Jon doing music at church (he did excellent. I wish his family could have seen him. He did a really fantastic job) and wanting to be at our home for Christmas morning, it just didn't work to go to Victoria for the day. So I was so glad to have somewhere to go and be festive and be with people! It was really nice, the Unraus are excellent hosts :)

When we got home that evening, it was time to assemble Q's present from Santa, with Henrik supervising

When we would ask her "what present would you like Santa to bring you?" she would respond with "no thanks Santa. No Santa" which was super funny. After a while she caught onto the fact that Santa is not a real man, just a pretend guy that is fun and will bring presents. Then she was totally onboard, and when we would ask her she would say "bubbles!" That's all she wanted. So cute. So along with her makeup desk and accessories, she got bubble bath with Frozen characters on it :) 

Set and ready for the morning! Her stocking was so cheap and so easy - Such an easy age to buy for! She loves stickers and coloring books and bath toys and treats. I had the best December finding things for her that didn't break the bank. 

I wish I had gotten a picture of her face when she came down the stairs and saw her makeup desk, but I was too busy enjoying the moment! We did the classic Lampard stair picture before she was allowed down. I decorated the table and made everyone hot drinks and then woke her up at 7:50 because I could not wait any longer! When she came down and saw everything she gasped and her eyes went huge. She loves sitting with me at my makeup desk every morning when I get ready and she plays with all my things. I like sharing with her and having her help me, but we figured that she would really like her own, and we were right! She was SO excited and happy and kept giggling. She went right to it and immediately started doing her hair.

The stair picture! Look at the happy face, just moments after waking up. She wasn't too sure what was waiting for her down there, but she knew it must be something good if I was waking her up!

We let her play for a few minutes with the desk, and then Jon pulled out his Bible and read to us the story of Jesus' birth and we talked to her about why we celebrate. 

All she wanted was the makeup desk. We had to work hard to convince her to open her stocking and presents. She would open a few and then go right back to the desk. It was pretty stinkin' cute! When she opened this, however, she recognized the symbol on the mug squealed loudly and was very happy - her very own "starbucks coffee" (thats what she calls any hot drink - think she's been to starbucks a few times in her life?! haha!). I made her a vanilla steamed milk right away and put it in there for her :)

She opened a nutella snack pack and right away wanted to open it and have a snack break. So funny! Most kids would be tearing into their gifts and mine needs to stop and have a snack. (Also, notice her princess socks all perfectly lined up. She did that) She really is mine! haha!

I opened this from Mary. I cried. So beautiful and thoughtful.

Love. It. I have amazing friends. It meant a lot to me that she would get this for me, knowing that this Christmas has a very different feel for me than I thought it would just a month before. I was supposed to be rubbing my belly, excitedly anticipating next year with Q and her little baby sibling, and instead I was aching, very aware of what was missing and very aware of the fact that Q may be an only child. I appreciate Mary for knowing and acknowledging my heartache with something so beautiful and honest

Watching Quinny and just delighting in her made it such a great morning and took the ache away for a little while. She was just SO cute. Here she is opening a box of movies! (thank you Disney Movie Club for letting us give her 7 new Disney movies for only $30.95!!!) She was most excited about Cinderella and Tangled - she really is a girl who loves her princesses! There was also Up and Meet the Robinsons in there, which I am excited about!

We all got new slippers! Thank you Jon :) I didn't talk about my own stocking and I didn't really take any pictures of Jon and I! But as always, my stocking was full of thoughtful and awesome things. Jon does so well with filling my stocking! We don't do "presents" for each other, because the stocking is basically just a bunch of little presents, and we would both prefer that! After presents we ate breakfast - we made it the night before in the crockpot! It was delicious!

We set her makeup desk up upstairs in our room, right by mine so that we can get ready together! She was glued to it

All showered and dressed and ready for Christmas part II at Nannie and Papas! Her leggings and scarf are locally made by a business called Little Saplings here in the Cowichan Valley! We had a great morning together, the three of us. I love my family and find so much joy in them!