Merry Christmas!

We didn't have to dream of a white Christmas this year. We got one! A blizzard came through on Christmas Eve and we were happy to all be home, safe and warm. Luckily Nana and Granddad had come up the night before, so everyone was off the roads by the time things turned for the worse. Anna was so excited for Santa to visit, she put cookies and milk out. We were glad the weather didn't hold him up. Donning her new Cindy Lou Who pajamas, Anna tore into her gifts with abandon. She received lots of new board games, a kids yoga DVD and her own mat, new pjs for Bitty Baby, some pets for Bitty (Snowball the dog and Licorice the cat), a Charlie Brown DVD, a painting for her room from Nana and Granddad, Bakugon (sigh), and more. We're still sifting through the carnage. AND, we still have one more family Christmas to go. After gifts and food, Daddy dressed Anna up in her snowpants and boots and we went outside for some sledding. The snow was perfect for it, dense but powdery. She and Dad also dug a snow fort. We never thought we'd get her to go back inside. Now it's time for movies and popcorn. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Tiny Dancer

Anna watched The Nutcracker for the first time tonight. It was a video of the San Francisco ballet company, and is probably the most extraordinary version I have ever seen. At first she said she didn't want to watch it; she wanted to watch something else. So about one minute into the show I tried to advance it to another scene. Suddenly she complained, "I'm watching that!" That's how quickly she was hooked. After that, she was totally enrapt. She watched the entire thing, with only a brief break to put on her princess dress. She practiced her own technique while watching the television. I can't wait to see her when she starts ballet in the spring.

It's official! Sound the trumpets! Anna has graduated to her big girl bed! My sincere hope is that she will love this bed as much as she has loved ours.

Building Memories

Last weekend, we went to the Big City with friends. We took the 3-year old girls (Anna and Rebecca) and Rebecca's brother, Nathan, to Build A Bear. The girls had both given up the binky earlier this year and we had promised them this special trip. Each of them made an animal, but the girls actually gave their bears binky hearts. This way they will always have their binkies nearby, yet not accessible. I'd read this brilliant idea online and meant to do it long ago when Anna finally kicked the habit last spring -- not that she hasn't talked about it since then. Anna named her bear Pretzel (one of Granddad's favorite snacks.) The whole experience was really sweet and it probably was best that some time had passed. The edge of addiction had softened, so we didn't have a physical altercation (also known as a fit) at the store. Afterward, the kids rode on a beautiful 2-story carousel and visited the Disney store. It was a very special memory we made that day with wonderful friends.

Winter Whimsy and Wisdom from the Toddler pespective

After school today, as we drove home in the car, Anna begun singing Christmas carols from the back seat. There were some new verses I hadn't heard before (because they never existed before). Then suddenly I heard to the tune "Deck the Halls" the refrain, "I am going to throw my fit. No, no, no, no, no.. no, no, no, nooooo." This was followed by maniacal laughter.

Come bedtime, as we snuggled in the rocking chair, Anna imposed more of her special wisdom. She said, "Mom, chilly is how it is outside AND chili is something we eat. They go together." They sure do, Honey!

Katrina and the Snowman

Anna's favorite holiday book is called "Christmas Magic" by Michael Garland. It has beautiful, rich illustrations and the story has just the right elements to make a young girl want to read it over, and over, and over, and....well, you get the point. A young girl named Emily builds a snow-woman and names her Katrina. The magic of Christmas Eve brings Katrina and the neighbor's snowman to life, and they spend the night all dancing together in the glittering snow. My synopsis doesn't give this lovely story justice, but if you need any more convincing of how wonderful it is, just ask our resident book critic. Today it snowed a few inches; just enough to roll out a couple of small snow-persons. Anna was determined to make our own Katrina and the snowman in our back yard. Who knows, maybe tonight some Christmas Magic will happen at the Sage home.

Someone's in the kitchen

Today we gathered at Liz's house in what looks to become an annual tradition, baking holiday cookies! Liz presented Anna with a kicky little apron that she now wants to wear all the time. Anna hung out and watched Christmas movies and later helped roll out the dough and cut out shapes with Audrey. Anna had plenty of cookie dough and ate the heads off of a couple of ginger pigs. We had a really fun time, so thanks to our friends for inviting us into their kitchen.

The Annas

Saturday we had a reunion of old friends. Anna met up with her old friend, Anna. The girls, who are only one day's age apart, went to see the play "Through the Looking Glass." They had a wonderful time together and we look forward to more play dates now that have moved to our city. I fully expect them to not only be long-time friends, but to form a garage band in their teen years.

Thankful

Around Thanksgiving, Anna's school had them doing all sorts of projects. One project was a book of things to be thankful for. For the final page, they asked each child what they were thankful for. I'm sure every parent reflects on what they hope their children are grateful for... loving parents, friends they can count on, organic produce, the hope of world peace ... and yet, when I turned the page, there is was as clear as day. Anna is thankful for...hotdogs.

Getting Festive

Tonight we went to the Festival of Trees. This annual event is a benefit for Sheltered Living and is really wonderful. Creatively themed decorated trees and wreaths are donated by people and businesses in the community for auction and you walk through as if you've stumbled into some kind of enchanted forest. There was entertainment, as well as yummy goodies to buy, and this year they had horse-drawn wagon rides. We listened to a children's church choir and then watched a group of girls dance. Anna was about to come undone! She's been begging to go to ballet class (which we will be enrolling her after the new year) and she kept asking me if she could go up on stage with them...in the middle of their routine. Afterwards we went outside to meet the horses. It was frigid cold, and apparently no one else was nuts enough to be outside, but we bundled up in wool blankets for the ride. There's something very soothing about the clopping cadence of horses hooves and the sway of the wagon. Closing my eyes I could almost forget we were in a parking lot with the occasional car passing nearby. Snuggling up close with my favorite toddler was another benefit. After the ride, one of the horses named Vic (the other I've ashamedly already forgotten - drats!) gave Anna's coat an affectionate nibble. Then they let Anna sit up with the driver for a photo op. I wish I'd had our good camera with me to capture all of this instead of my low-res phone camera, but to quote Alex, "The camera you have is always better than the camera you left at home." As you can see, it really is a wonderful life.