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.