Our Christmas started out with an evening with Santa at the ward Christmas party earlier in the month. Esther and Henry both refused to sit on Santa's lap and Ainsley couldn't take her eyes of his beard.
Michael's parents joined us this year for Christmas, it is always a joy to have family around for the holidays.
Christmas Morning. Michael had one request on Christmas morning and that was to have breakfast before we started opening presents. We didn't let Henry and Esther see that there were presents until after we had breakfast. That is why Henry is dressed, he wanted to get dressed after breakfast because that is what we normally do. Santa brought a play house for inside since the backyard is still not finished. Henry thought he was getting a car because he helped me wrap his cousin Spencer's present, which was a remote control car. Maybe next year.
Esther and Henry love books so they got several books for Christmas. We had to take away the books in order to open more presents.I didn't take a whole lot of pictures and so many of the ones I took are blurry because no one would hold still with all the excitement. Ainsley didn't care much for the presents she just wanted to eat all the wrapping paper. We kept taking paper away from her but somehow she kept getting some. I finally had to put her down for her nap because she was throwing up paper. We spent the rest of the day with Michael's family eating wonderful food and playing dance revolution on the
wii.
New Years Eve Arizona Style
We started our New Years Eve celebrations at the park. It was 78 degrees and beautiful.
After the park we came home and danced
And of course Ainsley had to eat the noise maker
I think Daddy was tired before the party began
After dancing we had a wonderful dinner together( not really, the food was wonderful but if you have had dinner with our kids it usually consists of whining about not liking what we are eating.)
After the whining we did FIREWORKS. There are firework stands everywhere for New Years Eve, one would think it was the 4
th of July. Notice we are wearing only jackets.
Michael wanted to get the big box of fireworks but from past experience we decided to get the small box. Henry hates fireworks, he hates anything loud. Yes he is crying in the picture. After the first fountain he was crying to "please take me home Mom". I told him we are home but if he wanted to go inside by himself he could; and he did. Ainsley is not in the picture because she crashed at 6:30 right before the fireworks. Our New Years Eve ended with banana splits at 7:30 and Esther and Henry in bed by 8pm. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year. May this year be even better than the last with more trips to the zoo, a back yard finished, and no morning naps.
I leave this post with a few pictures of Christmas light in our neighborhood.
As Ainsley turned one this week I am wondering were this last year went. Can I just stop time and hold my baby one more time and smell her newbornness. I know I can't reverse time and I will just have to remember my baby through pictures but I am enjoying the toddler she is becoming. Ainsley is a very happy one year old. She loves to be right in the middle of Esther and Henry and whatever they are doing. She is adventurous and gets into everything. She loves to eat Esther and Henry's books and any and everything else she can get her hands on. She smiles when anyone smiles at her and is not afraid of strangers. Ainsley completes us as a family and I feel very blessed to have such a sweet, not so little, baby.
She can sense the dishwasher is open from the other room
Ainsley loves to be pushed in this cart that was supposed to be for our computer desk
She likes to help me cook dinner
Could there be a more adorable baby?
