Second & Third Week of Christmas!

Dear Kate,
I may have mentioned it in the previous post, but if not, here's my spill... We do A LOT at Christmas time.  Like, a whole lot.  It's fun, Christmasy, traditionally type stuff.  Unfortunately/Fortunately, it's more fun/you get to be more involved if you are like, oh, I don't know, not 15 months old.  Mommy had lots of activities planned over the last couple of weeks, but several of them, okay fine, most of them, were while you were napping.  It just worked out better that way for multiple reasons, #1 being that you didn't really know what was going on so it didn't matter that you were involved or not.  So, there's that.  I promise you, though, that next year you will be right up in the business of Christmas!
So, to start our second week of Christmas, we began with a little travel back in time on Sunday.  That is, we went to the Dicken's Christmas in downtown Franklin.  It was a pretty yucky day with rain on and off, but we snuck in between downfalls and enjoyed being outdoors for a bit (not to mention it was a random 70 degrees outside!).  You and Christopher stayed in your strollers, but that didn't mean you didn't enjoy the scenery!  You waved at several dogs and Mr. Scrooge got a nice wave, too.

After Dickens, we joined the crew for dinner.  The Daddies were on a boys trip, so the mommies and kiddos enjoyed one last dinner together, thanks to Aunt Steph.
Monday, Sister and I made yummy treats for the neighbors while you took a nice long nap.  Next year, my sweet Kate, next year.  Wednesday we tried to pick an Angel Tree candidate but that didn't work out for us and we just bought a toy from Publix and put it in a box for needy children.  Thursday was gymnastics day for you and we let your sister buy presents at the Dollar Tree for everyone.  At some point we went to Publix where you and your sister enjoyed a much needed sugar high.  Please note the sarcasm...

On Thursday night, Mommy went to her very own gymnastics class, at the same place you and Sister take class, but this was for adults who want to flip around like their little girls :).  Mommy had a BLAST and will start going every Thursday, however, that night when I got home my tummy wasn't exactly feeling up to par.  I went to bed not thinking much of it and in the middle of the night that darn oh stomach bug attacked me!  I hoped it was just a one time thing, but by 7 the next morning, I told Daddy he needed to stick around a bit before heading into work because I just wasn't feeling well and by 9:00 am I told him to just call on in and say he was working from home.  I was worthless and could not stay out of that bathroom.  I was confident I was dying and had to rely 100% on Daddy to deal with both you and Abs.  At about noonish, Daddy made it clear that he prefers working.  He realized how much work goes into to keeping a monkey like you from falling off the counter or from just straight up crying because you don't get everything you want!  I was out all day long and Daddy and I even had plans to go see The Hobbit that night and had already bought tickets.  We canceled the babysitter but Daddy had to take you and Abigail to the actual theatre to get our money back for the tickets!  It was not a good day for him either :)  BUT, good news is, we all survived.  Or, well, Mommy was feeling much better by Saturday morning.  To say the least, we did not do any Christmas activity on Friday.
On Saturday, while you napped, Daddy and Sister watched The Muppets Christmas, but soon after that, we headed over to Christopher's house to celebrate his very first birthday!!! Aunt Steph did a great job with the Dr. Seuss theme and Mommy did a terrible job by forgetting her camera!  So I just stole some from Aunt Steph's facebook :)

 The birthday boy was feeling a bit under the weather, but did a fine job celebrating, given the circumstances.

We stuck around for dinner and even put you to bed over there, but then headed home to wrap up one more week of Christmas fun!
The third week of Christmas started on Sunday with a Clark girls tradition, going to see the Rockettes.  Yes, I'm sure you guessed it, you did not go because you were napping.  Unfortunately, Daddy caught the yucky bug I had, but fortunately, Mimi was able to come up and help him out so Sis and I could still go.  On Monday, we did another new tradition and, yep, you didn't participate... I'm sorry babe.  I told you next year would be better for you.  This one involved eating dinner in the car and driving around looking at Christmas lights.  It just wasn't something that you would enjoy and instead we let you stay home with Miss Lauren and Christopher and play while we looked at boring old lights :)
On Tuesday, we watched your sister Christmas program at school and she did such a great job!  You were very proud of her and wanted to walk right up on that stage with her!

Wednesday's activity ended up being two activities because A) Mimi was in town and B) Daddy had to work.  See, we were supposed to go see Santa on Friday, but Daddy already warned me that he would be super busy with work and would not be able to go, and since Mimi WAS in town, we decided to just change it from Friday to Wednesday!  So, Wednesday morning, we got all cutesy up to see the big guy!  He just so happened to be at the mall, which Mommy was a little leery about, but man alive, that Santa was so awesome!  I don't know what I was thinking...

I also was a little leery on how excited you would be, seeing as you scream  if Mommy leaves your side with Mimi right beside you, so I didn't know what to expect when an old beardy man was trying to hold you instead of Mommy.  Well, you didn't disappoint...

There was the 'I'm checking you out old man'...

 Then the 'No way am I going near that guy, Mom' plea...

And then the grand finale 'Why Mom WHY!!!' screaming as I placed you in his lap just to get that one shot.  You will thank me one day, like when you are 35 and have kids of your own and make them do it, too.  Or at least I hope you will :)

On a side note, you sister has either screamed or not gone near Santa for the previous 4 years, so not too long and you will be smiling with him!

 After Santa, we headed home for a nap and then headed to get Daddy at work because we were going to the Opryland Hotel to look at all the beautiful lights!   I LOVE that hotel at Christmas and every year I say we're going to stay the night there the next year so we can REALLY enjoy all of it.  It never fails, we always have to limit what we do and there is sooooo much fun stuff to do!  We still had a blast, don't get me wrong, but we just need to go and stay a day or two!  

We walked all through the hotel and you weren't too keene on staying in the stroller, so we let you roam away!  You also insisted on carrying this book the whole time.  Better than the toothbrush you are now carrying... 

We found the kids zone and you LOVED the art table.  We couldn't get you away from it, as a matter of fact.  

 And then when we did, we had to ride the little cars, which aren't exactly easy for you (or Mommy) to do, but it was fun for all of us!  

We eventually made it to dinner and of course got our fill of beautiful Christmas lights and then headed back home.

On Thursday, we relaxed at home trying to get a few things together for a trip to Munford.  Again, I can't quite remember what we did, but the calendar said "Christmas craft" and, well, I'm sure we did something along those lines while you were napping :)  Or maybe we just took a much needed break to prepare ourselves for the upcoming days!  I do know that on Thursday morning your sister got to go to your gymnastics class and was SOOO excited about it.  Usually she has school, but since school was closed for Christmas break, she got to go!  

On Friday, we headed to Munford with Daddy, Sister and Ellie for Mimi's Annual Baking Day.  Friday night Mommy and Mimi and Daddy went to Sarah's "End of the World" party (no worries, it didn't end, I felt confident it wasn't, so that's why we went) and so Bebe came and stayed with you and Ellie AND Clara Lee, AND Sister!  Seriously, all 4 of you.  And she is 13.  I mean, seriously, only Bebe could do that. AND, she got all of you to sleep!  We were all super impressed, and you even woke up at one point and she got you back to sleep, all with Clara Lee right by her side.  She is our champion babysitter, no doubt, and you girls love her.

Saturday was our big day, though.  It was our annual Baking Day at Mimi's house! We've done this a couple years now and I must say, Mimi is got this thing down to a T and it gets more and more fun with each year!  You started the day off right in the middle of it, but before long you were down for your nap so you missed several baking things.  Again, next year and you can be all up in that sugar!!!  Here are some pictures to highlight the events.  As you can imagine, it's lots of decorating and baking and TONS of playing with friends and family!!!

This was while you were taking a nap. Mommy was VERY grateful to be just chilling with the family.  

 And here's all the kiddos decorating away!!!  Next year, sweet Kate, next year! 

 We tried to get a group photo with you, but you weren't buying it.  See why we need to just wait until next year to really get full enjoyment out of everything???!

 You did join us (in the high chair, nonetheless) while we made yummy mini pecan pies.  You weren't real happy and I think we pulled out every teething toy Mimi had!  

 Something soon pleased you.  Oh wait, that was the 20th cookie Mimi gave you.  Yep, Mimi figured out that cookies didn't make you cry.  I guess not, huh...

 See, you were 'helping'

 It was a fun day, regardless of how much you helped or didn't help (or cried) and everyone had a blast, as we always do at Mimi's Baking Day!!  Just get ready for next year, k!  

So that wraps up our 2nd and 3rd week of Christmas.  All that's left is, well, Christmas itself!!! I can't wait!  

PS - Here are a couple pictures from Mimi's house a couple of weeks ago.  Aren't you all just darling?!!!!

  Love you beautiful girl!!!!!