Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, everyone! Ainsley really had fun with Christmas this year - seeing family, eating Christmas cookies, singing Christmas carols (especially Rudolph and Santa-themed songs), opening (and playing with!) her new presents, and enjoying all the decorations. We certainly did a lot of celebrating this year, so we'll just share a few highlights here. Hope you enjoy them!

Modeling her Santa backpack

With Great Aunt Liz & Mommy

With Grandma at the Botanical Gardens

Ainsley & Papa with "Coco" the bear at the Botanical Gardens

Her very own cell phone!

With Uncle Brian & Aunt Jenn

Ainsley got a new rocking chair, and now she can rock just like Papa

Singing Christmas carols with Aunt Meghan & Uncle Nate

Christmas morning!

Stocking full of goodies

Clio loves Christmas, too, especially the wrapping paper

New potty chair!

Ainsley loves to write and color

Ainsley & Nana Wills

New kitty purse

Having a picnic with Daddy & Aunt Meghan

Maybe Kitty would like some pie

Aunt Meghan needs some lemonade - that's so funny!

Fun with Daddy - Merry Christmas!

Christmas Magic

Last weekend, we went to Warren, OH to visit Great Grandma and Grandpa Paul Shellhammer for Christmas. In addition to a delicious dinner, they took us to Kraynak's, a gardening store in Hermitage, PA, to view the Christmas display.

It was always a special Christmas treat to go to Krayak's when I was little, so I was looking forward to sharing Santa's Christmasland with Ainsley (and with Nathan, who was also a first-timer).

I wasn't sure if Ainsley would be old enough to appreciate the characters and the scenes, but she is the PERFECT age! She recognized penguins and brown bears, Ernie and Elmo, Mickey Mouse, Santa and even Baby Jesus. Each time she saw something new, her face lit up and her little body quivered with excitement - pointing and calling out each one's name.

We met Frosty while we waited in line

Penguins in a Winter Wonderland

A whole room full of Coco's!

Watching for Santa

The little fence was just at her level

So excited!!

Santa, Bert and Ernie - hey, I know these guys!

Santa!

Then we went back to Great Grandma and Grandpa Paul's house to open presents. Ainsley loved all of Grandma's decorations and their pretty Christmas tree.

Mr. & Mrs. Snowman

Santa moves and his candle lights up, too

So pretty!

Did you know that Grandpa Paul has a train?!

Hugs from Great Grandma & Grandpa Paul

Is it really him?!

Ainsley is so excited about Santa this year. Every time she sees a Santa picture or figurine, she yells, "ha, ha, ha!" (ho, ho, ho!). So when we went to Legacy Village to meet the big man himself, we couldn't wait to see her reaction. One of Santa's elves had jingle bells, which were a lot of fun to hear, and there were lots of pretty Christmas trees to see. Ainsley waited almost an hour, saying, "ha, ha, ha!" and watching other kids meet Santa.

When we got to the front of the line, she was so excited watching the kids in front of us with Santa. She kept waving her hands to get Santa to come back over to us. When he finally did, she wasn't afraid at all. He even said, "ho, ho, ho!" - just like Ainsley knew he would!

Then it was time to sit on Santa's lap. Daddy took her up to Santa's big chair, where Ainsley settled right in next to the big white teddy bear. She was a quite a happy little girl, sitting with Santa! 

After our pictures, Santa's elf gave Ainsley a little Christmas rubber ducky and a candy cane, which she ate on the way home in the car. On the way out, we stopped at the big tree in the center of Legacy Village for a few fun pictures. Christmas is almost here!