It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Maliana ~

Oh boy, what a whirlwind week(end). The week began relatively quiet and calm with nothing much to report. You and I actually got to have two back to back nights of some great open conversations about what is going on in your life and your thoughts and feelings about it all. I love that you are chatting with me. I really, truly enjoyed getting to know you, the 6 year old you, just a little bit better and I can only hope and pray that it continues as you get older.

As for our weekend, it was packed with two sleepovers for you. First, E spent the night on Friday and in between playing, you made ninjabread cookies, candy sleighs, and impersonated hip hop stars. It was a very funny night. Where do you guys come up with the silliness??

gingerbread cookies shaped like ninjas!

candy sleighs

your first album drops next month
(ha!)

On Saturday, you attended your second sleepover immediately following a birthday party for your friend, Jocelyn. You went over to play and semi-crashed her family birthday party earlier in the afternoon, then Daddy and I came back and hung out during her birthday party for friends from school, and then you ended up staying the entire night with Jos. You still weren't ready to leave the next morning when Daddy and I came to pick you up, having had a very good time with both Jocelyn and her little brother Dylan. It's been tough not being in the same class as Jocelyn this year, so I'm really glad you finally got to spend some quality time with her and reconnect again. It's wonderful to see you happy and smiling.

you decorated her package with all kinds of drawings
and yes, this is what you think it is...a ukelele!
(wait, what did you think it was??)

you wrapped these yourself and did a fantastic job!

just before Jocelyn's cake

snuggled up and watching a movie between Jos and Dylan

After we left Jos' house, we headed to Memaw and Papaw's church for the annual Secret Santa gift program where they have juice, donuts and coffee for everyone and then let you kids loose in the church basement to pick through a bunch of donated items to wrap up as gifts for your families. It's always interesting to see the unique items that you specially pick out for us. We met Memaw, Papaw, Uncle Kevin and your cousins there and the four of you littles perused the wares and handpicked some choice items for the grown ups. It's such a simple activity but you have such fun with it over the last couple years and it's always fun to spend even just a little while with Joey, Alex, and Sammy.

as you can tell by your expression, you
weren't not sure about Santa or
having your picture taken

but it was a little more comfortable with Mom and Dad

at the wrapping table

wrapping Lao Lao's with Daddy's help

you love to make the ribbons curly!

with Memaw and Papaw

Sunday evening we decorated our Christmas tree (finally!). Lao Lao came down and you insisted we wear our matching jammies to decorate the tree together, even making Lao Lao go all the way back home and change. Ha. It's nice to have a little more Christmas lights up in the house (even though we're nowhere near finished) and to have the tree up (of course). I just love this time of year.

our Baby's First Christmas ornament
(look at how tiny you were!)

And here is just a little video of you, showing off your Christmas Spirit!

Finally, here's one more randomly fun picture from our week. It's just you and Daddy being silly..."glasses twins"!

Thanks for making us laugh every day, just by being you.

Love,
Mama