Merry Christmas!

This Christmas we had a four day extravaganza. We started out at Sydney's Nana and Grampa's house and were joined by Uncle Matthew and Aunt Katie. Nana and Grampa bought Sydney some Christmas "creatures" (snowmen, reindeer, and santas) which she carried around and played with nonstop. She also loved decorating sugar cookies with Nana. They put frosting and sprinkles on the cookies.  Sydney loved putting sprinkles on the most.  She also liked serving everyone. :)  Sydney was also spoiled with many gifts and had a blast opening them.

Cookies with Nana

Sprinkles!

Yum!

Present time!

Pretending to go to the beach

We stayed at Nana and Grampa's through Christmas Eve, but came home that evening to prepare for Santa!  I have enjoyed starting new traditions with Sydney this year, especially since she is old enough to truly participate.  This year we made cookies for Santa- chocolate chip, of course!  Sydney helped with adding ingredients, and I think it's a miracle the cookies turned out as well as they did since she "helped" so much.  When we put the cookies out for Santa, I asked her how many she thought we should put out, and her response was "all of them!".  After we baked the cookies, Blake showed Sydney the Norad Santa tracking website.  She was definitely intrigued, and I know this will be a tradition in years to come as she becomes more aware of the fact that Santa goes to everyone's house!

Adding ingredients

Where's Santa?

I felt like a kid myself on Christmas morning.  I couldn't wait for Sydney to wake up so she could see her gifts from Santa.  We asked her if she remembered who was supposed to come the night before, and she knew it was Santa.  However, I think she was kind of like "whatever, you guys keep talking about Santa but I'm not really seeing anything".  When she came downstairs and saw her Santa pile, though, I think it all clicked together.  Her word of the morning was "Look!".  Santa brought her a bunch of creatures, per her request, and she picked each one up to check it out as she said "Look!"

Creatures!!

Look!!!!!!!

T-rex!!

And...more creatures!

As a family present, Blake and I bought an iPad.  We had it for quite a while but decided we wouldn't use it until Christmas- talk about burning a hole in your pocket!  Well, we had a blast with it on Christmas morning.  The best part was getting to do Face Time with Sydney's Aunt Jennifer, Uncle Pete, and cousing PJ.  Since they live in California, we never get to see them.  While I talk all the time about them to Sydney, it is hard to know how much she really understands.  It was amazing for Sydney to be able to hear them and see them!  She loved seeing all of PJ's toys as well as their pets.  I am so glad she will now be able to get to know her cousin, even virtually!

Christmas evening we headed up to Blake's grandmother's house.  She had tons of food, and it was great to just visit with family.  Sydney especially enjoyed playing with her cousin Amelia, who is several years older than Sydney, but is wonderful with her.  Of course, there were also some presents to open. :)

Sharing creatures with Amelia

Presents!

Ernie from Aunt Carolyn

The day after Christmas (thus the four day extravaganza), we got together with Blake's immediate family- Sydney's MeMe and Pops and Uncle Brent and (soon-to-be) Aunt Catherine.  We, of course, enjoyed more food and present opening and Sydney was much the center of attention again.  It was so nice having Catherine in the mix as well this year!

With MeMe and Pops

Aunt Catherine and Uncle Brent

Delicious food at MeMe and Pops

Holiday Express and Seeing Santa

For the second year we went to Pullen Park for the Holiday Express.  It was a blast riding the train in the dark with all the Christmas lights decorating the park.  Sydney's favorites were Santa in the helicopter and (of course) the dinosaur lights. 

Waiting for the train

T-rex decorating a Christmas tree...random

After the train we went and waited in line for Santa.  We had to wait about 20 minutes or so, but Sydney did great.  We weren't sure what her reaction to sitting on Santa's lap would be, but she said she wanted to sit with him.  Once our turn came, she was a little nervous, but sat fine on his lap.  It's funny that her nervous tick is to chat, so she chatted the whole time she was on Santa's lap.  She wasn't necessarily talking to him, but just talking in general.  She did tell him that she wanted him to bring her creatures.  Yes, creatures, that wasn't a typo. 

Sydney with Santa- can you tell she is talking? :)

We ended the evening with her favorite: the carousel.  This event is one of our favorites and is quickly becoming a family tradition!

Riding on the pig!

Raleigh Christmas Parade

This year we took Sydney to the Raleigh Christmas Parade.  Sydney absolutely loved it!  She enjoyed watching the floats, the couple of balloons, cars, motorcycles, horses, dogs,  marching bands, and of course Santa.  We had a great spot to watch, although we had to hold Sydney the whole time.  We didn't think she would make it the entire time, but she did...she wanted to wait to see Santa!

Let's go to the parade!

Checking out the marching band

With Uncle Brent

Cheesy grin

Kermit balloon

Nutcracker balloon

Good view from up there!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas in our house was...interesting this year.  We had a great time preparing for Christmas.  Sydney learned about baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph by reading books.  She also learned about Santa and how he brings toys.  Once the house was decorated, she loved looking at the Christmas ornaments, snowmen, Nativity scene, and stockings. 

2011 Christmas tree

Sydney posing in front of the tree

Since she is a little older, we were able to do more Christmas things with her.  It was nice that Sydney understood more than last year.  I know she still has a lot to learn, but she got the basic concept of things for sure.  We started the season off in Morehead City for their lighting of the tree ceremony.  They had carolers, hot chocolate, and Santa.  I was apprehensive about how she would react to Santa.  Last year she was basically oblivious and we were able to get the token pictures.  I had convinced myself she would be terrified this year and we would get the quintessential screaming picture.  Instead, she sat right on his lap and seemed rather intrigued.  She definitely wasn't overly bubbly with him, more interested.  We got some cute pictures although she wasn't very smiley.  Morehead City also held their annual Flotilla while we were there.  Local boat owners decorate their boats with lights and they have a "parade" after sunset.  Unfortunately it was freezing cold, so we didn't stay for the entire thing (although it wasn't as great as I had hoped either). 

Sitting on Santa's lap

Santa

MHC Christmas tree

One of the flotilla boats

While in Morehead, we also took some time to go to the beach for a few minutes as well as a local park during the beautiful daytime weather.  Sydney had a blast looking at the ocean and seagulls, swinging, exploring, and just walking in general.

Posing on a dolphin

On the beach

Playing at the park

Swingin'

Checking things out

Sweet baby girl

We also took Sydney to Pullen Park for the Holiday Express.  Pullen Park is the oldest public park in North Carolina and recently reopened after major renovations.  We have brought Sydney before, but the Holiday Express was really neat.  We pre-bought tickets, which sold out to control the number of people that came.  It was super cold, so we didn't stay an overly long time, but it's something we will definitely do again. We started off by riding the train; around the track had been decorated with Christmas decorations and lights.  Afterward, we took Sydney to sit on Santa's lap...with the same reaction as the Morehead Santa.  I can foresee us making this an annual thing as I'm sure she will enjoy it more each year as she grows.

Waiting to ride the train

Patient waiter (paci helps!)

Cold family

Sydney and Mommy on the train

Not so sure about this...

Lemme check you out

We had grand plans for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  Our plan was to spend the 23 and 24th with my parents in Clemmons and Christmas with Blake's family.  Well, my mom (Sydney's Nana) ended up with bronchitis and an upper respiratory infection and her doctor recommended we stay away.  Needless to say, we were all incredibly disappointed.  Well, Christmas Eve night, Sydney woke up very upset in the middle of the night, which is incredibly not normal for her.  At 6:30 we decided to go ahead and see what Santa brought her.  It was like a taste of Christmases to come- being woken up in the wee hours to see what Santa brought!  Sydney LOVED looking all of her toys and the distraction seemed to help her.  She had trouble napping throughout the day even though she was beyond exhausted.  We made a last minute decision to bring her in to Urgent Care, especially because her pediatrician was going to be closed the following day.  The doctor on call diagnosed her with an ear infection (which turned out to be a misdiagnosis when we followed up with her pediatrician).  That night she slept well, but I think that was because the doctor also recommended Zyrtec.  Christmas night we did see Blake's family for a bit, but not for a super long time because his mom (Sydney's MeMe) was also sick.   Needless to say, we celebrated later with both sets of grandparents, but it definitely wasn't the Christmas we planned for.

Checking out new toys

Playing with her mailbox

Happy baby considering she had no sleep!

Relaxing at her new table

Opening presents with Daddy

Riding on her new cow from MeMe and Pops

Regardless of sickness, we had a good Christmas!