Today we made it to JC Penney’s to get our Christmas/9 month pictures taken. NO SICK KIDS – YEAH!!!!

So, we get there at 8:05 and the lady in catalog asked me if we were there for portraits and I told her yes. She proceeds to say they don’t open until 9 am. Ummmm, Nooooo, I have an 8:20 appointment. So she then thinks she has to “walk” me back to the studio and sees someone and that gal “corrects” her by saying, we open at 8:00 a.m. every day!! THANK YOU!!!! Stand down you old bitty!!!

So, Emma, GAAAHHH…..Emma!!! I swear, that child is so determined! She does what she wants when she wants to. She did NOT want to look at the camera. She’d look to the side at me or down or up or…well, anywhere OTHER than where we needed to. However, the photographer was truly a professional as she managed to capture some great shots. We were told when dealing with a 9 month old and 3 year old, to get their heads to both be forward is all they can really hope for….but we even have them both looking the same direction from time to time. Can’t WAIT for them to come in.

Then, later this afternoon, we went to a St. Nicholas Party at Dean & Kathy’s. The kids had a lot of fun playing, eating dinner and cookies and getting letters written to Santa. Oh, and the mommies and daddies all enjoyed some mulled wine (brandy, red wine, orange zest and clover). Oh my, that was some YUMMY stuff!!! Can’t wait until the cookie exchange on the 13th cuz we’re going to have more that night too!!!

We get home and called our neighbor, Kim. Emma went and put her and Garrett’s shoes on the front step. Kim sneaked over and set out some gifts I had put next to the porch by their shoes, rung the doorbell and ran off. Emma’s eyes LIT UP when she heard the bell and she shouted out “ST. NICHOLAS IS HERE!!!” and she took off RUNNING to the door. I made her go up and wait for Garrett to get changed (and Kim time to get home). When she opened the door she was so excited about the gifts! Santa candies for her, Puffs for Garrett and each of them got a new cup! The kids were thrilled and watching them was just so much fun! Makes me even MORE excited for Christmas morning (as if that is possible).

Then, to wrap up a good day, my sweet little girl fell asleep while I was reading her Christmas stories in the recliner. I carried her up to be (and do you KNOW how heavy a sleeping 3 year old is?) and put her to sleep. What a good end to a good day!