Each season becomes more and more fun as Siena gets older. Last Christmas I could have set Siena in a stocking and she would have just curled up in it...this year, well, not so much. We decided to get our Christmas decorations out and up right after we got back from Thanksgiving. We knew we were heading back to GR for Christmas, and we wanted to at least make it worthwhile to decorate a tree and put up our decorations. So, of course, Siena was all over that! She unraveled the lights, dragged them across the house, pulled out ornaments, and basically made herself right at home in the decorations. With Charlie Brown Christmas in the background and Christmas carols playing...who wouldn't get in the spirit?!
We bought a small, live tree this year to place on our fireplace ledge. That way, it's off the ground a little (and out of Siena's way) and it also gave us a little more (much needed) space on the floor. Siena's toys and things have taken over our living room. Surprised? Here's our little helper, hard at work...
This nativity scene was Siena's favorite thing. Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and wise men were all her new friends. She played with them all the time and moved them about the stable on a daily basis. However, they all paled in comparison to baby Jesus. Baby Jesus went everywhere with us. He got kisses every night before bed, he was put in the manger to take naps, he was introduced to friends, the whole bit. As a matter of fact, we just found baby Jesus in a bag a month later...we thought we had lost him! We were all happy she "found Jesus"! :)
Siena even got her very own tree. Last year we put her tree in her room. This year, we decided to place it somewhere where she could play with it and still be in eyesight. She put the decorations on herself and she took very good care of her tree. Cute!
Another holiday tradition is Sinterklaas. On December 6, Sinterklaas comes to put coal or treats in your wooden shoes. We wanted to make sure Sinterklaas didn't pass us by! We took out Siena's little wooden shoe slippers and put them under her Christmas tree. Usually, you're supposed to put carrots in the shoe for Sinterklaas' horse, but since I didn't have any, we decided green onions would have to do the trick. Siena was very insistent on trying the onion to make sure it was good for the horse. Apparently it passed the test because she wouldn't take them out of her mouth - gross! Needless to say, we set out the shoes that night, with plenty of green onions, and Siena received a little book and toy from Sinterklaas the next morning. She has been a pretty good girl this past year! :)
As I mentioned before, baby Jesus is Siena's BFF. Inside the wooden shoe slippers was where Siena felt baby Jesus should take his nap. Precious, really. (I hope she really feels that way someday about Jesus!)
Another very important part of getting ready for Christmas is meeting the man in the big red suit. We met Grandma and Grandpa at Bass Pro Shop to see the "best Santa in town", dressed in Sunday best. Last year, Siena and Santa were buddies. She told him what she needed for Christmas and he gave her a candy cane. Oh, what a difference a year makes! Siena wanted NO part of Santa. From far away, he was quite intriguing. The closer we got, the tighter the grip. Before I knew it, I was sitting in Santa's big chair, Siena was crawling up my neck trying to escape her reality, and Santa was behind us in the chair, posing for the picture. It was quite a moment.
Check out the first picture - I really look like a terrible mom...but I just couldn't help it. :)
Spending time at Grandma and Grandpa's house every day, Siena really got to help set up TWO Christmases! She had lots of fun helping decorate the tree. There were tons of ornaments to play with and watch move around! I think Grandpa and Grandma liked having help from their little winter princess! :)
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