Christmas is coming!

I can't believe December has gone by so quickly! We are very excited about Christmas this year since Ainsley is starting to understand presents and Santa! She helped us decorate the tree and enjoys the lights around the house. She really loves the outdoor lights and the inflatable Christmas decorations our neighbors have. We have had a lot of really cold weather so we have not been outside as much as usual. The last week has been a bit warmer so we have been walking every evening to see the lights and decor. Ainsley loves the "Snowman" across the street- he moves a little in the wind and it looks like he is waving. We can see him from our house and she runs to look at him out the window a lot.

We are hoping to go see the Trail of Lights downtown- but it sounds like they have had a lot of issues with parking. Hopefully it will be better this week so we can go.

Ainsley update:
Ainsley has started saying:
"I need ________." Fill in Milk, cookie, Teddy (Her lovie), etc. It is pretty funny because she says it like she can't live without it.
We took down our babygate on the stairs and Ainsley does great going up and down on her own!
Ainsley has decided she doesn't really want to sit in her highchair anymore- we got her a booster seat and moved her to the table. It is going pretty well so far- no atrocious messes yet.
When she was home with Nannie last week, Nannie said she was cold. Ainsley went upstairs, got the blanket from her bed, and was trying to bring it downstairs to cover her Nannie. What a sweet girl!
She says "sorry" all the time, when she drops something, when she falls down, just all the time.
She says "Thank you "
She likes to say "Awesome"
She knows her shapes ( has for a little over 1 month)
She knows what "two" means and is doing pretty well on counting to ten. She can fill in the blanks!
She started calling me "Mommy" instead of Mama 2 months ago.


We had our work Christmas parties last weekend. Dan's was Friday night, mine was Saturday night. We got a babysitter and went out! Kareen and Cole came over and watched Ainsley for us. It worked out great since Ainsley loved Cole, otherwise known as Boy, and Cole enjoyed Ainsley too. They played ball together, cars, danced and ran around. We are going to try to go out more- that will be our New Year's Resolution.

My sister Sara and her family are arriving today from Mississippi. Sara, Dave, and their two dogs Petey and Buckley will be with us for a little over a week. It should be great fun for everyone, well, everyone except for Brie ( she doesn't like their dogs). I already feel bad for her as her life will be very different for the next week.

I plan to do some shopping with Sara and maybe some girly things like lunch out, etc.

My parents are coming from Arkansas on Christmas Day. We will miss my sister Celene who is on call at her hospital in Baltimore over the holidays. Luckily her fiancee is with her. I plan to web cam with them Christmas morning so we can all open gifts together!

We had family pictures taken Friday afternoon- I can't wait to see them. I am going to use one for our Christmas/New Years card, and maybe order some other family pictures for us and the family!