Mimi Fixed It

My first true encounter with protecting Anna from things I don't want her to see or hear...

My mom, or Mimi to Anna, found the most adorable series of books. The first one was Llama Llama Mad at Mama. It has precious pictures and some hysterical rhyming (No more of this llama drama!). It's about going shopping at the Shop-O-Rama and Llama Llama decides to throw a little temper tantrum. He then finds out what can happen when you're nice and help Mama Llama. Anna loved it! Soon after, we found out that Webkins has just come out with a llama. I have yet to delve into the whole Webkins thing online and doubt I will anytime soon, but the stuffed animal was too cute for Mimi not to get for her!

Then Mimi found Llama Llama Misses Mama. It was perfect because it's about Llama Llama going to school and missing his mama. Anna has had some periods where she has been more difficult to leave at school, so this was perfect timing. However, the first time Will and I read it, it used the word "hates" in it. Who would write "hates" in a children's book? The teacher in the book is trying to get Llama Llama involved in what the other kids are doing and takes him over to the reading rug where some other kids are reading a story. It says, "Llama Llama hates that book."

I think this is awful! I don't want that word to be in Anna's vocabulary! Well, too late for that. I guess she picked up on our hesitation or lack of comfort with that phrase. I started reading "doesn't like that book" instead and she "corrects" me every time. I'm hoping that she will eventually forget about it if I keep saying the new phrase. But then I didn't know what I was going to do in a few years when she starts reading. Enter Mimi...

I told my mom about it and she was as up in arms about it as I was. She is, of course, a teacher after all. We took the book to Wilmington with us a couple of weeks ago (because we have to read it every night before bedtime). While we were there Mimi decided to fix it. She got on the computer and found a similar font in a similar size and printed out new words. She glued them into the book and even got her colored pencils out to make the background look the same. I was pretty impressed with her work. Now that the book is fixed, how do I get Anna to drop "hates" from her vocabulary?

New Tradition

Our family, along with quite a few others that have found out about this precious new idea, are starting a new Christmas family tradition with The Elf on the Shelf. The box includes the elf himself and a cute children's book to explain the "laws of Santa Claus". Apparently, this elf is assigned to a home to report on the children's behavior to Santa. Each night, he flies to the North Pole and updates Santa and then flies back in time to find a new "hiding" spot in the house. Each morning, it's a game to find where the elf has decided to hang out for the day.

Now, the kids are not allowed to touch him or he will lose his magic. And Santa has told the elves not to talk:). But you can talk to him and tell him anything that you want Santa to know (like what you want for Christmas). Cute, huh?

We read the book for the first time Monday night and the elf showed up for the first time yesterday right on top of our entertainment center! It was so cute because Anna really did try to talk to him. You are supposed to name him, but we have yet to do that. Wonder where the elf will be today?? ;o)

The Reason for the Season

Yesterday, I blogged about Santa taking care of Baby Jesus in the sleigh and how it reminded me of the Jim Shore piece. I found a similar ornament online, but couldn't quickly find a picture of what I was talking about. I knew about this piece because we have one out as decoration right downstairs in our house! I was just too lazy to go down, take a picture, and come back up to finish. So sorry....here they are.

Isn't it just the sweetest, most angelic thing? I think it is so beautiful and says so much without saying a word. In all the hustle and bustle that goes along with this Christmas season, I pray that I can help myself and my family stay focused on the true meaning of Christmas.

Santa and Baby Jesus

Anna has been in love with Fisher Price "Little People" for months now. She got a set or two last Christmas and plays with them often. One of the sets that her Mimi and Pawpaw got for her last year was the nativity set. It is so cute and plays "Away in a Manger" when you push on the angel. Short of Miller risking his life by taking Baby Jesus out into the backyard last Christmas, the set has remained intact until this season. We have it set up on the end table so that she can play with Mary, "Jophes", and Baby Jesus without Miller getting to it.

Last night, Nannie and Pops gave her an early Christmas present--the Little People Santa and sleigh set. It came complete with Santa, sleigh, 9 reindeer, North Pole, and elf. She was so excited! It plays Christmas carols when you press on Santa in his sleigh.

This morning after breakfast, she was playing with it and I looked around the corner. Santa's sleigh had landed right beside the inn in Bethlehem!;) She had taken Santa's bag of toys out of the back of the sleigh and had put Baby Jesus in there. I asked her what she was doing and she said, "Santa is taking care of Baby Jesus. He's going to take Baby Jesus for a ride!". Well, I guess if anyone can take care of Baby Jesus, it would be Santa. It made me think of that Jim Shore wooden piece where Santa is knelt down beside Baby Jesus. How sweet!

"I can't like that."

Anna's knew favorite thing to say is , "I can't like that." Whether it's the flavor yogurt she gets or the pants I pick out for her or the fact that Elmo isn't in this particular section of the movie, she makes this new proclamation. I can't figure out if she says it so much because she's two and is claiming her new-found independence or if it's because we have laughed so much at her saying it. Maybe it's a little bit of both...

"What is Goldfish doin'?"

Our friends, Adam and Brandi, were in town for Thanksgiving and we met them for breakfast to catch up and meet their new little boy, Fisher. Adam went to UNC with Will and me, but also was part of the UNC clan out in Dallas with us. He met Brandi there, and they now live in Houston. We were excited they were so close and that we could squeeze in a visit.

Fisher is 8 months old and is the cutest, chunkiest little thing. He weighs as much as Anna does at 2!! They were so cute playing together. At one point, Anna looked at Fisher and asked, "What is Goldfish doin'?". All of us looked at each other, completely confused. Then we realized she was referring to Fisher as "Goldfish". She calls every other kind of fish "goldfish" so I guess she figured she could call him that, too! Hysterical!

Rameses vs The Wolfpack

On Saturday, we all went to the Carolina/State football game in Raleigh. It worked out that my mom and dad got to go with us. This is always an interesting rivalry since my dad graduated from State and Will and I are such huge Carolina fans. We all agreed to be civil.:) My dad was fully expecting a blow-out since the Wolfpack haven't been playing so hot. Obviously, the game did not end like any of us expected it to!! My dad was thrilled with the outcome, to say the least. However, the biggest highlight was getting Anna to say, "Go Wolfpack!" and introducing her to Mr. and Mrs. Wolf. Since she has been infatuated with Rameses as of late, this was no small feat. Anna even got to meet Mrs. Wolf and learned how to make the wolf with her hand. Thanks so much, Pawpaw!! What have you done with our little Tarheel??