Nothing Christmasy

I've been enjoying the first of my 3 weeks (well-deserved and earned!) vacation!  First trip to Grandma's house with the kids over the weekend.  Bunked in with Jillian, who unfortunately was getting a cold, so I know I got sneezed on at night.  Good thing I have Kleenex with lotion stocked everywhere in the house and 2 in the car!  Call me paranoid, but nothing drives me bonkers more than having a runny nose, and nothing to catch it with!  (oh no, I just punned!)

Today, I bussed downtown, hung out at Chapters, got a massage, then hung out again at Chapters, before bussing back to pick up the family.  Heaven!  Did I mention that I was alone?  And that I was on the Express bus, which is full of serious (and quiet) commuters who are still waking up and heading to work, eagerly awaiting their caffeine fix?  Then tired at the end of the day(the caffeine crash probably helps also), so they're quiet again?

Today I picked up Susan from the daycare and she was giving a bottle to a baby (the baby is a year old, and I saw the baby slap away the bottle when she didn't want anymore).
Ahem...anyway, Susan was being very careful holding the bottle, and kept on stroking the baby's hair and cheek.  Then Susan looked at me with a look of utter contentment, telling me. "Maman, c'est mon bébé (Mommy, it's my baby)".  She would have made a great big sister!  It's funny, she's such a bundle of energy all by herself, but with a baby, she'll calm right down and be super-gentle and sensitive!

I picked up a couple of Kumon workbooks for Jillian, and was excited about giving her the Addition one because during the drive to Grandma's, we did mental math (9+2, 11+3, etc).  I picked up the Telling Time as well, since she's been nagging us incessantly to tell her what time it is!  So when we got home, I told her that I had a surprise for her.  She went to my bag and fished the books out, then examined the Addition one.  After a few minutes of looking at the pages, she turned to me and asked,
Jillian-"Where's the take-away?"
Me-"You mean subtraction, Jillian?"
J-"Yeah!"
M-"It's at the store, but I can get it for you later.  You can practice adding with this book."
J-"Oh."

I am depriving my child of the thrills of subtraction-the HORROR!

Then she continues to scrutinize the Addition book, looks at a page near the end, and declares, "But I don't know how to do this one!"  (It's the 17+8 kind, where she'll have to carry a number).  I reassured her that I would help her, and that we would do the easy ones first at the beginning.  She didn't look convinced.

Lest you think I forgot I have a 2nd child, I picked up the Tracing book.  I think that's all she'll have the patience for at first!  Plus, Susan loves copying whatever Jillian does, so why not?

Is it really a week away from Christmas?  I have to find the presents that I've hid before I can wrap them.  Last year was a bit of a fiasco, as I have the nasty habit of hiding things where I won't forget, and promptly having NO clue as to where I put them!  Finding them in March wasn't as fun as you might think....

Jillian-ism

I was out with Jillian yesterday and we went to the same mall where we saw Santa.  As we walked past, I pointed out Santa to her.  Her reply?

"I saw him already!"

Same thing when I was trying to get her to write to Santa about what she wanted for Christmas... "I told him already!"

She doesn't like doing the same thing twice...

Sad Susan

Jillian made cookies today and brought 2 home to share with Susan.  Susan was so excited at getting a cookie for dessert!  That is, until Jillian picked a cookie for Susan.  One of them looked like a Christmas tree, and nicely decorated (for a 5 year old).  The other one looked like it *wanted* to be a tree and not as pretty.

You guessed right, Susan's cookie wasn't as pretty.  She sobbed, wanting to have the 'good' cookie.  Jillian didn't notice and kept on munching away on the cookie. Then when we asked Susan if she wanted to put the cookie down and go play, she cried, "No"  *sniff*.

I've never seen a kid looking so sad eating a cookie.  I also had to hold in my laughter!  Should have taken a picture!

Getting ready for Christmas

December 1st was the beginning of the Christmas season for us-I just can't bring myself to decorate before then.

Yesterday, we went to visit Santa and enjoyed the decorations at the mall.  We got there early in the morning, so the kids were in a prime spot when Santa came down the escalator ringing his Christmas bells.  Susan insisted on wearing a tiara with her dress, and both kids were fine sitting down with Santa.  Not too much conversation, but at least they weren't screaming in his ear like a few other kids I saw!

Then we headed to look for a decoration for the Christmas tree.  Both girls get their own ornament each year, and when they grow up, they'll be able to decorate their trees with the ornaments they've grown up with.

Today, we put up the tree, played some Christmas music, and the kids decorated.  The upper end of the tree is a bit sparse, but it's cute.

Jillian decided on her own to write a letter to Santa.  I told her to write down what she wanted, and her response?  "I told him already!"  She had me there...

The girls are sharing an advent calendar.  It was fine today because we had forgotten yesterday about giving it out.  But tomorrow is Jillian's turn, and Susan will have to wait until the 4th...this could get interesting!  I'll let Michael deal with it-ha ha!