December 2013 and Some Festivities!
We started a new tradition this December...the Elf on the Shelf tradition. Yes, I realize Shailee is too young to really know what is going on with it, but she had fun looking for it, and when it wasn't on the shelf she knew and would say "Elf?" and then we would go find her. We named her Robin Sparkles. We got the name off of the TV show 'How I Met Your Mother'.
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Our Christmas corner. We went simple with decorating the tree and only put up lights and tinsel. With a toddler and curious cats in the house, it just made sense to us. It was still pretty!
Our entrance way.
Day 5:
My good friend, Holly, got tickets to the Nutcracker and had extra so she gave them to us. We took Shailee and she had fun. She would watch for a little bit, but then wanted down to explore. Luckily, we had a whole row to us and Holly, her son and her friend, so Shailee was able to walk around and not be too antsy or loud.
This night, since we kept telling her "shh" she picked up on that. She would say, "Mommy, shh!" or "Daddy, shh!" It was pretty darn cute!
Wes took Shailee exploring during intermission. He took her up to the balcony and looked down on us. Thanks Holly for taking this picture for me!
Shailee being shy when she saw Holly and Brennen.
My beautiful friend Holly and her hansome son, Brennen!
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Day 7:
We went to Home Depot on the 7th, and found out they do a free children's craft project the first Saturday of every month. So we decided to take her over, even tho she was a little young to do it, she had fun, and as you will see, so did Wes! :)
Look at that concentration on both of their faces!
They had little hammers there, and Shailee wanted to help daddy hammer in the nails.
Her finished project, a tic-tac-toe game, her certificate for doing the project, and her apron with the pin corresponding to the activity!
That weekend, we got dumped on. Wes went out to snow blow the driveway and clean off his car.
Just a section cleared, but lets you see how much snow we got in just one night!
Day 8:
After church, on our way home. My mom bought her those cute boots, (and they match the ones I got), and we just had to get a picture of her in the boots! She was adorable. This particular Sunday, someone told Shailee she had a fountain of hair on her head!
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Day 12:
I decided to let Shailee have a sensory activity with rice. I filled one bowl with rice and gave her an empty bowl. Then I gave her measuring spoons and cups that she could play with in the rice.
It was a hit and she loved it! We still get it out every once in a while for her to play with.
During her nap that day, I decided I would color the rice and then add them all together. So now, she had rainbow rice. I think it made it more fun for her.
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We took Shailee out to play in the snow. We had finally got her snow pants so that she could. She was a little unsure about it, but seemed to enjoy herself for the most part.
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Day 17:
I did another sensory activity with Shailee and let her finger paint. She doesn't really like it on her fingers, so I gave her paint brushes. She loved it and had so much fun. This was on the 17th.
Here she is telling me that she got some on her hands and she wants me to clean it off haha!
Day 18:
Another activity, play-dough. She was a little unsure of this stuff too and only played with it for a few minutes before she asked for her rice instead. We will try again a little later, but she just might be too young for play-dough now.
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We went to Idaho for Christmas on Christmas Eve.
We spent the majority of the time at the Williams' this year, since last year it was at the McCulloch's. Here, Papa and Shailee are bonding. Shailee sure had fun playing with Papa and Mama (this was super confusing, and more than once I answered to it...but this seems to be the name she has chosen to call Grandma Williams).
Their beautiful Christmas tree.
We started this tradition last year by having a present to open on Christmas Eve. This year, we let Shailee open it. Inside, we each had a new set of pajamas, there was a movie (Mickey's Christmas Carol), some popcorn, hot chocolate and some cookies for Shailee.
Opening the present...
The movie...
Showing us her cookies...
Us in our new pajama's. Wes and I just had new pants.
Christmas morning, opening her presents. I didn't get a picture of every present that she opened (since they would all look pretty much the same) but I got a few of her opening one.
Some clothes...
New toys!
We then skyped Jamie and Kevin who stayed in Arizona for Christmas. They had us for Christmas, so the presents they sent for us, we saved for last when we were skyping with them so they could watch us open them! Shailee sure loves her grandparents! She had been playing with those sunglasses too and thought she was the bomb in them!
Presents to Shailee from mom and dad:
Clothes, new additions to her Little People's Barn (tractor with farmer, and a duck pond and pig pen), Little Tikes adjustable basketball hoop, and music makers.
Present from Grandma and Grandpa Williams:
Rapunzel with swirling colored lights in side that come on when holding a button.
Presents from Grandma and Grandpa Williams to us:
Crystal- package of hand warmers
Wes- head flashlight
Both- Rumbi Island gift card and coupons!
For Christmas dinner we went over to the McCulloch's. They had invited our good friend Ben and his wife and their adorable baby Elijah. (he is 4 in a half months here). Shailee was very interested in Eli! He was getting his diaper changed, and she went and laid down next to him and told us, "baby, diaper change!" So dang cute! There is cute Natalie too!
We pulled out my dad's old rocking horse. When he was younger, he rode this and when I was younger I also rode this. So it only seemed fitting to let Shailee ride the horse too. She had a ball, and I am sure she will love riding it every time we go over there now!
Presents to Shailee from Nana and Papa:
Dress, shopping cart, and Cinderella movie
Presents to us from Nana and Papa:
Crystal- under clothes for the top (;) ), slippers, and Adobe Photoshop Elements
Wes- dremmel saw
Both- money
The Friday and Saturday after Christmas was the Hanson Christmas Party (my mom's side). This year, we got rooms at a local hotel (AmericInn) for all those who wanted to stay. We also rented out their conference room so we could all eat dinner together and play some games. We had pizza for dinner. Shailee ate 2 slices minus the crust all to herself! We had lots of snack and sweets to munch on too. We had a white elephant type of gift exchange. Most of the gifts were from the dollar store tho, meaning it couldn't cost more than $1. It was so fun to see what everyone got. Wes got some tootsie rolls in a container that can turn into a coin bank, Shailee got a teddy bear that she loves, and I got a bath-tub pillow! I haven't tried it yet, but I am interested to see how well it works. It was so much fun, and we loved seeing aunts, uncles, cousins and Grandma Hanson! Can't wait to see what next year brings!
Thanks everyone!
Wes took Shailee sledding for her very first time! I think she enjoyed it!
She also liked playing on the playground toys and the swings. She went down the slides lots, and even got Wes to go down the big, swirly one with her.
Here Shailee is, back home with her loot from Christmas!
Shailee and her new basketball hoop. This is the only way she can make a basket herself, without us having to lift her up. But she loves it and plays with it lots. Once the novelty of it wears off, we will move the hoop in the basement where she can play with it there. Here: she gets ready...
She shoots...
And she scores!!
Love, Weston, Crystal, and Shailee Williams
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