Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas this year.  It was so fun because Amelia was (and still is) really in to Santa Claus.  She even wrote him a letter this year AND sat in his lap.  Big step up from past years.  

She asked him for a dolly (1 for her and 1 for William), a sleeping bag and lots of other presents.  I have no idea where she came up with the idea of wanting a sleeping bag, but she was firm that that's what she wanted from Santa.  I also thought she was clever to say, "and lots of other presents."  Isn't that like wishing for more wishes from a genie?  Clever girl.

 We had fun at our Ward Christmas party.  Amelia and her little friend Jenna were not in the primary play, but that didn't stop them from going up on stage and sitting there cluelessly looking about as if they were.

We decorated popcorn balls for Santa and the reindeer and Amelia insisted that I leave a note warning them not to eat too much or their tummies would hurt...hmmm wonder how she knew that?

                                

Amelia was so excited for Christmas morning that she couldn't fall asleep on Christmas Eve.  She kept coming out of her room with questions about how Santa was going to get down the chimney, etc.  She was also very anxious because Andrew and I were not going to sleep and she knew Santa wouldn't come until we went to sleep too.  Oh, I remember those days!  It is so fun having the Christmas magic of childhood in our home.  We loved watching Amelia open her presents from Santa (a sleeping bag and a dolly for her and a dolly for William, of course).  William was just happy there was candy and toys!  They loved all their presents and Amelia talks every day about next Christmas!

 William also enjoyed "helping" dad fix our Christmas sink leak.  At least someone enjoyed it!

I love when I catch snapshots like the ones below.  It's hard to believe they go through such a range of emotions and actions  in a matter of seconds - pushing, crying, being sweet and smiling.

                               

 I love these kids so much.

I died laughing the other day when William discovered he could make this noise at the dinner table. I mean, Amelia has done her fair share of noises, but this one just seemed so BOY to me.  It's like, even at 1 1/2 years old, he knows it's funny to make farting sounds at the table.  It must be in the boy genes!

I was reading back through some of the funny things Amelia has said, and I just thought I'd share a few:

• Amelia calls her grandparents:
• "Papa with the beard" = Grandpa Checketts
• "Grandma with the Papa with the beard" = Grandma Checketts
• "Papa with the no beard" = Grandpa Asay
• "Grandma with the Papa with the no beard" = Grandma Asay
• HA it is so funny to hear her say this EVERY time she talks about them.  My favorite is "Grandma with the Papa with the no beard"  :)
• She loves to play hide 'n seek with Andrew.  A typical game goes like this:
• "Okay, dad, you go hid in my closet."
• Then she covers her eyes and counts to 3, shouts "Ready or not here I come"
• She goes and finds him in her closet and when he shouts "Boo" she is genuinely scared! 
• Whenever she hears language she can't understand, she says, "Oh, mom, that's in Fanish" (spanish - even if it's a Russian cartoon on youtube)