Ellie Belly... 3.5yrs and beyond!: Christmas is here... YAY!!!

Ellie and I all dressed up and ready for Christmas Eve mass.

Ellie on the way home from Christmas Eve mass... This definitely explains why she was so antsy during mass!

After church Ellie scatters her "Reindeer Food" (aka: oatmeal and glitter... food and sparkle to see from the sky) for Santa's reindeer.

And some over here....

And don't forget this side of the yard too!

Ellie's homemade cookies, gingerbread and pb chip/ chocolate chip, and a box of milk for Santa.

Now we just need to put jammas on, brush our teeth, and snuggle into bed!

"See Santa, I am ready!!"

Looks like Santa came!

Oh my!!! We found this picture on my camera, I left it in the family room on Christmas Eve night. One of Santa's elves must have taken this picture... It is Santa taking one of Ellie's cookies! He was here... Ellie is one lucky girl!

Christmas morning.

Around 7 am Ellie jumped into my bed to cuddle and we were talking about Christmas...
MB: "Do you think Santa came last night?"
Ellie: "No, I didn't hear him. He hasn't come yet."
MB: "Maybe you should go and check under the tree."
Ellie: "No. I don't want to run into him. You go check."
MB: "Come on Ell, you should go check."
Ellie: "No, you go. And here, you take Bird, he will keep you safe."
So I get up and put my slippers on and Bird and I get ready to go out the door.
Ellie: "Wait. I will come too, Bird will keep us both safe."
And we were off to the Christmas tree and to wake everyone up!
Merry Christmas Morning!!

Ellie and her new 'primping' accessories. What a diva!

Debating what to open now...

Ellie and her new Ariel stature for her clubhouse.

Someone is VERY excited about her talking twins!

Ellie playing with all of her dolls... Barbies, the Strawberry Shortcake gang, and the twins (did I mention that they talk to each other?).

While I open one of her toys, the Princess Presto wand I think, Ellie fixes my hair. I am the luckiest mommy in the whole world!!

Schatzie taking it all in... its a tough job but some dog has gotta do it!

Ellie even got Uncle Sean and Aunt Margie playing with her dolls!

Posing in her new Ariel dress.

Breakfast time for Ellie and the twins!

On our way to a fantastic Italian Christmas dinner at Aunt Angela and Uncle Jay's house. Despite the rain, everyone was all smiles this Christmas day!

Ellie and Brownie.

Funny story...
You see Brownie is Julie's dog and he is so friendly and sweet. He has also not been neutered. I only mention that because after dinner Ellie wanted to know what those pink things were by his butt. Very kindly my cousin Julie, have I mentioned that she is a pediatrician, dodged the question and handed it over to me. (Thanks Jules, I won't forget this one!) After a pregnant pause and curious looks as to how I was going to answer this one (I was wondering too) I started on how it was part of Brownie's penis and that is what makes him a boy. I really didn't want to have to introduce the "s"(crotum) on Christmas day. And in contrast, a vagina is what makes a girl, a girl. After a few awkward moments of explaining Brownies 'pair' to Ellie, she got the answer to her question and we had a couple of chuckles!

Margie, Papoo, Ellie, MB, Sean, and Meme at Christmas dinner.

Sunday Ellie and I headed to Aquarium. First stop... pizza for lunch and some orange soda. She says that the bubbles make her 'crazy' but I say that is from the sugar!