Christmas Eve

This year, our family of three is spending Christmas Eve and Christmas morning in Boston before travelling to Santa Barbara and Chicagoland next week. Today, Christmas Eve, was a fun filled day. This morning we went out to a special breakfast and then to a toy store for some last minute shopping where Ellie picked out a present for her cousin baby Tristan. Our afternoon and evening was jam packed with excitement. Ellie just went to bed and she told me she is going to dream of Santa and can't wait to see the presents he left her tomorrow morning.

Right after she got up, Ellie helped us make some cookies to leave for Santa. She helped cut out and decorate cookies. Doing an even better job than the last time we decorated cookies a couple weeks ago.

Ellie is demonstrating how she has to touch the garbage can when I open the oven

Then, Ellie helped me make a pizza for dinner. She helped spread the sauce and put the cheese on. She definitely enjoyed her pizza dinner.

 

For dessert we each had a sugar cookie (ones not deemed good enough for Santa) and some chocolate covered strawberries which were a present from Aunt Cindy, Uncle Mike, and cousin Tristan.

By now...Ellie was had a belly full of sugar and was super excited to begin opening presents. At first she was a little hesitant to tear the paper, but she got the hang of it. She checked the presents for the letter E. If she saw the E, she knew it was for her. Other presents, she asked us to read for her.

She had so much fun playing with some of her presents after we opened them. The ladybug wings, toaster, and rain boots were a big hit. She even made sure to give Baby a ride in her new baby-sized wagon.

Baby getting a ride in her new wagon



Ladybug wings and antennae to read her new Ladybug Girl books



Um...Mommy...your book doesn't have any pictures!

 

Before bed, Ellie picked out some cookies for Santa and left them on a plate near the tree. She then drew a picture for him as well.

 

Lastly, Ellie asked Nick to check the chimney to make sure Santa could get down to leave her presents.

All is quiet now...we'll see how early she gets up tomorrow morning. Santa knows she has been a very good girl this year..