Merry Crickas!

The title may sound strange, but this is how our sweet Ella pronounces the word "Christmas", and it has brought many smiles to our faces this Christmas season! Each morning, Ella runs into the living room, begging us to turn on the 'Crickas' lights...and every morning without fail, it makes me smile!

Our Christmas Eve was spent in Danville, VA with Gerry's grandparents. Natalie had not yet met her great-grandma and great-grandpa Taylor, but she took right to them!

Ella got to play with Gerry's cousins' children, Julia and MacKenzie. You can see Julia in the picture below, and Ella wasn't too fond of her trying to 'share' her book! She relented eventually, and moved on to another toy for a while. It's funny how kids can be so attached to something, then just decide to do something else.

We didn't leave Danville until after 9pm that night, and it takes an hour and half to get home. Natalie went right to sleep in the car, but my little lightning bug, Ella, surprised us and stayed awake all the way home. She would call out to us every time she saw some Christmas lights, saying something like "Look! A snowman!" or "Wow, Crickas lights!". It made the trip home entirely enjoyable, even as late as it was.

The next morning, the girls woke up at the normal time and we all ventured into the living room where Ella prompted us to turn on the Crickas lights. She then saw all the gifts under the tree and just stood there for a second, in awe. Natalie, when we put her down, promptly crawled over and retrieved several of the large jingle bells that we had out. She loves making noise, and these make a doozy of a noise!

Ella enjoyed sorting through the gifts that Santa brought for her, picking up each one individually and looking at them at length before moving on to the next. She's very meticulous in how she goes about things, which is one of the things we love about her. I'm constantly amazed at how two girls from the same parents and the same gene pool can be so totally different!

Natalie and Ella both took right to the farm toy that Santa brought for Natalie, and it's been a favorite ever since. Even Mommy and Daddy got into the action!

Natalie not only liked her book, but books that Ella got from Santa as well! Ella didn't mind until she was ready to read them herself. She's perfectly willing to share until she wants to play with the toy! I've actually been very surprised at how well Ella has shared her toys with her sister. She's turning into such a sweet little lady!

Natalie is still little enough to be willing to sit with me and cuddle, but my Ella is getting big and independent, and seldom wants to settle down for a snuggle. That's what made her plopping down into my lap with one of her new books such a wonderful treat!
Merry Christmas, everyone...or should I saw, Merry Crickas!