Christmas vacation

I feel the end of the year approaching and wonder what is in store for the year 2012. Will this be the year that Faith loses her first tooth? Possibly. Although I can sit here and wonder what the next year will bring I am quick to remember the blessings of this eyar. The year 2011 has much to be thankful for. This year has brought us many things in which we are thankful for including new friends and a new house in a new state closer to family. Christmas vacation is a time for relaxing and not feeling the rush of getting ready for school each day. I like Christmas vacation. We recently got back from visiting the midwest for the holiday. Faith had not been home with her cousins and grandparents since she was 9 months old. This year brought many joys at Christmas time. She received her lamb from Santa as she asked for. She also got lots of art supplies due to her lack of interest in toys. We spent much time relaxing with family including great grandpa in the nursing home. She is always so excited to visit him and play BINGO. I hope she remembers these times when she gets older. I sure remember the days of playing games with him when I was younger. We would play Chinese Checkers and Crazy Eights with Looney toon cards. I love to see him but wish I could see him more often. Faith is enjoying her vacation from school and doing very well getting along with her brother. Three weeks off from school had been nervous at how I was going to maintain my sanity. However she has made me proud. So still one more week to go on vacation. Next week should bring Faith to her first ice skating experience. Should be loads of fun.

Dear Santa

Dear Santa,
In case you didn't get my letter in the mail that I sent to North Pole, Alaska I am sending an email your way. Faith was so cute this year as she wrote her first letter to Santa. Although I helped her a little bit along the way she did a great job spelling.
Dear Santa,
I've been very good this year. I help my mom around the house and I am very nice to my little brother. Sometimes it is hard to be nice to him since he is so little but I try. This year I would like a set of grips, a new gymnastics bar and a new lamb. I would also like a small Raggedy Ann doll to go with my big one. Thank you very much.
love,
Faith

She deserves whatever present is delivered to her. I have a feeling Santa will bring a lamb for her. The bars just seem to be to big to fit in his sleigh and her mommy has told her her hands are too little for grips. Faith's love of lambs makes her bed filled to the top. However there can never be too many lambs. I'm sure she used to be a lamb before she was born; a spirit child who cared for the lambs of heaven. Anyways, Santa if you get this before Christmas please send Faith her Lamb that she so loves.

Homemade Christmas cards

Faith was a great helper tonight. Since we are going home to our family for Christmas we must bring some good cheer and Christmas cards. Since Faith was grounded from art for one week for kicking in the closet door during a fit, she was happy to get it back last Friday. She has been looking forward to drawing and crafts. Faith was a great card maker as she can use the glue much more conservatively than her brother. Santa and snowmen stickers were placed and glued and I will follow them up with a nice message inside. I love my little Faith. Whenever I think that she is too busy for me, she arrives at my side at just the right time to give me a hug or cuddle with me. How have I been so blessed to have such a special little daughter?

Red, White and Blue

Faith competed in her first gymnastics competition. She had so much fun. Despite her falls, she made it through all her routines not forgetting to do anything. The nice thing about her first competition season as a level 3 is that no scores are posted. Although the girls eventually learn that they want all blues for no falls and no help from their coaches, this weekend's meet was the perfect start to learning what competition is all about. It was a mother's dream come true to see her little girl doing what she did when she was a little girl. Faith will get better as the year goes on but when it is all said and done she is thankful for whatever color ribbon she gets and whatever trophy or medal is given to her. Tonight her medal hangs above her bed. I'm not sure where the others will be hung but we will find a spot. Having a little gymnast in the house is hard work with her flipping every where but I hear that what you did to your parents will come back to you. I was the flipper in the house and wherever I went.

Caroling at the Commons

Faith joined the Daisy scouts for a fun caroling activity. Despite not getting to sing in front of the crowd present, she enjoyed listening to Christmas carols and playing around with her friends. Daisy scouts brings such an opportunity for her to be with girls her age and have fun. The brass band played along with the children's choir and marching band. It is cold but a very good way to bring in the holiday season. Santa made his big arrival on the firetruck. "Mommy is that the real Santa Claus?" she asked. See we both know that some of the Santa's are specially picked Santa helpers. Without the help from the Santa helpers, Santa would spend all him time visiting the children and not getting ready for Christmas Eve. So I think that she believed this was the real one. He did have the real white beard. She hugged him five times and was just filled with so much joy. The Christmas season brings out the innocence of childhood. The belief of magic and presents and flying reindeer is enough to make any little girl want to be on his good list. To finish off the evening we walked down the main street and Santa magically turned the town tree bright with white lights. After that it was time to go. I heard a mother say, "I have no idea where my children are." I didn't want to be the next mother to say that as the children began to swarm Santa.