Decorating the Tree and a Christmas Party

We decorated our tree this week... we taught the girls the awe of opening the angel box, and Dad helped Izzy put her on the tree.

Izzy got a little bossy, telling Mom where to put the ornaments. Back off, Izzy. ;)

Both girls had fun with Christmas "attire."

It's fun starting traditions with the girls, but hard to know which ones will stick, and maybe more importantly, which ones we WANT to stick. Chickigram and GPa got the girls a "touchable" Nativity, which has been a lot of fun. Izzy won't let go of Baby Jesus once the box gets opened every night, and Abby has learned to say "angel" pretty clearly, and knows that angels are the ones with wings.

The girls are in a Kindermusik class this semester, and they've really enjoyed it. It's been good for me to watch them follow directions and engage in imagination play, like when Miss Sarah tells them to act like a big fish and wiggle on the ground, or to gallop like a horse. They're not used to a lot of structure, but they seem to do really well, and to recognize, if not fully accept, Miss Sarah's authority.

We had a Christmas party after class today. They got to hear The Polar Express... Izzy was very good at sitting in her seat, waiting for her ticket, and listening to most of the story. Abby didn't make it thirty seconds before she was off and running on the play equipment.

Pictures like these remind me just how big the girls are getting... it's all gone by WAY too fast. I'm helping to host/coordinate a new moms' group at the Community Pregnancy Center, so I've been playing with several 4-5 month old babies... and I have baby fever... if you've not yet weighed in on the poll (right-hand column), Dan and I would love to argue about the results :)

Kindermusik has been a lot of fun, but we're headed back to the Little Gym next semester! Today's playtime at the party re-confirmed for me that they love and miss it...