Christmas carols from the bug

Lily wanted me to record her singing Christmas carols. At first she was shy, but then she really got into it. I had to splice the video, though, because Lily decided it would be hilarious to shake her booty at the camera after each song. I can thank her uncle Lucas for teaching her that charming fete.

Make a little magic

Normally I make homemade gingerbread and we decorate a train for Christmas, but since it is just me and Lily this year, I bought a cheap gingerbread house kit.  It wasn't nearly as tasty a my gingerbread, but our gingerbread house decorating party was still fun.  Hopefully we'll get to do a proper gingerbread train decorating party once we get to Charleston.

She didn't like eating the candies, but she loved decorating the house.  She was very precise in how she wanted everything placed. 

The frosting was my contribution and candy placement was Lily's.

I think her door shows quite a lot of imagination.  You will notice, however, that there isn't much candy on one side of the roof.  When I mentioned she may want to put more on the neglected side, she said no, that it was perfect.

The door was complete with Christmas lights and a wreath.

I'm not certain, but I think I *may* have put too much water in the frosting mix, as evidenced by the drooping windows and shingles.

But Lily still loved the frosting, watery and all.  If I'd have let her, she would have eaten all the leftovers.

The finished product. We decided to name it our psychedelic hobo shack.  Predictably, Lily's first question was "When can we eat it?"

So the kit wasn't as pretty or as tasty as our homemade gingerbread, and I really wish I'd had the forsight to buy extra candy, but I don't think Lily was too disappointed.  And we both had a blast and got to spend time together making some Christmas magic.  That alone makes the project a success.

O Tannenbaum

We finally picked out a tree.  Here is the one Lily picked out because it was, according to her, "just my size."  I don't know why she looks so sad in this picture.  She was practically bursting with excitement the entire time.

She had fun searching the lot, insisting on smelling each tree and declaring they smelled like Christmas.  Some people associate Christmas with frankincense and myrrh.  Others with cinnamon and nutmeg.  My daughter associates it with evergreen trees.  I wonder who she got that from?

She was so excited that I could barely get her to hold still for a couple pictures.

Her favorite part of the entire experience, though, was when one of the other customer pulled a balloon from her purse and made a red balloon puppy for her.  Lily named the puppy Shaggy and talked about her gift the entire way home.

Before we could decorate, we had to water the tree.  Lily took this job VERY seriously.

And of course, it wouldn't be a proper tree decorating party without milk and cookies (technically, we had egg nog too, but no one drank any.  Vile stuff, egg nog.).  Lily also took this job very seriously.

Do you like our Dollar Store ornaments?  I'm rather proud of them myself. 

Although I love making wreaths and hanging lights, trimming the tree is my favorite part of Christmas.  Opening the ornaments and transforming an ordinary tree into something magical.  This year, Lily decorated the tree almost entirely by herself.  I helped with the top portion and the lights, but she did the rest. 

I think she did a rather nice job of it.  And now I am satisfied with our Christmas preparations.  We won't actually be spending Christmas around our own tree, so it is mostly ceremonial.  Still, I am glad we finally gave in and got one.

It seems to add just the right touch to the room.  Even if it is only three feet tall.

And did you see these super cute slippers I picked up at Target?  I heart them.

Today I leave you with one of my favorite Christmas diddies for your listening pleasure. Merry Christmas everyone.  May it be filled with joy and laughter.

Ignorance is...

Asking questions makes kids strong thinkers. I get it. Truly, I do. I've read books on child psychology that say if you dont answer the endless questions your preschooler asks (or at least attempt to) then they will be socially awkward and afraid to ask questions once they start school. But I can't help thinking there is such a thing as too many questions.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Lily's inquisitive mind. I have no problem answering her questions. Usually. But it is the unusual situations that I have trouble with.

What makes a situation unusual, you ask? Well, imagine a little something like this:

Setting: Lily is watching Fern Gully while I unload the dishwasher and make lunch.

Lily: Mommy, why is that man eating cake?
Me: Because he likes how it tastes.
Lily: Why does he like how it tastes?
Me: Because the ingredients are all mixed together to make it taste yummy.
Lily: Why does it need ingredients?
Me: Because without ingredients, it wouldn't be cake. It would just be air.
Lily: But why would it just be air?
Me: Because there would be nothing in it to make it cake.
Lily: But why can't you make cake out of air?
Me: Because there is only oxygen in the air and you need flour and eggs and sugar and all sorts of things to make cake.
Lily: But why?
Me: Because you can't change air into a different substance.
Lily: Why not?
Me: Because it is against the law of physics.
Lily: But why?

Finally, I gave up and just told her it was the way things were, which is really just a variation of the dreaded and oft maligned "Because I said so." This happens to me several times a day. I try to be patient, but I feel like I'm answering the "But why?" questions All.Day.Long and sometimes my supply runs dry. Does that make me a bad mother? Am I hindering my daughter's inquisitiveness and ability to be a critical thinker? Probably. But somehow, I'm okay with that.

I console myself with something I heard about ignorance being when you answer every question that is asked of you. I doubt very much this bit of advice was intended in relation to a three-year-old, but I'll use it regardless. I still have guilt, but it is diminished by my new mantra.

Now that I've revealed my bad mommy moment for all and sundry, I'll leave you with this happy moment. Beautiful, yes? Not only does she have a great voice, but I love that video. Between Carmen Consoli and Joanna Newsom, my playlist is full of music that just makes me happy.

A pearl is the oyster's autobiography

I don't like to brag (stop laughing...seriously, stop), but I'm pretty sure my daughter is brilliant. Now I've discovered she is talented too. Here is her picture of a queen, a princess, and a King.

Brilliant, right? A regular Picaso, that kid of mine.

Oh yes, and in keeping with the Christmas theme of my December posts, here is a song for your Christmasy enjoyment.

The color of winter is in the imagination

I have been really sick all week. Not fun. Especially when you consider I just got over being sick at the begining of last week. I have not been sick in almost two years, and now I am sick twice in as many weeks.


So what does one do on a cozy, grey day when mommy can't get off the couch? You have hot chocolate and snuggle up watching Christmas movies, of course.

If I have to feel like death, it helps to have such a sweet kid around to make me feel better.

Hitch a ride on Santa's sleigh

At long last, we decorated for Christmas.

Well, after a fashion.

We still haven't gotten around to getting a tree. I am begining to think this year will be a tree-trimming-on-Christmas-Eve kind of year. Ernie will be home from work the day before Christmas Eve, and it really isn't as much fun to pick out a tree without our entire family here. But we did get a few decoration, including a tree for Lily's room.



She was so excited to have her little tree, complete with her homemade decorations. I let her keep the lights on last night and she didn't voice a single complaint when it was bedtime.

Before we could put up the decorations, we had to clean. Or rather, I had to clean while Lily snuggled up on the couch with her blankey reading Llamas in Pajamas. (ps: doesn't that picture just make you happy? I can't help but smile every time I look a it.)

But once we were rocking out to Hannah Peel's Hey Santa and drinking peppermint hot cocoa, she got in the spirit of things. So now it is feeling happy and festive in the Hamilton household. At least in the family room.

Today the plan is to make Christmas goodies with the bug, then put together a gingerbread house. Lily is so excited. This year has been delightful watching her get excited about all the Christmas rituals. There is a reason its called the most wonderful time of the year.