Christmas 2009.. over & done!

We had a fabulous Christmas Day!!  I woke up on and off from 5am, but I woke at 6.15am, and Gaby woke up too - so I figured that was a decent enough time to start Christmas Day.  Gaby seemed to have forgotten about Santa, as it wasn't until she came back to the bedroom & her Santa sack was on the bed, that she seemed to get excited.  Mum came into the bedroom - I guess she'd been awake early too, and sat on the bed with us, while Gaby opened her presents.  It was so cute seeing her getting excited about the various presents, I think she was very happy with her little Santa haul!

 

We went into the lounge afterward, to let Poppa sleep awhile longer - Gaby had some muesli (granola?) for breakfast, and then watched some Playhouse Disney... VERY surprisingly, she didn't bother us about opening the presents under the tree, and she waited extremely patiently, for Poppa to get up.  Around 8am Poppa got up, and we were onto the tree presents!

Gaby was extremely spoilt!  She got:

• a box of wooden puzzles, from Nana Joyce
• a beach towel, in a bag, from Grandma
• a toy piano, from Aunty Jane
• a box of 3 ducks, filled with bubble bath, from me
• a Dora top, Dora pencil case set, Little Miss Chatterbox singlet & undies set, a Dora beach towel, and a Dora cushion, from Nan & Poppa
• a pair of shoes and some hair clips, from Jasmine & Alice
• a bottle of bubble mixture, from Livi & Will
• a bottle of bubble mixture, from Debbie & Mark
• a Dora hooded beach towel, from Rikki & Sarah

 

Her final present, was from me.  The first part of her present, was a Dora helmet - she was excited about this, but sort of had the attitude of "great - a helmet - but what use is it without a bike?", so Nan told her that she could ride on Poppa's bike with the helmet, or on her bike - and that seemed to cheer Gaby up.  It was then we went out to the garage so that she could have a ride on 'Poppas' bike....  Of course she got out to the garage & there, parked beside Poppa's bike - was the Dora bike she has been asking for for MONTHS!  She was quite overwhelmed, and all she said was "Oh - I think I'll ride this bike!!" - she got on the bike & then off she went!!!

 

At 11am, Gaby left to spend 4 hours at her fathers house, so we had a little peace and quiet, until Debbie, Mark, Rikki, Sarah & Corey arrived, around 11.30... We had a lovely time catching up, and just relaxing - Christmas Dinner (lunch) OF COURSE, was a complete success, and resulted in a lot of full tummys... Rikki & Corey (cousins) went and had little Nana naps afterward, which seemed funny - isn't it meant to be the old[er] people who go for naps after Christmas lunch?!

The afternoon went past quickly - 3pm Gaby got back from her fathers, and she played non stop, until around 10.30pm, when we went home!  There was no real evening meal - everyone just helped themselves to the deserts and left overs from lunch, which is just the way it should be - why have a big effort for dinner, if there is still enough food left over from lunch, to feed an army?!  We played a little singstar later in the evening, and then played a game of Cranium - boys vs girls, which I am proud to announce, the girls won!

As I said, we went home around 10.30pm, and as soon as we got home we were in bed.  Gaby fell straight to sleep, but I was still buzzing a bit from the lovely day we'd had - though I soon nodded off too.  Gaby woke me up around 8.15am - which is a HUGE sleep in for me, so that was a lovely surprise!

I hope everyone else had as wonderful a day as we did!

Merry Christmas!

Oh - and those of you taking tally - Gaby got a total of 8 Dora presents...

 

the Christmas countdown is on!

There are only 6 days now (in NZ anyway), until Christmas Day!  It seems to have snuck up on me this year, I guess because I've had so much else going on - and particularly in the past few months... it seems like it was only Gaby's birthday a few weeks ago - yet, we are now in the final week countdown!!!!  Luckily for me, Gaby doesn't understand how close Christmas is - because I remember how much me & Terri (sister) annoyed Mum & Dad when we were kids, and Christmas was oh-so-close!!! 

The plan for Christmas day (so far) is that we (Gaby & I) will stay at my parents house on Christmas Eve, to save having to pack up and head over part way through the morning.  My Aunty & Uncle (Deb & Mark) will be there, along with Rikki & Sarah (cousin & his g/f) - and then around 2.30pm, my sister's flight will land - and she'll be on her way over!  Gaby is going with her father at 11am, probably until around 3pm - which will make things easier for us, as we're waiting until my sister arrives, to open a bulk of the presents... so it won't be such torture for Gaby, if she isn't there!

What started out as a 'simple' Christmas Day menu, has ended up rather large - with delights including:
Ham (one of Debbie & Marks pigs, which got hammified - aptly he was named 'Ham'...)
Turkey (the only Christmas meat I eat..)
New potatoes (fresh from Dad's garden)
Baby carrots (fresh from Dad's garden)
Peas (fresh from the freezer.. lol)
Lettuce salad (ala Debbie)
Macaroni salad (my Mum is FAMOUS for her Mac Salad! BUT she's letting me make it!)
Trifle (a must have apparently, though I don't like it, and can't eat due to the alcohol!)
Cheesecake (ala Debbie)
Fruit Salad (ala Sarah & Rikki.. well, Sarah.. I'm sure Rikki will watch though)
Ambrosia (my baby!  my favourite Christmas dessert treat!)

... I can just see all the bloated stomachs, come 3pm, already!

She has her heart set on it.... please let me find one!

For the past three months, Gaby has been asking for a Dora bike, for her Christmas present... it is ALL she asks for - of course I haven't told her "sure hunny, you will get one", but it *is* what I am hoping to buy her!  We put money on a Warehouse Christmas Club card this year, and today, being December 1st, is the first day we're able to use it.  The Warehouse also have a sale on bikes - which FINISHES today, so I'm going to head out to the mall soon to see if I can find a bike...  PLEASE let me find a bike!  If I am unable to find a Dora bike, I don't know what the heck to do - except perhaps buy some Dora stickers & decorate a non-Dora bike, with the stickers.  I am sure she'd be happy with any bike, but when she's got her heart set on a Dora one, it's hard to not REALLY REALLY want to get her one!  They had a load of Dora helmets when I was there last time, so at the least, she'll get a Dora helmet!

Wish me luck!

Santa is scary? Is this genetics?

I noticed on Friday, while at our local mall, that Santa was due to arrive on Saturday at 1pm.  I decided it'd be something fun for Gaby, so naturally I told her about it, and she WAS excited.  I couldn't wait! She spent the rest of Friday - and Saturday morning, telling anyone who would listen "I'm seeing Santa at the Palms", "Santa is coming tomorrow/today", "I love Santa" - she even spent 10 minutes, explaining to Fluffy, that she (ie the cat) had to be a good girl, or she couldn't go to visit Santa at the Palms, it was about as adorable as it gets!

Saturday, midday - we arrive at the mall.  We line up in the line to see Santa - and are THIRD from the front.  An hour after we lined up, we finally had word that Santa was on his way - that he was outside the mall, getting out of his sleigh (which was being pulled by Clydesdale horses).  I heard the tell tale 'jingle jingle' of a bell being shaken, and then the noise in the mall indicated that Santa had arrived!  Gaby was looking around, trying to see Santa - and then she got the glimpse she'd been waiting for....

AND SHE BEGAN SCREAMING - and not in a good way!  Poor Gaby was TERRIFIED of Santa, and told me in no uncertain terms that she didn't want to sit on Santa's knee an she wanted to go home... I tried to talk her down, told her that I would sit on Santa's knee with her, but nope - it was not going to happen!  Reluctantly I stepped out of line, and asked Gaby "are you sure you want to go home?" - to which she replied "yes please Mummy, I want to leave".  The poor girl, she looked as if she'd just had the biggest scare of her life. 

As soon as we left the immediate area, she was back to her usual, happy, cheerful self.  I am not sure if it was all the noise associated with Santa's arrival, that freaked her out - or if perhaps she's inherited my irrational fear, of people dressed up in mascot type costumes.  For as long as I can remember, seeing someone dressed up in a costume, has freaked me out - particularly if I can't see their real face - I can't explain why I feel this way, but it sends shivers down my spine, and I have to do all I can to not let out some form of terrified scream...

I am going to try her with Santa again, later in the week - when there aren't as many people around, and when there isn't the same level of excitement, and noise - but I have a feeling she will be just as unwilling....

Poor kiddo!

really excited about Christmas!

I've always liked Christmas - but this year, I have a feeling the whole experience is going to be extra special.. because of Gaby!  This year Gaby KNOWS who Santa is, and what he's 'all about' (ie presents!) - and everyday she tells me "it's almost Christmas", and talks about what she is going to ask Santa for, and that she needs to be a good girl for Santa to come... 

Santa is usually in the malls around the 9th December, and I cannot WAIT to take her to sit on Santa's knee!!  Last year I took her, but she SCREAMED when it came time to sit on his knee, so it was a bit of a fizzer - but I think this year she will be more than happy to go and sit on Santa's knee & tell him she wants "lots of Dora stuff"!  We are also going to take her to the big Santa parade this year as well - and I can't wait!  It's always on the first Sunday of December, and Sunday is Stu's day to have her, so I was kind of upset that I couldn't take her...  So I decided to just be straight up & ask if he minded if I took her this year - I did tell him if he wanted to - that seeing Sunday is 'his' day, that he could just take her... but luckily for me, he thought it would be best if I took her (ie. it'd be too much responsibility for him to keep an eye on her for that whole time).

We are going to get her a bike for Christmas, and I can't wait to see her face when we give it to her - it's going to be priceless (I hope!).  I found the bike I wanted to get her, last week - and as soon as Dec 1st rolls around (and we can use our Christmas Club card), I will be going out to buy it, before anyone else takes it!  Of course it's a Dora one, and I noticed they have Dora helmets as well - so she should get her wish of "lots of Dora stuff"...  It was really freaky when we were at K-Mart last week & she hopped on the 2 wheeler & rode off... I expected her to need some help to get going, but nope - it seemed to come naturally to her!  That said, I am thinking that she may have a bike at her father's house, which would make sense as to why she was so confident on it!

By the time Christmas rolls around, I will be in the 2nd trimester, and hope to be feeling a bit more alive, and like my old self.  I really don't want to be puking all Christmas day - or falling asleep by lunchtime!  We should get our 12w u/s in the first half of December - and I just hope that we get a good result - I keep getting worried that I've had a missed miscarriage, though I know that I have no reason to think that.  I still have my symptoms, and surely if I had had a missed m/c, my symptoms would have gone away.  Either way, by Christmas we'll know what is going on with our bubs, and hopefully it will be a joyful day, knowing that my big girl is happy & healthy - and being spoilt rotten, and that my little bubba is growing safely inside my belly!