Merry Christmas Eve and our Santa Visit!

We had a great Christmas Eve, continuing our tradition begun last year wherein we stay home and hang out together, making treats for Santa (and ourselves). This year it was reindeer cupcakes. They were supposed to have tootsie roll ears and white m&m eyes, but we skipped those because no one likes tootsie rolls and the milk chocolate m&ms didn't come in white this holiday season. They were still very cute and fun to make, for all 3 of us. Poor Jill did NOT go to sleep easily that night. She fell asleep instantly, just like she always does, but woke up twice before I could leave her room. She was totally scared of Santa coming in our house, and it was an hour and 20 minutes later with repeated promises that he wouldn't come in, and that Steve and I would retrieve the presents from outside that she finally went to sleep. She's too much of a thinker!

stirring

licking the frosting...as she licked she'd say, "nom, nom, nom"

blue-eyed Rudolph cupcake

loving the cupcake, and the spaghetti she had for dinner

after bath, ready for Santa to come

Our Santa visit was pretty fun this year. We booked a slot at the Children's Museum and Jill was very excited. We went into the room where an elf read us a story, and then it was Santa time. G. and her family were with us, and she hopped right up on Santa's lap. Jill on the other had was scared and didn't want to do it. I told her she didn't have to, but that I was going to sit next to Santa, and she came right up there with me, happily. Not so happily, the picture is blurry. I tried to take her to another Santa but she freaked out, screaming in fright when it was her turn to go, so we didn't do it. Oh well, maybe next year!

checking out the candy cane

us and Santa

looking so grown up!

Jill and G.

sitting on the steps of the Three Bears' House