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Toddler Christmas: Santa’s Village

December 17, 2014 by Rebecca Whitehead

Since our first visit with Santa at Pretend City didn’t turn out spectacularly, we subjected the girls to more torture by taking them for Santa Visit #2 at Mission Viejo’s Santa’s Village. We met up with our friends The Nguyens and the Hossfelds, and the girls seemed a bit braver with their friends around.

Samantha dances to Jingle Bells.

Addison was the perfect entertainer of the girls while we waited in line.

Parker and Samantha jam out to more Christmas carols.

Phi is a genius and brought little goodie bags for all the kids which totally kept the girls busy while we waited. A lifesaver!

Before meeting Santa, we were assigned an elf who led us up to Santa and took our picture. Even though our elf was the sweetest little 10-year-old, the girls were not pleased.

Hold me, sister!

And the award for most awkward Santa photo ever goes to…

Seriously, I feel like this needs to by printed on an Awkward Family Christmas Photos holiday card or something. We explained to Mrs. Clause and Santa that the likelihood of the girls sitting quietly on Santa’s lap was 0%, so he told us just to sit down on their laps with the girls. Um….ok…

A Christmas miracle! Amelia sat with Santa COMPLETELY BY HERSELF without screaming. The candy cane definitely helped.

Mrs. Clause was as shocked as we were!

After visiting Santa, the kids ran around Santa’s village, admiring his handiwork.

Samantha calls gingerbreads, “Gingy” à la Shrek.

Our best attempt at taking a picture of Addison, Camdyn, Parker and the girls.

S and A’s faces and vests became increasingly sticky and red as the night progressed.

Sticky faces.

The girls’ favorite holiday character is Frosty– there are a ton of blow-up Frosty’s in our neighborhood and the girls squeal, “Frostyyyyyyyy!” whenever we walk by them.

Best moment of Amelia’s life so far: meeting a real-life Frosty.

And bonus Rudolph!

Shortest bedtime ever– the girls were zonked after their exciting night out. Thanks for a fun outing, friends!

Lots of love,

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Toddler Christmas Day 5: Live Nativity

December 17, 2014 by Rebecca Whitehead

How are we only single digits away from Christmas? I am desperately behind posting updates on our 25 Days of Toddler Christmas because all of our festive fun has left us absolutely pooped by the end of the day.

Last week, I lost my voice completely for three days (Jake had a cold the week prior and I’m sure the lack of sleep didn’t help me fight it off…thankfully, the girls have been fine) and so we decided to slow down, rest and recuperate this weekend (and by rest, I mean we only had one place to go per day). We may not be able to check everything off our bucket list, but everyone is finally healthy and the girls are having fun regardless– a win, in my book.

Here we go with our Christmas activities catch-up.

A few weekends ago, we met up with the Wrights at the nearby Live Nativity put on by the city. Samantha and Amelia were tired (we were encroaching dangerously close to their bedtime), but were excited to see all the animals (and take sips of mommy and daddy’s hot chocolate, of course).

The sheep were S and A’s favorite.

I loved seeing these huge camels, especially having just finished the book, Tracks, written by a woman who crossed 1,700 miles of Australian outback alone with camels and her dog.

“Babyyyyyyy!” yelled Samantha and Amelia continuously while viewing the Baby Jesus.

A nice lady stopped and offered to take our picture because she thought it was adorable how the girls were feeding each other.

Hard to believe that this time last year, Maliyah was 10 months old, Samantha and Amelia were 9 months, and Allie hadn’t even arrived yet. So glad the cuatro amigos could enjoy a Christmas activity together this year.

The Live Nativity will definitely make it onto next year’s bucket list– maybe by then, the girls will be able to last for the entire show!

Lots of love,

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Santa Fail #1 (and bonus balloon ride)

December 11, 2014 by Rebecca Whitehead

Honest moment: I think forcing kids to stand in line and meet Santa/sit on his lap is so creepy! It’s one of those parenting things I always said I’d never do pre-twins (along with letting S and A watch TV, eat sweets, the list goes on…) and yet, when push came to shove, I gave in. So when Pretend City announced they were having a Member’s Only Breakfast with Santa, I threw all my standards out the door and voluntarily stood in line with the rest of the crazy parents. Where is my resolve?

Keeping S and A occupied while Mommy stood in line. Thankfully, it wasn’t a long wait since it was early in the morning and the place was closed to the public.

Santa picture fail #1. Apparently, Santa’s elves cannot frame a picture.

We had zero expectations of the girls posing with Santa on their own without freaking out and opted to hold them next to Santa instead. Although the girls did indeed protest (quite vehemently), they calmed down once an elf gave the girls candy canes. So, to recap, not only am I teaching the girls that it’s ok to take pictures with strange fat guys in red suits, I’m rewarding them for doing so by accepting candy from said fat guy. Again, where are my standards? Must be the magic of Christmas getting to me.

THAT was traumatizing. Except for the candy cane.

This Santa thing isn’t so bad after all! Rescind my court order for toddler emancipation.

Why didn’t you tell me there’d be pancakes?

The quietest moment of my day:

As a reward for not maiming Santa, we let the girls run around for an hour.

Meticulously setting the table.

Queen Samantha in her royal carriage.

Pulled by Cinder-Amelia.

Changing of the guard.

I could hug this little girl forever.

Since we were already in Irvine, we swung by the OC Great Park’s balloon to see if it was open. Despite my repeated requests for Jake to call ahead, we’ve spontaneously attempted a balloon ride several times, but it’s always been closed because of wind. This time, we hit it just right!

Up, up and away!

The girls were absolutely giddy pointing out all the tiny cars and people. It must have felt nice to be taller than everyone for a change.

Best day ever!

The balloon wasn’t on our Christmas bucket list, but we had a blast and I’m glad we went. Kudos to Jake for being the spontaneous one in the group. Our morning with Santa didn’t turn out to be so bad after all!

Lots of love,

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Toddler Christmas Day 3: Let there be light

December 11, 2014 by Rebecca Whitehead

One of Jake’s items on our Christmas bucket list was to have S and A help him with putting up the lights on the outside of the house. Some of our lights from last year didn’t last, so it was off to Lowe’s where the girls helped Daddy pick out some more decor.