Auntie Amy

My sister is visiting with us this week. She is six years younger than me and does not have children of her own (yet--but no pressure, Amy). She plays the role of Auntie well--at one point during the visit she acts as a jungle gym, at another point in the visit a giver of pinch bugs. James adores her and is sucking every moment of Auntie Amy time out of her that he can. I adore her for being here to give me an extra hand and to allow me to get some work done. I am also glad that there is someone in the house who likes snapping pics of my kids even more than I do!

We took the kids to see Santa. James would not go in. Here he is standing outside, STARING and getting all worked up.


He CRIED and SCREAMED and TREMBLED. So I took Ella in and had her picture taken.


After, since there wasn't a line (I guess Tuesday afternoons are slow at Enfield Square Mall), Santa actually CAME OUT and said Hi to James and gave him a lollipop. Fresh from his crying jag, my son still managed to say "thank you Santa" and "Merry Christmas" to Jolly Old St. Nick.

That evening we started to decorate our tree. I simply could not help myself, and pulled out James' Christmas pjs early. What the heck. I mean COME ON--sock monkey gingerbread men? HOW COULD I RESIST???!!!

Then, after realizing that all of my huge and heavy glass ornaments weigh down all of my live tree branches, we gave up and then watched Frosty and had hot chocolate and sugar cookies (homemade from the tube.)

Here is Amy in her favorite place, with her favorite beer and her favorite dog. (What you can't see is that Gino and Henry are also in her lap.) She is a kid and pet MAGNET.

Ella couldn't decorate the tree, but she did her job of just looking cute just fine!

Today I had to take Amy to Shady Glen, as she is somewhat an expert on Diners and Drive-ins. She was impressed.

She snapped this pic of the kiddos. I just love the look on James' face!

Here she is working her magic on Ella Bella.

Here is a great video she took of Ella's FIRST GIGGLES.

Sorry Babe!! Come home soon!