Elle's First Christmas

My apologies for such a last post...I have had many "followers" patiently waiting for the Christmas update! And while working on this post, my computer screen went black!! I called tech support they were going to charge me $50 bucks just for a diagnosis, I decided to do a little research on my phone and figured it out for myself! So enjoy this post!!!!! :)

Let's start with the week before Christmas, I had school Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and Elle had a special sitter...Grandma Maureen. Maureen didn't have school, so she was able to come over for the three days to watch Elle. No pictures (sorry), but I know that Elle and Grandma had a great three days together! Thanks Grandma Maureen for helping us out!

Elle was not as interested in the Christmas tree as I thought she would be, until this week. She noticed this one particular ornament that she wanted to touch! This look below is the look of are you watching mommy?

Even if you are watching I am going to touch anyway....

Uh-Oh! The pretty ornament fell....next year the tree will be decorated a little differently. The ornaments may only be on the top half of the tree! :)

Tuesday, Elle and I went to a gathering with some of my co-workers. Gail (a 1st grade teacher) hosted a nice little Holiday party. They have a gorgeous A-frame house, which is perfect for their 29 foot tree....yes 29 foot tree, that is not a typo!

Gail showed Elle the train that they have going around the base of their 29 foot tree. She loved it! Thanks for the fun ladies, it was a nice evening!

Thursday night, we celebrated Christmas at home before we left for gramma and grampa's house Christmas Eve morning. Good thing we did, because we would NOT had room in the car for the presents!

Elle opening her first present, she was interested in the colorful paper!

Checking out her first gift, a "fill and spill" cookie jar that of course sings songs (every toy these days sing!). Elle doesn't quite get the whole put things in and take them out, but she loves the shapes and the top to the cookie jar!

Oh boy, this present is bigger than Elle! We tried not to spoil her....but it was hard not too!

Yummy paper, Elle was more interested in eating the paper than her gifts...maybe next year!

"Books for Christmas, what the heck!" (quoted from that little boy on the news) Elle actually loves books and she got some Christmas classics - Frosty, Twas the Night before Christmas and A Snowy Day. Again, she is more interested in eating the books...

This is Elle's "big" gift from us this year, again we tried not to go too crazy and she doesn't really get Christmas. Elle got a music table and she LOVES it, the girl only wants to stand and will pound on the table for as long as you are willing to sit behind her (to catch her if she falls).

Elle is enjoying all of her gifts from mommy and daddy, can't you see the excitement!

Trying out the new music table with daddy. (not the best pic of David, he just woke up for work!)

Look at that big girl standing at her music table. That is all she wants to do is stand, she will arch her back when sitting on the floor just so you stand her up!

We headed east Christmas Eve morning and went to church at Calvary (where David and I got married). Our little family in front of Gramma and Grampa's Living room tree.

Gramma and Grampa with Elle in front of the tree on Christmas Eve.

Thanks for the adorable dress Grandma Maureen, I got lots of compliments on it at Church!

David's work schedule is so hard normally and extra hard around the holidays. He got done with work Christmas Eve morning, then drove to my parents house, took a nap, woke up for church, took a nap, woke up for dinner, and finally went to bed! But he did manage to get some snuggles in during one of his naps.

Have you ever seen a more adorable reindeer?

Grampa always makes a TON of food for Christmas day and all we do is eat ALL day long! It was only appropriate for Elle to have special food too, she tried sweet potatoes for the first time and LOVED them! We have since tried peas too and again she LOVES them!

Elle is sitting in a high chair that is 100 years old, it is the high chair that Adam and I used as well! No straps in this high chair, so we put a belt around her - it kept her in! :)

This picture does not do justice to the amount of presents this year, some are hiding behind the chairs on the left and right, some are in the front hallway. Lets just say we did our best to support the economy again this year! :)

Elle stayed awake for most of the gift opening, it only took us about three hours! We do take breaks to eat, but we let everyone open one gift at a time. Next years gift opening may look a little different...Elle will be opening everyone's gifts!

Of course Elle was not spoiled at all....
Auntie Amy gave Elle and outfit and the shirt says "My Auntie is the best"!

Last year Grampa gave the boys a bucket - you can always use a five gallon bucket. Well when Uncle Adam saw these craftsman buckets he had to get them! Elle sure thought they were great!

Elle is very excited about her BIG present. Gramma and Grampa gave her a wagon for summer walks. She asked if we could take it around the house, but we decided that wouldn't be the best thing for the hardwood floors :)

I am missing one picture, Grampa investing in a train to go around the tree and each morning Elle and Gramma would sit and look at the tree for about 15-20 minutes! She loved it, but the picture must be on Gramma's camera. Maybe for the next post, I will have it.

We had a wonderful Christmas and enjoyed the time with family! Thank you to everyone for making the holidays so special! We are very excited for next year when Elle will have two cousins to open presents with!

Happy New Year!

Mr. Mom

This week David was on duty! With David's wacky work schedule (7 days on and 7 days off), he gets to stay home with Elle every other week. We have had many conversations about how lucky he is and the amazing bond he and Elle will have because of the time they get to spend together! I am sure she will be a "daddy's girl"!!

Same as last week, Elle was as happy as a clam to be home with Daddy! Remember when I had parent/teacher conferences....I was gone for about 4 hours and she SCREAMED for about 2.5 of those hours!!! She is apparently out of that phase, thank goodness!


On Monday, Elle and Daddy made a fort...the first of many I am sure!

There was a recall on my car, so off to the car dealer to have it repaired. I am sure that was a fun hour and a half with a 5 month old in the waiting area....

We are so lucky to have the childcare that we do! Because of David's wacky work schedule, Elle is going to Melissa's every other Friday for a half day. This way Dave will be able to get a little more rest before we is off to work Friday night.

I left my camera with Melissa to capture a few pictures of their morning. Look at that big girl sitting on the chair (mind you it only took about 5 shots to get a good one!).

Elle and Claire with matching ponies! Claire loves babies and was apparently very excited to have "baby" at her house!

Claire and Elle showing their love!! Too cute!!! Thanks again Melissa for taking Elle, we know she is in good hands and is having fun!

Our little girl is getting so big! She loves to sit and can do so on her own, she always needs to know what is going on around the house.

Check out this action shot...of course she is still learning and takes a few tumbles sometimes!

Elle was helping me make some Christmas goodies and it was so much work it put the girl right to sleep!

Elle made a few special Christmas cards for her family! Yes, I tortured her by painting her hands and feet to make these absolutely adorable reindeer!

Only 3 days of school until winter break, I am so looking forward to the week and a half home with my baby! We hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!!

Back to Reality!

I am happy to report that Elle and I both survived my first week back to work. Elle was happy as a clam to be home with Gramma and I was so relieved that everything went well! Gramma and Elle have their own little routines and games, which makes me feel so good when I am at work! I know Elle is a having fun singing songs, playing with her toys, helping wash dishes (okay she is in the bjorn while gramma washes) and just happy to be HOME!!

I had a very busy first week back to work, three meetings, two IEP's and adjusting back to being at work. I have a very nice class, who are settled into a routine (thanks Jackie!), which makes going to school easy! The day at school goes by quickly, but the night with Elle goes even quicker...I am living for the weekends!

Monday morning, St. Nick left Elle a present by the back door...but it didn't fit in her shoes. She even helped tear the paper.

St. Nick gave Elle a mini piano. She loves to bang on the piano and make music!

Elle was showing gramma a few last minute ideas for Christmas. She was shopping in the Toys R Us catalog....well she tore the flier into shreds.

We have known since day one that Elle likes to do things on her own and in her own way. She even wants to hold her own bottle, what a big girl!

Look at that crazy bed head and adorable smirk...this was her saying goodbye to mommy as I was leaving for work. No tears!

Gramma rigged up the bumbo so Elle could reach the toys hanging from her play mat, she seemed to like! The things we try to keep them entertained....

Again, entertaining Elle in the mirror! Gramma put Elle in the Bjorn and does EVERYTHING all day long! Thanks Heather for letting us borrow it, it is so helpful!

Saturday, (the day of the biggest snow storm of the season) was a day to spoil the Wamboldt babies. The shower was held in Menomonie, so getting there was a challenge. We had to take David's beast of a vehicle because it is the only one with All-Wheel-Drive...so in we packed; David, Grampa, Gramma, Elle, Me, gifts, cupcakes, games and decorations! We made it there and back safely!

Elle and the guest of honor, Amy waiting for people to arrive. About 1/2 of the guests attended the shower, which was wonderful!

Because of the bad weather, the boys drove us to Menomonie and joyed in on the shower festivities...boy did they love all of the games we play!?!?!

The twins were spoiled with lots of necessities and few fun things too!

There were numerous cars in the ditch as we came back from Menomonie, and one that we needed to help get out of our way. Once we were on our exit ramp there was a line of cars stopped because of a car in the snow bank. David and Grampa started a trend and got out of the car to help push the guy out! Luckily so did everyone else and they were able to get the car out and we were on our way home!

Gramma and Grampa were snowed in! We were waiting for the plow to come down road so they could head home. Well wouldn't you know it, the plow came through once David was DONE with the driveway...isn't that how it always goes!?! Here he is snow blowing the entire neighborhood!

Look at the pile of snow the plow made....YIKES!

David was a huge help to two of our neighbors, one doesn't have a snow blower and the other left and since the plow came through would not have been able to get back into his driveway. He was outside for about FOUR hours!!!

Or as he would say...I will be outside for the season!