The Changing Table Olympics, and Other Fun Games

Zoë is no longer sitting still.  No, really, not at all.  She moves everywhere!  She crawls wherever she has access to in the house, squirms on the changing table making it impossible to change her diaper let along get her into any clothes.  We've taken to giving her a toy while she's being changed to hopefully distract her for the 30 seconds we need to get the job done.  She's learned how to pull herself up on the couch from her tummy to a standing position.  She's only fallen backwards and bonked her head once, but I'm sure this is going to happen more and more.  She has no fear, really.  She's gotten a lot more clingy, too, especially when she's tired, though she has also been reluctant to leave daycare when either of us go to pick her up.  I thought that wasn't supposed to happen until she was older and wanting to stay to play, but apparently I was mistaken.

Her new favorite thing is to shake everything she comes across to see if it makes any noise.  She's got a fun jingle bell toy in her stocking that we're dying to give her but "it's a Christmas present!", so it has to wait.  I think there may be some other musical instruments in her future for Christmas, so she'll LOVE exploring those.

We've been keeping up with the holiday traditions we've been keeping for the past few years and adding a few more.  Zoë saw Santa without any tears and after standing in line for only an hour.  We asked the photographer what we should do with her and she said, "Just back her up to Santa so she can't see him, set her on his lap and back away so she doesn't even know he's there".  And it worked!
























We went and got a Christmas tree, decorated the house, and have done some baking to make baskets for our neighbors.  Stockings were purchased that match like a good family's should.  Zoë is even drinking from a bottle with Santa on it.  :)

Tonight we went to Snowflake Lane in Bellevue.  Zoë slept for 14 (!) hours last night, so we were a little nervous about how today was going to go anyway, but adding in a drum show with loud music and crowds just at her bedtime and we thought we would be playing with fire.  We bundled her up for the 27 degree weather and she watched the show wide-eyed but with no tears.  Next year it'll be more fun, but I'm glad we went because I love the show!  If that doesn't put someone in the holiday spirit, I'm not sure what would.

All bundled up!

Chris has been working non stop on the playroom down in the basement (with his deadline of the beginning of January so I can furnish and decorate it by Zoë's birthday party).  So far he has ripped up all of the carpet, knocked out a wall to gain us some floor space, installed can lights, put up the drywall, mudded and taped, and now textured the walls to prepare them for painting.  Now, all that will be left is painting and installing the floor (and the trim, and fixing the door that the thieves kicked in a couple of months ago, etc.).  I'm sure he's looking forward to the job being done, he's working so hard all of the time.  I'm looking forward to the toys and supplies being contained in one place in the house.  :)

In addition to participating in all of the holiday fun, I've been doing more planning for Zoë's birthday party.  I can't wait!  It's going to be so much fun and we're looking forward to spending time with our friends (because, let's be honest, this party is more for us than for her!).

Birthday party invitation photo shoot.