Christmas Memories 2006

Reading "The Night Before Christmas" on Dec. 24th

Opening her first gift.

Baby Brenda goes for a ride in the new shopping cart.

Testing her cool gift from Santa.

Fisher Price house from G'ma & G'pa.

Admiring W's new driving toy.

Asleep on G'ma.

Making a snack at Nana & G'pa's.

Admiring G's new phone toy with Auntie K.

Little Christmas Elf

Draya was busy little elf today, helping mommy & daddy get ready for Christmas...

...testing boxes...





...licking cookie batter off of the mixer tongs...


...and sweeping the kitchen floor.



She is such a wonderful little helper!
Santa is SO going to spoil her on Christmas morning!!

Trying to be more grown-up already

Yesterday Draya didn't want any help going down the back stairs. She pushed mommy hand away ever time it was offered. She made it safely... mommy's hand stayed only inches away the whole time.
She also didn't want to hold mommy's hand while walking into the health clinic where the hygenist looked at her teeth an put fluoride on them. (traumatic but necessary... we'll go back in 3 months for another round). Mommy walked on the street side and all was okay.
This morning Draya didn't want to sit in her high-chair, instead she knelt on a kitchen chair at the big table to eat her oatmeal & banana.
At daddy's office Draya saw mommy get water from the cooler. So, she grabbed a little pointy cup too, put it under the tap, filled it and drank some too.
Tonight she watched mommy shred some papers and promptly wanted to shred some too. Needless to say we did NOT let her (we keep the shredder unplugged).

On another note (he he) Draya loves to sing. Her favourite songs are currently "The Wheels on The Bus" & "Jingle Bells"

Right now she is rampaging the Christmas wrap. Mommy is letting her so that she can complete this entry. I'm going to see what I can salvage now... Cheers!

Daycare Christmas Party Photos

Friday, December 8, 2006

While things were getting organized Draya wandered around a bit.

Then she sat nicely with her 'baby'.

She clapped along to the music.

And danced.

She tried to pick the m&m's out of her monster cookie.

Got juice with her little friend K.

And drank it... all by herself!

What the photos don't tell...
she cried and sat with mommy when the concert first started.
she had fun shaking the jiggle bells.
she cried and wouldn't sit on Santa's lap.
Santa gave her a lovley little dolly.
her dress got quite wet.
it was a WONDERFUL evening.

Ask sometime to see the video footage!
(not sure how to download that)

Solstice with tea & potatoes

Another weekend has flown right by. Draya had her last swimming lesson on Saturday. Mommy worked in the afternoon and the whole family went to L & A’s excellent Solstice Party in the evening. All of the little kids exchanged gifts and Draya got a tea set, a Mrs. Potato Head, a little people princess and some wonderful books. Sunday morning she happily served tea to Mrs. Potato Head while her little people decorated the table. Sunday at lunch Draya went to her Grandparents so that mommy & daddy could volunteer for Summer of My Amazing Luck (great play!) at TN. That night we all had dinner at G’ma & G’pa’s. On Monday G’pa took Draya to the mall & back to their place as mommy was sick. Mommy DID find time to download the camera though so photos are coming… soon…

Draya's Christmas Wish List

Plastic Tea Set
Little Critter Books by Mercer Mayer (we have Mom, Dad & Bath)
Fisher Price Little People Toys
Wooden Puzzles
Toy Vacuum
Big Lego
Colouring Books
Size 4 Disposable Diapers – useful AND she love’s playing with them
Toddler/Kid towels that go over her head
Tights – size 18 months (24 lbs)
Clothing in 24 month size for her to grow into – as long as it doesn’t block her bellybutton access.

Draya does NOT need any more dolls or stuffed animals!! They are her favourite toys but she has to many already!

Christmas Gathering’s Galore!

Last Friday night was Draya’s Daycare Christmas party. The kids worked for a month to learn the words to 4 songs but really only the 3-5 year olds sang. Draya knows the ‘hey’s’ in Jingle Bells and the ‘pum-pa-pum-pum’s’ in Little Drummer Boy. She cried, wouldn’t sit on Santa’s lap, and was far more interested in the teeny-tiny tea sets that the older girls got than the baby sister doll she received. She poured her own juice and valiantly tried to pick the M&M’s out of two monster cookies. It was a good party.
On Saturday Draya had her 2nd last swim lesson & Nana & Grandpa came over for dinner.
On Sunday the family went to E & S & A’s for brunch. Draya chowed-down on potatoes and fruit and then she & A had fun chasing each other around the kitchen island. S read to both of them and Draya kept trying to diaper A’s teddy bear. We are all eagerly anticipating the arrival of A’s new sibling in April.
We left E & S’s about 2pm and went to IKEA to buy a few items and our Christmas tree. Draya & Mommy shared a twist cone and a cinnamon bun while we waited for Daddy to lead the tree in the car. Then we went to L & P & I & G’s for another party. The girls had fun playing with and around each other. We were there over dinner and got to see T & H & J and L & A too.
Daddy put the tree up on Sunday night and Draya & Mommy decorated it last night. Draya is learning how to be gentle with the tree and it’s ordainments.
Next weekend is the Solstice party. Whoot!
There will be photos from both weekends in a later post… as soon as Mommy has time for a download.

Tub-Jinx

Last night in the tub Draya wanted to stand, put her right foot on the edge of the tub and soap down her leg. Her actions had me puzzled until I realized that she may have seen me take a similar stance at the sink when I shaved my legs one Saturday morning before swimming. Next thing you know she’ll be wanting a bladeless razor.
On Wednesday night Draya lined all of her rubber ducks up on the edge of the tub and washed each one individually with her cloth. She then put the littlest to bed under the cloth. First she tried unfolding the cloth on her outstretched legs and wrapping the duck in it. When that didn’t work she lay the duck on its side on the tub’s edge and covered it gently.

An over-due photo retrospective

November 14thDraya loves to dig and play in the snow so Nana took her outside when she came over to babysit.

November 21st

Always wanting to help around the house, Draya assists
Daddy with vacuuming the kitchen.

November 24th

Draya decided that she wanted to wear her pink flowered shirt & pants. It didn't matter
that she was already dressed in something else - she valiantly
tried to put on the second layer anyway.

And then we took this wonderful shot!

November 25th

Draya LOVES playing with the stuffed bunny that lives at G'ma & G'pa house. It's the first toy she looks for when she gets to their house. Here she is posing with him and getting ready to wash his hands before dinner. We were celebrating Great G'ma & Great G'pa's birthdays that night.

November 26th

Great Auntie C was in town from Montreal. Draya FINALLY
posed for a good picture with her at cousin W's first birthday party.

C gave Draya and early Christmas gift. Warm fuzzy pj's and a beautiful
Christmas dress that Mommy will post photos of her wearing during the holidays.
Mommy loved the clothes, Draya loved the bag they came in!

November 30th
Draya playing happily with her musical little people bus.
The Wheels on the Bus is one of her many favourite songs.

December 1st
Auntie N reads to Draya at the No Pants Party. Draya had a wonderful time at the party, playing with all of her adoptive aunts & unclesand spilling not just an entire sippy cup full of chocolate milk all over N's rug but Mommy's marguerita (non-alcoholic) as well.