Cassidy dressed and ready for church on Christmas Eve -> 
Our tree on Christmas morning (before Cassidy woke up!) ->
Cassidy, cousin Alex, and Mama at Mama and Papa's house Christmas Day ->
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Santa Came To Our House!!
The big guy came through this year, and Cassidy finally started to understand what was happening. After we got home from the Christmas Eve service at church, she put cookies and milk out for Santa and hung the special key on the outside of the door so Santa could get into our house. And sure enough, on Christmas morning the cookies and milk were gone, our stockings were full, and our tree had presents under it!!! Hooray!! Thanks, Santa!!
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Teddy Bear Tea
Shortly after Thanksgving, Gramma Kathy sent me a list of the most wonderful holiday activities the Founders_Inn had planned. It was hard to choose, but we finally decided the Teddy Bear Tea would be the best choice for our princess this year.
The Teddy Bear Tea was today, and Cassidy had a great time! The Founders Inn is decorated beautifully at this time of year, and the tea truly catered to the children. The atruim was set up with little white tables and white linens. The centerpieces were scented teddy bears for us to keep! The buffet was full of Cassidy's favorite foods - grapes, strawberries, and grilled cheese!
They even had strolling violinists who visited each table, and face-painting elves! At the end of the tea, one of Santa's Elves read "Twas The Night Before Christmas". It was a wonderful event, and we're definitely planning on returning next year. Thanks for the tip, Gramma Kathy!
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Cassidy waiting patiently for the tea to begin ->
Cassidy's keepsake teddy bear... it smells like gingerbread! ->
Cassidy getting a train painted on her face ->
Cassidy enjoying the violin serenade ->
Daddy, Mommy, and Cassidy at table 17 ->
Cassidy posing in front of a gingerbread house ->
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
What a Pretty Princess!!
School Picture Day happened while I was in Albany, NY two weeks ago. To show what a great Daddy Matt is, I wanted to post the pictures for you to see. He did an awesome job picking out her clothes and doing her hair. I'm not sure why she had to have one sleeve rolled up, but something tells me that was her preference and not Miss Grashaun's!! What a pretty, pretty princess!!!
Saturday, December 15, 2007
She Did It!!!!!!
I can't believe it was my child sitting there in that big green chair today, happy as could be, carrying on a conversation with Santa. Is this the same child that's been captured on film year after year in that same man's lap with her mouth wide open, tears streaming down her bright red face?!? Could it really be so?!?!
The answer is yes. And how did we get Cassidy to cooperate so nicely today? The answer is simple: bribery. Dr. Phil says it's important to know what your child considers as their collateral, although the purpose is not so you can bribe your child... even thought that's what I used it for just this once. One thing Cassidy considers to be collateral is the coin-operated kiddie rides at the mall. Sure enough, as soon as we approached the mall entrance to Target (where Santa AND the rides are located, lucky for me!), Cassidy started asking about the rides. We walked by them so Cassidy could see that they were still there. While we were in line for our visit with Santa, I told Cassidy that she could ride whichever ride she wanted, as long as she sat nicely and smiled for her picture with no crying or screaming. I gave her the three quarters the ride required and even let her hold them (they're in her left hand in the picture). While all this was going on, Matt asked "Are you bribing her?" and I said "As a matter of fact, I am".
To make the situation even more favorable, one of Santa's Elves told Cassidy that she could have a "poppy-pop" (lollipop) if she smiled for her picture with Santa. More collateral in our favor!
When it was our turn, Cassidy walked right up to Santa and showed him her tiger (check out Santa's left knee). Cassidy sat on his knee and waited patiently for the photographer to get a good picture. She even thanked Santa for her poppy-pop when her turn was over.
Ok, so who took my screaming, Santa-hating child when I wasn't looking?!?!?!?
The answer is yes. And how did we get Cassidy to cooperate so nicely today? The answer is simple: bribery. Dr. Phil says it's important to know what your child considers as their collateral, although the purpose is not so you can bribe your child... even thought that's what I used it for just this once. One thing Cassidy considers to be collateral is the coin-operated kiddie rides at the mall. Sure enough, as soon as we approached the mall entrance to Target (where Santa AND the rides are located, lucky for me!), Cassidy started asking about the rides. We walked by them so Cassidy could see that they were still there. While we were in line for our visit with Santa, I told Cassidy that she could ride whichever ride she wanted, as long as she sat nicely and smiled for her picture with no crying or screaming. I gave her the three quarters the ride required and even let her hold them (they're in her left hand in the picture). While all this was going on, Matt asked "Are you bribing her?" and I said "As a matter of fact, I am".
To make the situation even more favorable, one of Santa's Elves told Cassidy that she could have a "poppy-pop" (lollipop) if she smiled for her picture with Santa. More collateral in our favor!
When it was our turn, Cassidy walked right up to Santa and showed him her tiger (check out Santa's left knee). Cassidy sat on his knee and waited patiently for the photographer to get a good picture. She even thanked Santa for her poppy-pop when her turn was over.
Ok, so who took my screaming, Santa-hating child when I wasn't looking?!?!?!?
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
A Visit With Santa... Almost
Cassidy's school had their Winter Celebration last Friday night. This is when all of the parents from the Suffolk and Pruden Centers are invited to the Suffolk Center for refreshments, crafts, games, and an opportunity to tell the big guy what's on your mind.
Cassidy won a peppermint-scented candle on the prize walk, made a candy cane out of pipe cleaners, got her face painted, made a stuffed snowman (think Build-A-Bear Workshop), and enjoyed sampling the refreshments.
When she asked if we could go see Santa, I said "of course!!!". Given her history of SCREAMING at the sight of the jolly old man in red, I was ecstatic that she would even consider looking at him.
The good news is that she didn't scream or cry. Progress!!!
The bad news is that she was glued to me, and we barely got her to look at the camera. Luckily, one of Cassidy's favorite Speech Therapists was in the room and got her to glance up long enough for a picture. We finally have a picture of Cassidy and Santa sans tears, and she even got a Pocahontas book from the Suffolk Literary Council when we were finished. I call it a success!!!
Cassidy won a peppermint-scented candle on the prize walk, made a candy cane out of pipe cleaners, got her face painted, made a stuffed snowman (think Build-A-Bear Workshop), and enjoyed sampling the refreshments.
When she asked if we could go see Santa, I said "of course!!!". Given her history of SCREAMING at the sight of the jolly old man in red, I was ecstatic that she would even consider looking at him.
The good news is that she didn't scream or cry. Progress!!!
The bad news is that she was glued to me, and we barely got her to look at the camera. Luckily, one of Cassidy's favorite Speech Therapists was in the room and got her to glance up long enough for a picture. We finally have a picture of Cassidy and Santa sans tears, and she even got a Pocahontas book from the Suffolk Literary Council when we were finished. I call it a success!!!
Monday, December 10, 2007
Our house is finally decorated!!
Between me spending 3 days in the hospital the last week of November, and another 3 days in Albany, NY the first week of December, we've not had the time to decorate the house for Christmas. We've had to do it a little at the time, so this post has been about 2.5 weeks in the making. We bought the tree one day, decorated the outside a week later, finished the tree and decorated the inside a week after that!!
Here are a few pictures of our Christmas decorations. Cassidy woke up this year and is all into the decorations. She was put in time out three tims the first night, but has gotten much better since then. All of our Department 56 North Pole Village pieces are displayed on the dining room table, and each morning as we come down the stairs she tells me, "Mommy, I no touch that. I look." So maybe timeouts worked!!!
Shopping for the tree ->
Here are a few pictures of our Christmas decorations. Cassidy woke up this year and is all into the decorations. She was put in time out three tims the first night, but has gotten much better since then. All of our Department 56 North Pole Village pieces are displayed on the dining room table, and each morning as we come down the stairs she tells me, "Mommy, I no touch that. I look." So maybe timeouts worked!!!
Shopping for the tree ->
Loading the tree into the truck ->
Cassidy getting a taste of what is must be like to be Santa ->
This one is of our house from the outside. Yes, we're "those" neighbors... we'll throw the pumpkins away (check out the front steps) when we're ready to let them go!!! ->