The big day

Lets take a stroll back through Ava's past history with St. Nick. Here's Ava's first visit.

The next year wasn't any better. She sat on his lap for a mere millisecond...if that.

Wanting Ava to have a better experience this year, I went into prep mode a week before the visit. We read The Night Before Christmas every night, we acted out possible scenarios that could happen, practiced what she would ask for, and we watched Dora's Christmas Special (where she visits Santa) over and over and over. This is how Ava's encounter with Santa went.

I'm so proud of my little girl! Even though she felt like crying, she held it together. She sat on his lap...leaps and bounds above last year. And by the end of the visit she was even able to squeak out what she wanted. I wish I got a pic of Ava afterwards. She was smiling from ear to ear and would show her bag of candy that Santa gave her to anyone who would ask if she saw Santa.

Reid didn't know what the big deal was. He doesn't care who is holding him, just as long as he's being held.

Here's one lap that both kiddos don't mind sitting on.

This year I decided to start a advent calendar for Ava. Each day leading up to Christmas we do a different activity. Today's activity was writing a letter to Santa. I found this cute print-out that was perfect. Ava loved getting to color it just for Santa.

Just to clarify, the reason why Ava wants a camera that works is because the battery in the old camera we gave Ava, won't hold a charge anymore. So she doesn't just want a camera, she wants one that will actually take pictures.

I know it's not Thanksgiving anymore, but I just had to post this little activity we did last week. Everyday for the month of Nov, we would all write one thing we were thankful for on a piece of paper. Then we would add that strip to a paper chain. I saw this activity and knew it would be a perfect way to record Ava's thankfuls.

My favorite was "loud noises that wake-up Reid". Lets just say that wasn't on my thankful list.