Polar Express - 2017 Edition

Well we've made it to and from the North Pole ( Monitcello, IL) once again. I think it was our best trip yet - everyone was healthy, no one was scared of Santa, and everyone came home happy and ready for bed!

Excited for the Choo Choo Ride!

Hot Chocolate!

Elsa decided she would be brave and talk to Santa this year!

Looking for Santa at the North Pole

Waiting for Santa to board the train!

Getting his Jingle Bell

  

Not so sure about the Hobo

12 Days of Christmas Sing-along

 Always a fun day and now we are ready for the Holiday Season! 

Our Four Year Old

I feel like I say it every year, but it's hard to believe it was four years ago when we brought home this tiny and precious baby girl. The other day she was curled up next to me on the couch and I remembered the hours we'd spent snuggled up -- her head perfectly fitting right under my chin and her little body bundled up atop my chest. She has grown so much, in so many ways. Gone are the chubby legs and cheeks, and although she still likes to snuggle every now and then, she's much more interested in running around, playing games, and doing projects. 

At four years old, Elsa has become quite independent. She likes to pick out her clothes and dress herself (although most mornings, this requires a lot of encouragement --- like her dad, early mornings are not her thing). She loves to be a helper - she is my shopping buddy, my little cleaner, and most of the time, a great big sister to Miles. Elsa continues to be a picky eater, but if she has her creature comforts (hot chocolate, berries, and peanut butter), she is happy and is more willing to try different things. 

Elsa loves board games, playing versions of tag, painting, dressing up, and music. She loves to perform her made-up songs, and have dance parties before bed. She loves her books and has a knack for reciting them word-for-word (even some longer ones). She counts things and likes to do little math games with her food. She likes to play "I Spy" during car rides and is now insistent on buckling her own car seat. She draws rainbows (in the right order, even), and has discovered the magical effects of glitter. Most days our dining room table is transformed into her art studio. 

She gives great hugs and has a fantastic laugh. Her little attitude can be frustrating in the moment, but it also serves as a reminder that she will do great things in this world. She's been leading us on this wild ride since day one.