Christmas Preparations

We have been busy getting everything ready for Christmas!  Cara and Mummy each made a star for the tree.  Last year's Christmas cards made 2 great stars to top the tree!

Completed tree 2011.

Cara loves crafting these days.  Cutting and taping are her favourites.

Gwen is walking walking and walking.  She sleeps when not walking then wakes up and walks some more!  

Our Gingerbread creation for 2011.  Grampy made the walls and roof and Cara and Mummy and Daddy built it and decorated it. Cara did most of the roof by her self and she thought of making a snowman.  She also tasted all of the candies.

Cara had her last class of preschool this week.  Now she is on break until January.  They had a little performance and some treats after class for the parents.  We were asked to bring a birthday cake for Jesus so Cara helped decorate!  Look at the bottom of this post for a cute video of part of her performance!

Friday Cara and Nana baked and decorated some cookies!

They had a great time!

Gwen and Howie had a great time too!

Cara and her Blue Christmas jello jigglers!

We got some fresh snow this weekend and we got the sled out to show Gwen the fun of playing in snow.  Daddy raced them up and down the yard over and over and they laughed and laughed!  

Gwen loves the snow!

Here is Cara and Leah singing about meatballs and sneezing!  At the end Cara says "I sneezed inside my meatball!"

Gwen Walks!!!

Three of our local Prairie Chicken flock digging for some dinner.

Gwen likes to dig for dinner too.  Hmm...marshmallows, oatmeal or Golden Grahams?

Cara dictated a letter to Jolly Old St Nicholas on behalf of herself and Gwen.  Then she decorated the letter and drew a picture on the back.  She is getting so excited!

Gwen is such a dainty eater!

We set our tree up over a couple of days.  Cara liked the look of the tree with just lights.

The next day she was actually a big help getting the ornaments on.  It went much quicker with another pair of hands to help!  Gwen watched us decorate while having a snack in her highchair.  

Once she was set free she quickly taught us how high up all the ornaments had to be.  The lower 1/3 of the tree is free of all but stuffed ornaments and the tree is tied to the wall!

We are counting down the days until Christmas with our Advent calendar, our Advent wreath which we light every night and a countdown candle that we burn away a number every day. There is zero chance that Christmas will slip by us!

The biggest news of this week is that Gwen started walking - really walking!  She's been practicing and stepping and pushing her walker around and on Wednesday she just started walking across the room and around the corner and back!  She is so proud of herself and just can't stop walking!

Christmas Party!

We had some snow this week so Cara got to make the first Snowman of the winter!  He is a bit small but we had lots of fun making him!

On Sunday we went to the Annual Daddy's Work Christmas Party!  It was at a new indoor playground and Cara and Daddy had a great time crawling and climbing!

And sliding!

And climbing some more!

Gwen got to play too in the toddler section.  She had a great time playing with other babies!

She got some sliding in too.  She loved it!  She was laughing and laughing while coming down the slide!

Cara got to have some cake so that made her day.

Then this guy came through ringing his bell calling all children!

Cara was a little worried to go see Santa.

But she did great!  No tears from Cara!

Gwen did cry though.  Not because she was afraid of Santa - she just didn't like Daddy passing her off.  She wanted to have Daddy hugs!

Presents directly from Santa helped and Cara helped Gwen open the paper.  

After a bit more playing we headed home and the girls went right to sleep exhausted from the fun!

Haircut!

Gwen's kissy face!  One of her favourite tricks!

Cara's first haircut!  She was ready and very brave!

After the trim she can see without hair in her eyes!  

Gwen looked on with envy :)

Another of Gwen's new tricks is walking the stroller around - which is tricky because if she puts weight on the handles to hold herself up then it tips and they both fall - so walking this around is like walking with only a little bit of support.  She is so happy walking all around!

On Friday evening Cara and Mummy went to her preschool for an activity of making an Advent wreath.  Cara calls it a Birthday cake for Jesus.

Gwen and Cara are getting very excited for Christmas.  Gwen is shouting "Hooray"!

Cold week. Short post.

We have had a cold week and we didn't really do anything!  Cara went to school and Gwen practiced walking.  We had a nice dinner at Nana and Howie's house and tried to keep warm as we had -30 windchills.  We didn't take any pictures except the two below this so above are a few Instagram shots from the past month or so. 

Gwen had her 1 year check up and is doing great.  She weighed 23 lbs but I think that is a mistake - we'll get another weight check soon when she gets her shots in a week or two.

Cara had a check up too and she weighs 37 lbs!  And is 1 metre and 1 cm tall!  She is loving school and her hair has become a mop top.  She will be having her first haircut soon!

Gwen's 1st Birthday Party x2!

Gwen had her very first Birthday this week.  It is hard to believe that she is 1!  She is still our sweet baby :)

She got to have 2 celebrations one on Wednesday and the other was a party on Saturday!

All set to hear "Happy Birthday" being sung by Cara, Daddy and Mummy!

So enthralled with the candle!  Cara helped with getting enough wind to blow it out!

Birthday Girl did not like having a cupcake.  She didn't even taste it!

Cara loved it though!

Then it was present time.  Gwen loved her gifts - thanks to everyone!  Cara also helped with the unwrapping :)

Saturday we had a party and this is the Butterfly cake that Mummy made.

Freya, Cassidy, Cara and Gwen anticipating the CAKE!

Gwen loved this candle too!  She tasted some cake too but she wasn't that into it.

Birthday Girl and Daddy.  Gwen was a great party hostess and enjoyed more presents and had so much fun with the girls.

Our Gwen :)

She is just so cute!