The sundress (and sunglasses) are packed -- we're headed to Florida for Christmas, where we hope Santa can find us amid the palm trees and seashells. Happy Holidays to all!
We took Mia to see the Nutcracker today in a scaled-down version for young kids. She and her buddy, Lily, were completely captivated for the entire performance. At one point, Mia's hands started waving in tune to the music as she tried to emulate the movements of the ballerinas. Adorable. Afterwards, the kids had a chance to say hello to the dancers, who posed for photos and distributed some treats (being enjoyed in the above photo).
We kicked off the first night of Hanukkah this evening, with a family dinner (thumbs down on the latkes, but big thumps up on the sufganiyot) and an exchange of presents, which included a pink butterfly trampoline and a new nightgown for Mia. To say she was ecstatic is an understatement. And while the fact she was literally jumping for joy was in and of itself heartwarming, the sincere thank yous and hugs we received from our well-mannered little girl were nearly heartstopping. Here are a few more photos.
Whilst shopping for sweaters to combat the freezing Bay Area weather, Mia decided that a tastefully simple black headband was a new crown. She quickly substituted it for her beloved Dora tiara, which will always be perfect for dressup (at home), and I was more than happy to encourage the switch. It appears we may have safely made it through the first of what I expect will be many princess phases.
Princess Mia paid a visit to Santa today and, shocker, she ran right up to him and told him a big story about going to Florida for Christmas and wanting a big pink princess bike. This was a spontaneous visit, so we were stuck with the sparkliest sneakers ever and, of course, the tiara. It's not everyday that Santa gets to meet royalty, I suppose.
We finally found the perfect dress to match Mia's favorite panda shoes, and since she is only wearing dresses these days, I'm hoping this gives all those princess dresses a few days off.
We are celebrating our first Christmas in Marin with a real tree, my first in decades. Mia picked it out last night and she was very proud to show it off for the camera today. Let's hope bringing a taste of the Great Outdoors inside doesn't give our tree-loving canine any messy ideas, or it is back to fake tree land we go...
We went to Slide Ranch today, a lovely little farm that is run by the park service and is nestled on the side of a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The views are breathtaking, making a return visit with a camera other than my phone a definite obligation. There are goats and sheep to pet, chickens and ducks to follow, and many opportunities for hugs with Dada. Perfection.
Thanksgiving arrived at the Corey house, but not before Grammy, Poppy, and Cousin David (from Chicago) paid a much-welcomed visit. Today, we were slightly disappointed to contend with some rain showers, until we looked out the window and discovered the biggest rainbow any of us have ever seen.
