Christmas season

• So many traditions to start with girls this young.  Hanging the ornaments, watching certain holiday specials, hanging the lights, decorating the house, etc.  The ornament hanging this year was fantastic!  Natalie was all about it.  She wanted to hang everything on the tree, I think she would have hung the dog by her collar if we would have let her.  She was so anxious she could barely wait for Hallie to wake up from her nap to get started.  We put up the tree and the hung the lights on it before bear woke up and so when she came out of her room with mommy the tree was already up and lit.  She rubbed her little sleepy eyes, squinted as her eyes adjusted, pointed her right finger, and groggily said "pretty".  Which is humorous because that is what Natalie used to call Christmas lights, "pretties".  When it came time to put the star on top Natalie didn't want to do it.  She said she would do it next year.  I said "well one of my daughters is hanging the star on the top of the tree, so if it isn't you can Hallie do it?"  She said "ok, I guess".  So I lifted up Hallie and she "helped" me hang the star on the tree.
• Yesterday I went to hang up my coat and Hallie noticed a pink and blue stocking hat on the floor of the closet.  She picked it up and said "hat, hat, hat" and tried to put it on.  I asked her if she wanted to wear it and she said "uh-huh" in the way only Hallie Bear can.  Now you have to understand the imagery here.  When I get home from work Hallie is not wearing a shirt 95% of the time.  She usually likes to color with markers while mommy makes dinner and to save the shirt Sara makes her take it off.  Wise move, the kid usually has marker on her belly, hands, and face when I see her.  Now add in a pink and blue knit stocking hat that completely covers any hair she has.  Add in a little round belly that sticks out over her pants and a diaper showing above the waist.  She was stinkin' hilarious!  She proudly showed mommy and Nanee what she was wearing.  Nanee took one look and goes "you look like a man!".  Mommy quickly said "no she doesn't" in between her snickers of laughter.  Hallie quickly responded with "Eden!!" her "man" cousin of 4 months.  It was awesome.
• Sara got out the Christmas toys/books on Sunday while we were decorating.  Natalie is only slightly attached to those things.  They came out and she spent 45 minutes playing with the Advent little people calendar.  Now you have to understand that there are 25 stuffed little people associated with this thing so she had plenty to do, it isn't a traditional lift a flap Advent calendar.  But she is also protective of the actual Christmas Little People.  She wanted all of them, both sets all to herself, Hallie wasn't allowed to have anything.  We make her share but Hallie lasts about 5 minutes and then is off to another toy so it doesn't really matter in the long run, Natalie still gets her toys back really quickly.  On Monday morning Natalie was using the potty and made me stop outside the door and wait for her.  She goes with the door wide open still, not an ounce of shame in her little body yet.  I thought it was weird that she made me stop because she never makes me stop.  She's big enough to go on her own and if she needs help she will just come out to the living room and ask, with or without her pants pulled up.  She said "Daddy can you wait for me?"  I said "Sure, what do you need".  "Nothing, I just want you and Hallie to stay here with me."  And then kind of quietly "so Hallie doesn't get my people".  The little manipulative big sister!!! :)
• Hallie has learned to say "no".  I don't like it.  Not at all.  My sweet little Hallie Bear should not be able to look me in the eye and say "no".   She's to sweet and innocent.  Oh who am I kidding, she got the nickname Bear for a reason and it isn't because she's soft and fluffy!  "Hallie eat your supper".  "No."  "Don't tell me no, eat your supper."  "No (with a little smile)".  "Hallie pick up the toys, please."  "No."  "Leave the lights on."  "No."  "Don't hit."  "No."  "Let's go take a bath."  "No."  You get the idea.  She is still sweet but it's like this is her new word and she is going to use it!