Merry Christmas, Mandy Rose!!

Last year, Mandy Rose didn't really "get" Christmas. Now, don't get me wrong. She "got" getting presents; but she didn't understand the meaning of Christmas. This year, we have talked alot about it being a celebration of baby Jesus' birthday! She would practice singing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus....so cute! Of course, she is also into Santa, snowmen, The Polar Express, Christmas cookies, Christmas lights, hot chocolate, and presents!!! She is 4 years old after all!

It has been a crazy Christmas this year. I had surgery the Tuesday before and, unfortunately, had some complications that landed me back in the hospital for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (don't worry, I'm doing much better.) Daddy, Mama Kitty, and Papa Ron got to open a few gifts with Mandy Rose on Christmas morning but they saved most of it for when I got home. Since she is such a good kid, she was perfectly happy to open just a few things at a time! Lord, I love this little girl!

Mama Kitty & Papa Ron got her a new baby doll! We actually gave her the same doll when we were in China, so now she has twins!! We have named them YinYin (her nickname in China) and MeiMei! Rifling through her stocking! Santa left her lots of goodies!!

A whole stack of new books!!

Santa scored BIG TIME with a new keyboard for Mandy Rose!! She loves it!!

It even has a working microphone, so we got entertained quite a bit!!

Papa Ron chipped in and helped set up her train set...which she promptly tore back down again! Four year olds, sheesh!!

Last year, we started the tradition of growing an amaryllis for Christmas. I had to take a picture of Mandy Rose and this year's flower. They are both beautiful!!

Although this Christmas was not the ideal I had pictured in my head, Mandy Rose had fun and she learned more about Jesus. Really, isn't that what it should be all about?