"Daddy, Daddy!!" Christmas

We had a really great Christmas vacation this year. We left our house on the 22nd and got back on the 1st, so it was super long and lots of fun. Here's a rundown of how it went and what we did, since I can't possibly remember everything!

*The explanation for the title of the post is because Kyndal became overly obsessed with Ben on the trip. She wouldn't let him go anywhere or do anything without her, and even two minute trips to the restroom that she couldn't accompany him on were traumatic events. So it was "daddy, daddy!" either happy or screaming or whiny for the entirety of our trip. He kept saying how important gender roles in a family are and I don't know that he's ever been more excited to go back to work. Of course he loves her and I'm sure loves that she loves him, but whoa.

*Ben was home for a few days before we left so we spent those days going on bike rides. Kyndal loves to fix the bikes, so she helped out a lot. And she took her teddy bears to school on her bus for several days as well. It was a very important task.

*We stayed the night in Snowflake on the way to NM, after a 4 hour trip to even get there. The whole way between Payson and Heber we went an average of 25 miles an hour and were in 4 wheel drive the whole time too. Oh and we had the drivers side windshield wiper ice over so Ben Ace Ventura'd it for about an hour. Exciting! While I relished (honestly, I freaking loved it) in the below-20 degree weather the whole week we were in NM, I truly appreciate the lack of winter weather Phx affords us. Temperature is a whole different story.
*Christmas Eve we spent at my Aunt's house with my Grandma visiting from her nursing home. Kyndal started her Christmas off well, getting a super nice table and chairs set and a tea set from them. We also went and looked at lights and Kyndal met Santa for the first time. She didn't cry but was highly nervous, hence her hands in the about-to-take-flight position.

We tried putting her in the stroller, and I believe here she's saying "out! out!"*Christmas morning brought an abundance of presents, most of them for Kyndal. Ben and I did make out pretty well too though, I got a seatbelt purse (a Harvey's bag, go to their website, you'll covet them too) to use for a diaperbag that I've been coveting for a while, I also got a Coach wallet and money to buy maternity clothes so I don't spend the last two months of my pregnancy screaming and throwing things. Ben got lots of clothes and a cart to go disc golfing with, and he (we) got a BluRay DVD player. Kyndal of course made out like a thief, but she was too over stimulated to really realize it. She got a really great little kitchen from my parents and also got pots and pans and food to go with it. And about 100 other little things, so now we get to clean out the toy box so our family room isn't invaded by toys.

So here's the story on the little trike. The box says 2+ years, well, our little shrimps legs don't even reach the peddles! So she has to push it still for probably another year, even though she gets the concept and tries valiantly to peddle. *The big story of Christmas is that my sis got a Wii, so that's what we spent most of our time doing. We all left with Wii-itis of the elbow, but how much fun is that dang thing? Kyndal thinks bowling is just about the funniest thing ever, not sure why but it's entertaining nonetheless. The rest of the time we played Halo on the XBox or drove Kyndal around on the 4 wheeler. She was nervously pumped about that thing, it was funny. She got a super scared face on and would almost be crying while saying "weeeeee!" and laughing at the same time. So cute, but she loved it and now when ever she hears one go by at our house it's "Fur whee-er! Fur whee-er!". She also tormented my parents dogs, except for one of them who totally loved her and they spent several hours chasing each other around-Kyndal laughing and him barking. *For any of you who watch Food Network 24 hours a day like me, we got to eat for the first time at Bobcat Bite in Santa Fe, which FN has proclaimed has the best burgers in the country. We went with some friends of our family and our group of 11 took up about 1/2 the restaurant. But I did truly eat the best green chili cheesburger that I've ever had and I still remember exactly how it tastes. Mmmm. Kyndal you're really missing out on this meat thing (she's our resident vegetarian).

*We left on the 30th and went back to Snowflake, or Jakeland as Kyndal would call it, for New Years. Kyndal has THE biggest crush on her cousin and follows him around, calls for him, and wants to hold hands often. There's a creek by Ben's mom's house and so we took K down there for the first time. BEN let go of her hand so she took the opportunity to take a swim in it, at least on the edge where all the mud is before you get a chance to go deeper and rinse off. So that was fun, though I will say it again, BEN let go of her. If Ben were writing this, he'd say it was me who didn't catch her as she went right by me really fast, but I am not all that spry these days, so it's BEN who is to blame! New Years was fun with Ben's family, and relaxing because of Benadryl for K, playing cards and doing a puzzle that looked easy but was impossible. But wow I have never thought it was more pointless to stay awake on purpose. Can't I just celebrate when I wake up New Year's morning? So tired right now.

I'm sure there are other great things that I'm leaving out, but this is long enough. Kyndal loves all of our extended family and it's so great to visit everyone and see her be so excited to see them all. She was a great little girl on the trip, we can't wait to see how much more fun she gets this year! Oh, and she did get her first pedicure (by me, not at a salon, I'm not that crazy. Yet.), and is very proud of her pretty pink painted toes.