The night before Christmas.

I came home to find P and SS baking chocolate chip cookies from scratch for Santa. The house smelled really good. SS scared us a little because she was at her most hyper, and we wondered how we would get her to sleep.  There's nothing like the incentive of Xmas morning, and SS knows that Santa won't come in the house until she is asleep.  Darn, for someone who is so opposed to lying to children, I'm becoming quite the weaver of falsehoods. 

By the time I arrived home SS had already placed the reindeer food just outside the front door.  After getting her in her Xmas PJs, we gathered downstairs to get Santa's milk and cookies ready.  SS decided that Santa needed seven cookies "because he has a big belly to fill." She even shared her Xmas straw with the old man in the suit, and was worried that the milk would not stay cold.  Because apparently Santa likes his milk very cold. We are so going to burn in hell for all the story telling and enabling.

We watched How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the cartoon not the long movie) in bed to get SS to calm down.  After that we read The Night Before Christmas, then SS went downstairs to say goodbye to Munch, who is flying to the North Pole tonight.  SS was sad that Munch is leaving, because she has really enjoyed getting up each morning and looking for the naughty elf.  We reassured her that Munch will return next year. And again the allure of waking up to gifts made the parting easier.

SS made me think about the speech assessment this evening. I was complaining that it was hot, P right away said no way.  He hates it when I open windows or the sliding door at night. Our thermostats just do not mesh. Poor SS was wearing flannel PJs and it is very warm in Southern California, so she quickly sided with me. She said to t P exasperated "It's hotter than Hades in here!"  Sometimes our girl has a way with words.

SS's teacher provided the reindeer food, and it also contained glitter. PETA is going to be all over that one.

Smallest tree we have ever had, but SS was happy and that is what matters. SS went all Martha Stewart this weekend and started making snowflakes. For having dexterity issues she did a really good job with the scissors.  SS proudly hung her snowflakes on her tree.  See those "gifts" under the tree?  SS wrapped some of her toys to share them with us.

Another SS creation, not sure what she was going for with this one. But she said she was going to decorate the door and she did it her way.