We spent Christmas with Jacob's family in Wisconsin. This is Charlotte in her Christmas dress by their tree. There was a list of at least 5 other things that she wanted to do besides stand and take her picture (Can you tell?)
Christmas eve was on the Cranberry marsh with lots of cousins. This was the party table (a.k.a. kid table)
Precious!
Jacob's family reads Luke 2 every year and with this many kids it becomes tradition to act out the Christmas story. This was Charlies first year to participate, and she got to be the Christmas Cow. I was a little nervous when the angels came out with their pretty wings, or the wise men with their colorful scarfs that she would get jealous...
But she stayed committed to her important role.... and knelt down before the baby Jesus as only a cow can.
Jacob's cousin made t-shirts for all the little girls that said "I Love My Papa". It was a really fun idea with a lot of truth behind it.
Christmas morning we were back at Grammy and Baba's and got to open our presents.
Grammy even remembered a special something for Hippo, which of course Charlie loved.
She got a lot of board games, which I am super excited about cause she is more than ready. We have already played Candy Land enough to remember why I hated playing Candy Land.
One of the things that she really asked for was "pink drumsticks" so that added to Abby's new guitar equals the new girl band. Maybe next year she will get a drum.
When coming up with traditions for Charlie I wanted to start one of our own. So every Christmas when she takes her bath I give her a buttermilk bath. It is just a powdered buttermilk bubble bath in the water. It makes her smell amazing and her skin gets super soft. Plus it makes something ordinary a little Christmasy. Abby and I really did it up with the candles we even found some "bath music" to try and make it special.
On our way home we were able to stop by Madison to see my brother Adam and Leah. They took us to Ella's Deli and we had a great time. Delicious Ruben and then you can sit on a horse and shake it all out.
We were glad to make it home after the long drive back. What a great Christmas.
Christmas eve was on the Cranberry marsh with lots of cousins. This was the party table (a.k.a. kid table)
Precious!
Jacob's family reads Luke 2 every year and with this many kids it becomes tradition to act out the Christmas story. This was Charlies first year to participate, and she got to be the Christmas Cow. I was a little nervous when the angels came out with their pretty wings, or the wise men with their colorful scarfs that she would get jealous...
But she stayed committed to her important role.... and knelt down before the baby Jesus as only a cow can.
Jacob's cousin made t-shirts for all the little girls that said "I Love My Papa". It was a really fun idea with a lot of truth behind it.
Christmas morning we were back at Grammy and Baba's and got to open our presents. 
Grammy even remembered a special something for Hippo, which of course Charlie loved.
She got a lot of board games, which I am super excited about cause she is more than ready. We have already played Candy Land enough to remember why I hated playing Candy Land.
One of the things that she really asked for was "pink drumsticks" so that added to Abby's new guitar equals the new girl band. Maybe next year she will get a drum.
When coming up with traditions for Charlie I wanted to start one of our own. So every Christmas when she takes her bath I give her a buttermilk bath. It is just a powdered buttermilk bubble bath in the water. It makes her smell amazing and her skin gets super soft. Plus it makes something ordinary a little Christmasy. Abby and I really did it up with the candles we even found some "bath music" to try and make it special. 
On our way home we were able to stop by Madison to see my brother Adam and Leah. They took us to Ella's Deli and we had a great time. Delicious Ruben and then you can sit on a horse and shake it all out.
We were glad to make it home after the long drive back. What a great Christmas.
