Let the marathon begin..

My neighbor just came over to bring Emma a Christmas present and told me Emma looks just like me now that my face is fatter. Then she replenished the cookie tin that she saw I had demolished.

Anyways.

We finished the Gingerbread house yesterday afternoon when Drew came over. We had a hard time getting Emma to actually decorate the house rather than eat all of the decorations. Her sweet tooth must be coming in.

And that gingerbread house, she's a real beaut'.

Despite all their bickering, Drew and Emma really do love one another. About 3 seconds after I snapped this photo Drew started screaming "She's choking me! She's choking me!" I told him that her intentions were nothing but sweet.

Then Uncle Luke came over and the wrestling broke out. My daughter is apparently a big fan of the drop kick. Who taught her how to drop kick, seriously? 

Drew stayed the night and today they immediately attacked Luke when he walked in the door. He's an easy target.

Here is Emma getting ready to bust out the drop kick. Seriously, I am baffled.

Now Dad is home after another long week away, and Emma won't let him shower, walk in the other room, leave her alone for even a second... This was week 3 that poor Joey has had to travel for work, and I think it's taking its toll on our Emma.  I'm hoping this traveling stuff is long gone before the "dirl" arrives. We really don't know if it's a boy or a girl, but Emma calls it the "dirl" in my belly. 

Tomorrow begins our Christmas marathon. We are headed up to my Uncle John's and Aunt Kim's, and I am so excited I can hardly wait. Words can't describe how much I love this time in December. I thank my Mom for making Christmas time so memorable while we were growing up - and to this day there is something so magical about Christmas. I can remember the excitement and the perfection and going for a long drive every year to find Rudolph's nose in the sky. We saw it, I know we did. 

Now it's my job to create that for Emma, and the pressure is on. This year I think she's really gonna get it and she will feel the magic. And 20 years from now she won't remember the presents or the stockings, but she'll remember being with her cousins and her family and all of the excitement and wonder that happens in December. This is our last Christmas just the 3 of us, and it's going to be the best one yet.