Tis the season!

Yay our first post since the Thirty Days of Thanks! We must have been exhausted little bloggers since we took a few day break. We have been busy at the Maple house! Lots of Christmas spirit and lots of family time, THE BEST!
Our Christmas tree is up! With only ornaments where Declan can't reach. The garland is up and Jonathan even made a table top tree with what was left over from our tree! And we have been running the pellet stove and listening to Christmas carols,  it is quite merry in our house!
We started a tradition this year with Declan, 25 Days of Christmas Books! I wrapped twenty-five books and placed them in a box. Each day Declan and Daddy get to pick out a book and then we all sit down and read it together. The plan is that we will just use the same books every year. Although this year and probably for the next several years we have a good number of board books. Lots of touch and feel books because that is what he loves best. Jonathan also didn't even want to know what I was wrapping because he wanted to be surprised too!
So what have we read so far....
Day 1: How The Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
Day 2: Little Polar Bear finger puppet book
Day 3:That's Not My Reindeer...by Fiona Watt
Day 4: Biscuit's Pet & Play Christmas by Alyssa Satin Capucilli

We have also watched Elf and Christmas Vacation! Declan loved Elf. We tried to put him to bed but he wanted to dance to all the music and so we did! Last night the little sapling went to bed at 6:15pm! So we watched Christmas Vacation and were in bed by 8:30pm, it was fabulous!

This afternoon was a little rough for Declan. He is either getting a little cold or cutting more teeth. He was not his normal self. He appeared tired but would not go down for a nap. So this mommy for the first time in Declan's life put him in the car to see if he would crash out. He did not. Instead, Jonathan joined us and we ran around the zoo for an hour! Right now he is sleeping in the car...didn't have the heart to wake him up and bring him inside. While he sleeps I am heating the bathroom and running the humidifier at the highest level and running the essential oil diffuser in the bathroom for a peaceful pre-bedtime bath. Maybe it isn't just for Declan but for this mommy too!

Love,
The Mommy Tree