Trimming the Tree

After putting this off for too many days, we finally trimmed our Christmas tree this evening. The Baby Butterfly was extremely excited to see all of the lights and ornaments. She seemed giddy the entire time, giggling her way around the room. The Ladybug was the big helper throughout the evening, making sure all the ornaments found their way to the tree.

The Butterfly doing her best to help with the trimming of the tree.

As I streamed the lights around the tree, I lit the first strand of white lights so that I could see there they were resting in the tree. When I turned on the lights, the Ladybug "oohed and ahhed." But, what made me laugh was when I turned on the red lights to complete the tree lighting she looked in awe at the beautiful lights, came over to me, wrapped her arms around me and said, "You are the BEST mommy in the world!" Hard to believe that some simple Christmas lights would evoke such a reaction. I am on cloud nine now!

After getting the lights on the tree and streaming some garland through the branches, it was time to decorate the tree with ornaments. I did the unpacking while the Ladybug did most of the trimming. She loved every moment! However, as she was carefully placing each ornament on the tree, I noticed something... the ornament placement was determined by her height and where she could climb to get up higher. Of course, after she went to bed, some of "Santa's helpers" visited our house and fixed the ornament placement by evening them throughout the tree.

Our lopsided tree.

The tree after "Santa's Helpers" moved some ornaments around.

Upon opening our ornament boxes, the Ladybug found her baby Santa hat.  She sighed and said, "Ahhhh, I wish I was a baby again.  I really want to wear this Santa hat."  I looked at the tiny red hat and immediately thought the baby would look adorable in the hat, and since this is her first Christmas with us, the monogram is perfect... "Baby's First Christmas."  I recalled at that moment the first Christmas we spent with the Ladybug and how special that moment was for my husband and I.  We had waited so long to be parents, and in November 2006, just one month before Christmas, we were blessed with our darling Baby Ladybug.  Now, just four years later we are again are feeling so blessed to be the parents to another beautiful baby girl, this time our Baby Butterfly.

The Baby Ladybug in her Santa hat in 2006.

The Baby Butterfly donning the very same hat in 2010.

The Baby Butterfly did her best to help her big sister. She handed some of the ornaments to her sister and played with some other ornaments when she got bored. Not to fret, she seemed to love the time with her family and giggled each time a new ornament was placed on the tree (yup, there was a lot of giggling going on this evening!).

The Butterfly helping to unwrap some ornaments. 

Playing with one of the ornaments.

  

Checking out a fun bumble bee ornament... seeing if it tastes like honey.

Looking carefully at the bumble bee.

The Ladybug admiring the bumble bee ornament last year, 2009.

After the tree was trimmed I placed the Baby Bug next to the tree to look closely at my favorite ornament, a little Chinese girl next to a small pagoda. I took a photo of the Butterfly looking at the ornament and I remembered that three years ago I took a similar photo of the Ladybug next to the same ornament. It is so neat to see both girls enjoying the same ornament.

The Baby Butterfly admiring the Chinese girl ornament.

The Ladybug in 2007 admiring the same ornament.

Enjoy a few more photos below of our evening. We had a great time and are now looking forward to the joys this season will bring.

 The Butterfly happily trying to place an ornament on the tree.

Looking at the lights.

An excited little girl.

Oh happy day!

Our silly girl with her adorable crooked grin, excited about the Christmas season.

~~Aloha!