Cha-click

Wow, what a busy weekend.

Saturday morning, I took Penny shopping. We picked up some Christmas presents for Jess and Ray (alas, she could not find the gifts for them that she wanted, so we had to pick something else) and Alex, and a birthday present for Alex. We also got her Christmas dress (black velvet and silver, very elegant!) and some patent leather shoes to go with it.

I wanted to get a Christmas outfit for Alex, but all Target had for boys were miniature suits -- not even in very Christmas-y colors. I know people think babies look cute when dressed up like little adults, but it's not really my thing. I was looking for something more along the lines of a onesie with candy canes on it, or a bodysuit printed to look like a Santa outfit. So I'm going to have to go somewhere else to get him something. Or else fall back on his solid green onesie paired with red sweatpants.

(In digging through my scrapbook table today, I found the hats he'd been given in the hospital -- Santa-style, red with a white ball, and white with a red ball. I put one on him this morning, just to see if I could. It did go on his head and stay there, but it was so small and stretched so far that it looked more like a yarmulke than a stocking cap.)

I also dragged Penny to the bank with me, and she was so good for all the shopping and errands that after lunch, we packed up the whole family and went to New Town to see Santa.

Penny was excited to sit on Santa's lap, and she went through her entire little wish-list booklet with him. (It's a good thing there wasn't a line behind us.) Of course I took pictures, but I haven't uploaded them yet.

We tried to put Alex on Santa's lap, too, but he started crying the instant I let go of him. I took one picture, and then picked him back up. Maybe next year. Or the year after. Whatever.

And while we were in New Town anyway, we stopped at Barnes and Noble so I could pick up a book for my Book Club's Christmas exchange, and some gift cards for other people. And then we took Penny on a horse-drawn carriage ride, which really flipped her lid.

That evening, we had Braz over to eat takeout Chinese with us for dinner, and he brought me his fancy-pants SLR camera for me to borrow for a week or so, so I can decide if I really want one of my own.

Sunday was the usual chores, and then after lunch I took Alex down to my parents' for a visit while Matt took Penny to the library. While I was at my folks', I picked up her moon cookie molds, since this year's moon cookie party will be at our house.

After we got back from that, I put up our outdoor Christmas lights (I have two long icicle light strands, each of which is nonfunctional for the last four feet. WTF?) Penny was napping, and a little disappointed that she didn't get to help me, but I promised she could help me put up bows and ornaments later this week.