Christmas Morning

It's Christmas morning, it's Christmas morning! Girls, please gather together for a cute, calm, and perfectly arranged photograph.

Hmm. Oh well. 

 Time to open stockings! Hair accessories definitely made a prominent appearance this year for the four girl cousins (and Gemma's hair is finally getting long enough for pigtails).

Almost, Gemma. Keep at it.

Timo's first stocking! (And first necktie (on a onesie), passed down from Hawkins cousins in Port Orchard.) Rest assured he was very excited by the Sandra Boynton books that Nonna stuffed into his stocking.

Bella, Granddaddy, Timo and Gemma getting reading for another attempt at a photo with the grandparents and grandchildren. (whoops this is one of the better shots from this session.)

Meanwhile Jim puts the finishing touches on the homemade cinnamon rolls. This was J&J's 5th (??) Christmas making homemade rolls for the Gieser fam.

"Nonna, I wanna play piano!" This was Gemma's most-repeated sentence during our visit, and multiple times during the week all FOUR granddaughters climbed up on to the piano bench to play together.Here they are squeezing in some quality minutes before present-opening time.

Now that is a joyful expression! And Bella is meanwhile having a teddy bear play the high notes.

 

snuggle time with Granddad

 Avery and Bella are very passionate about their baby dolls, and for Christmas they received these absolutely adorable (and authentic) Ergo baby carriers. Aren't they hilarious? Sometimes when Avery was carrying her baby around, I saw her patting it on the back, just like a little mother.

And what did Gemma get for Christmas? A bathing suit! Which she promptly wore all day for the next five days! (and still requests every day since) Oh, and new underwear - so hopefully potty training can commence soon, after our big move of course. Naturally she wanted to put the bathing suit on over her diaper, and put the underwear on over that.

"Mommy, I wanna go in the swimming pool. And then Gemma can jump off the diving board!" Well, she didn't get to jump off the diving board, but she and Jim did go over to the Wheaton College swimming pool one afternoon. Big highlight.