Lydia Grace Barron and Molly Joy Barron

It's time for Christmas catch-up! This was Lydia's 4th Christmas, and the first time we really played up Santa Claus and presents. She had a lot of fun this year, observing the Christmas lights around the neighborhood, Santa Clauses everywhere, and most of all...singing and dancing to Christmas music! Boy does she love it! Meanwhile, it was Molly's first Christmas, and although she doesn't "get it" yet, she had a lot of fun, too!

On Christmas morning, we greeted Molly with a song for her first Christmas! (video, below.)

Remember what Lydia asked Santa Claus to bring to her for Christmas??

He brought it!! She must have been a REALLY good girl this year, because her new dollhouse is taller than she is! It's very cute, and very detailed. It came with wooden furniture, and has so many sweet details. "Santa" spent a lot of time putting it together. (Thanks, Oliver.)

She was actually kind of timid at first when she came down the stairs to see it. She was clearly happy, but didn't know if she should go touch it or not. She wasn't sure what to do! Videos, below.

She also got Princess dolls, a Baby Alive doll, a real Dirt Devil vacuum cleaner (junior version) and lots of other fun stuff. What a blessed kid she is!

Molly had fun opening presents, too! Video, below.

I love this picture of the girls with 2 of their cousins at Omi and Opa's house! So cute. (Molly, Lydia, Warner and Miles)

Here is our top 10 moments of Christmas 2011! Enjoy!

10. Grammy had knee replacement surgery on December 14th and is recovering really, really well! Lydia visited her at the hospital with me a few times and was such a good girl. Grammy has been home now for over a week, and she is doing great! Grammy had been in a LOT of pain leading up to this surgery, so we're so happy for her to have a new knee!

9. Lydia wanted to listen to/sing the same three Christmas songs over and over and over. We Wish You a Merry Christmas, Jingle Bells and Silent Night. She walked around the house singing them, and danced anytime Christmas music was playing was on the stereo.

8. We had a great time taking the girls to visit Santa Claus and we love the picture we got!

7. Molly looked SUPER cute in her first-ever Christmas dress (the same dress Lydia wore for her first Christmas - pics coming soon).

6. Lydia fell in love with the Nativity scene figurines at my parents' place. Although they're made in Italy and they've been in the family for a long time, they're pretty indestructible, so Grammy let her play and play and play with them. Each time we went over there, Lydia would leave with at least 2 of the figurines. Boy did the wise men and baby Jesus have fun at our house!

5. Lydia enjoyed Omi's special homemade Christmas cookies, and really loves her Nutcraker music display!

4. We took many walks to see a special Christmas display in our neighborhood. A few neighboring families have joined forces to display approximately 25 or so of those large blow-up Christmas decorations. It's pretty spectacular for kids, and Lydia loved it.

3. We had 2 absolutely perfect Christmas celebrations with our families. On Christmas Eve we had the Kreutz Christmas with my parents, my sister and her boys. It was so much fun! And on the 26th we had the Barron Christmas with Oliver's parents, brother, sister-in-law and their boys. It was a perfect night. As for the 25th, we had our own Christmas morning and then a special dinner for Omi and Opa at our house (Grammy and Poppy were invited, too, but it was too soon following Grammy's surgery.).

2. Rather than Lydia waking us up on Christmas morning begging us to open presents, Oliver and I were up before her, eagerly waiting by the Christmas tree with coffee and cameras so we could see her reaction to the dollhouse!

1. A few days before Christmas...Molly started crawling! This kid has NOT wanted to crawl! She LOVES to cruise, however, and definitely prefers it. We have some fun crusing videos that I'll have to share here soon.