And, guess what? I love you, I love you, I LOVE YOU!

This year is the first year that Q is really getting into each holiday. So christmas is going to be a big deal this year, and I finally have to step it up and get some fun traditions going. Q and I really enjoyed putting up the christmas tree, and Q was super excited to see all her ornaments and help me put up mine (the ones I trusted her not to break...best believe she did not get anywhere near the awesomest miss Piggy angel ornament ever). She has also enjoyed peeling off the advent card each day and seeing the little surprise each morning. And the glowing heart musical bear that has been in the family since Mitch's first heart operation as a baby now has a permanent place in her bed and she affectionately calls it "Mitch's bear".
But I wanted to start a new tradition. So we adopted an elf.
George joined our family at the beginning of December, and will stay with us through Christmas Eve (when he returns back to the northpole with Santa).
For anyone not familiar with "the elf on the shelf" ( I wasn't until this year). Here is the idea. The elf watches the child throughout the day, making note if they are bad or good. Then each night he/she magically flies back to the northpole and reports back to Santa about the child. When the elf returns the next morning he usually lands himself into funny situations or areas around the house, so when the child awakes they get to go look around and try and find the magic elf. There are websites all around that give fun ideas of things you can do with the elf, and it's been fun to see Q get super excited to find George each morning.
On December 1st, the first morning of George's magic, Q found him like this....

George not only got caught playing on the christmas tree, but he also brought back a new ornament for Q. "Alice in Wonderland" is Q's new favorite movie, so it was only appropriate that a falling Alice ornament join our tree in 2011.

George has also been found sleeping in a hanging stocking, hiding up on the chandelier in the kitchen, putting together a puzzle, with puzzle pieces thrown about the floor from Q's room to the family room, and this morning George was found sitting on Q's windowsill along with all her other babies, dolls, and stuffed animals.