Happy New Year!

The new year is off to a great start. Emily went back to school yesterday and I think she was very happy to be back. She was really energetic and talkative after school. With the new year, there is a new seating arrangement and she is sitting with Quinn, one of the boys in her class that she has a minor crush on. It isn't all unicorns and rainbows, though. Apparently yesterday he kept trying to talk to her during lessons and she had to tell him to knock it off.

Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, though, I should back up and post photos from the holidays. Emily had a great season. We left off with her fancy school lunch, which I think she looked lovely for!

This is most of her class, and her two teachers, but there were two kids missing. As you can see, it is predominantly girls and they all get along pretty well, so it continues to be a great environment for her.

Emily managed to get a bit of skating in before Christmas and, true to form, made a friend instantly. She and this little girl just held hands and skated together almost the entire time. I don't know how she does it, but she can pick up a friend pretty much anywhere, anytime. In fact, she made a new friend in the neighborhood over the break and the girl lives very close to us, so that is a new, easy option for those days when other friends aren't available to play.

She also managed to get in a visit to Santa this year. Talk about last minute - it was December 24th and there was no line because all the other kids have parents that plan ahead! :) She planned in advance what to say to him. She told him that she "wanted all the people who don't have stockings, or a fireplace, or a tree to get at least three presents because I already have everything I need." So sweet.

However, she did put together a Christmas list this year and Santa did pretty well with it. Among other things, she got the American Girl bunk bed for Ann and her other dolls, she also got lots of books, two new watches, new earrings, and a Polaroid camera.

Christmas Morning!

Emily also had a good trip to New Orleans. She had waited a long time for beignets and bread and butter from Commander's Palace and neither disappointed. Although, we didn't manage to do another ghost tour, which disappointed Emily. She had her heart set on actually seeing a ghost this year. She also wasn't too happy with me when I told her that I could take her to a haunted hotel, only to find that I led her to a place that was literally called "The Haunted Hotel." On top of that, we weren't allowed to go inside the hotel, so all her hopes of ghosts were dashed.

Vacation ended with a few more play dates and a trip to the theater to see the newest Star Wars movie, which I think that Emily was really pleased with. She gobbled popcorn and watched wide-eyed. All in all, not a bad holiday break!