Olivia meets Santa and I do all the crafts

I think this is about the time Santa and I were sharing a laugh at this girl’s face. Because it really doesn’t change.

So. No hysterical crying picture this year. Olivia just thought she was sitting on a comfy red chair. (I’m kind of sad these turned out so dark, but I guess free is free and no line makes for happy babies.)

Besides, Olivia had to stay in a good mood because Mama wanted to check out the make-your-own-crepes bar. And bacon. And cream puffs.

They went all out and had a couple conference rooms with activities for the kids. One room was a place to make a Christmas bulb ornament with our family’s thumbprints-turned-REINDEER FACES!

Another room had a station where kids could make a good old-fashioned Popsicle stick tree ornament. Baby too small to glue down buttons without eating them? No problem. I’LL just plop myself down in a conference chair, two toddlers on each side, and make one myself. Never mind I’m the only parent in there crafting in lieu of my baby. I’ve been waiting YEARS, YEARS you guys, to be able to craft a Popsicle stick ornament and have it actually be from my daughter. (Full disclosure: I may have a sad Popsicle stick craft project I did awhile ago hidden in my underwear drawer.)

But hey, it was in doing these activities that surprised me that I cared so much about it. Christmas is obviously a huge trigger for those in the throes of infertility. (Believe me, I know) Making ornaments, even though it wasn’t technically Olivia (ok let’s be honest, it wasn’t from her in the very least), it was representing that I had a child.

Olivia was dressed in her best albeit only sweater dress. (She’s wearing this as her Christmas outfit too because IVF bills.) (I wonder how many infertility references I can make in this post…) The shoes? Totally came from her birthday outfit.

Girl don’t care as long as there are people to watch and platforms to hang out by. Especially Olivia-sized platforms.

She thought the tree was pretty cool. Things in general become a lot cooler simply by pointing at them.

After we stopped at the hot cocoa bar, we made our way upstairs so Olivia I could decorate a gingerbread cookie to take home.

Once I saw the finished project, it totally became Olivia’s cookie. She has to work on her sprinkle aim.

That Sunday we set up our Christmas tree (downstairs, because I thought that would be a bit easier to manage during the day with a busy baby) and Olivia was enamored with all the decorations.

She was fascinated with the tree.

Lights! Glittery objects! (That purple hummingbird in the tree? Infertility ornament exchange.)

So I pretty much can’t wait for Christmas this year. And I know I said that last year. And last year was good. But this year? Better.

It just keeps getting better doesn’t it?