I spend a lot of time resting/laying on the couch, and Annie has been snuggling up with me a lot lately. She’s always full of questions and lately they’ve all been about Christmas. We were looking at some pictures of Christmas from last year when she said, “Look! There’s my baby tree! When are we getting another baby tree?!” I had completely forgotten about getting her a small tree. So much for the traditions I’d started last year! But Annie, that kid forgets nothing.

I honestly wasn’t sure when I’d be up for all the rigamarole involved in getting a real tree, but I promised Annie we’d make sure it happened soon. I had to do it in little bits. First I asked her how she wanted to decorate her tree. “It will be a princess tree!!!! And I will hang princesses on it!!!” What a shock. A few days later, we took her to Target to get some decorations. I told her she could pick out one tree star and three ornaments. She chose a big ornament that said, “Princess” on it (I swear she can read that word and that word only), a Princess Tiana figurine, and a pack of five Grinch ornaments. Since the Grinch ornaments were in a package she got me on a technicality. Good work, Annabel.

Finally, after enduring nonstop “When are we getting the tree? When are we getting the tree?” we went to the lot yesterday to pick one out.

Let's go get a tree THIS HIGH
I want to get a tree that’s real high!

She marched around, determined to find the perfect princess tree.

the boss

When she found the one she wanted, she could not be swayed. Luckily its big bald spot in the back meant it was cheap!

This is the winner

After we got it set up at home, we put on our Christmas pajamas (or put them back on, in my case) and got to decorating.

Adding the star
Putting the star on the tree

choosing ornaments
Carefully choosing her ornaments.

Annie and her Princess Tiana ornament
SO proud of her Tiana ornament.

She was sort of into hanging ornaments herself, but extremely into telling Mike exactly where to hang them.

Annie directs the decorating

decorating the Princess Tree

Once she’d hung up all the new ornaments and old snowflakes, I surprised her with some princess ornaments I’d made out of clip art and thick paper.

looking at the ornaments mama made her

decorating the Princess Tree

She was very excited about those ornaments, which made me happy because they were free and are unbreakable!

having fun decorating the Princess Tree

The finished tree could not be more “Annabel” if it tried.

annnnnd there's the weird smile
This weird smile of hers kills me.

She sat or danced by the tree all evening, until it was time to go to bed. As she headed to her room she said, “Goodnight Princess Tree! See you in the morning! I love you!”

I’m so glad she remembered that we owed her a tree.