Christmas Dates!

For family waiting...here are the photos from our Christmas dates!
Instead of a big gift under the tree (trust me, there were lots of small ones, though!), Alex and I decided it would be fun for me to take each girl out on a special 'date' to do something special.  It went really well, and the girls were so pleased to be able to have some choice in what we did and to have mommy all to themselves for half the day!

We started on Saturday with Geneva.  My sweet little girl was so easy.  She had seen an advertisement for something called a 'Snow Kiss' (Sprite float with a scoop of Strawberry ice cream on top) at a restaurant nearby.  And had her heart set on having that for our date!  So we dressed up, headed to the mall, and sat together with our drinks.  She enjoyed every bit of the ice cream...it took well over an hour for her to finish it up, but we had a good time.  Here she is!

Add dressed up and ready to go!

Outside the mall...Geneva loved the 'baby' Christmas tree.

The 'Snow Kiss'

Wendy was next, with a big date to the Nutcracker at the Shanghai Grand Theatre.  It was a beautiful production.  The Shanghai Ballet Company puts in on most years (although two years ago Alex and I got to see the Ukrainian Ballet perform it here in Shanghai, which was gorgeous).  We were accompanied by some good friends.  And of course, the girls' American Girl dolls dressed up and came along for the fun!

On the subway heading downtown!

Nutcracker display outside the theatre!

Wendy and Caroline ready for the ballet to begin.

At the theatre!  We had great seats on the lower level.

Vera chose something a bit more active, and we hit the climbing wall for the morning of Christmas Eve.  She is amazing on the climbing wall.  She insisted on trying the 'hardest' climbs, and fully entertained everyone else there.  Although there weren't actually very many people there since it was FREEZING.  NO HEAT.  Yup, no heat.  If I had know that, I would have encouraged her to choose something else for her date.  She did not seem to notice the lack of heat, but I certainly did.

Ready to go!

This is how she spent most of her time...up and down, up and down!

Good form!  

Still 'thawing' out at the restaurant.