Melina has been practicing hard for her preschool’s holiday show next week. She’s memorized two lines to recite from “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” and loads of holiday songs for a singalong with all the families.

She also visited Santa yesterday, and for the first time since she was a baby didn’t burst into tears. She sat on Mommy’s lap next to Santa, and Mommy had to relay what she wants for Christmas (“Tinkerbell and pink things”) but she smiled the whole time and said “thank you” when handed a small candy cane.