The cat who stole Christmas...

... or at least the decorations! We're still not sure if we'll be putting up a tree this year...

We may have to be content to look at photos of last year's decorations...

... unless we do THIS! And although Baby thought it was great fun to have her photo taken, she would not enjoy being caged until Christmas!

The dining room last year at Christmastime, with the bay window and half wall decorated.


A variety of pine trees and some sugar houses were set up on the half wall... Not this year.

Guess who discovered that the windows move, swaying back and forth if she tries to squeeze between them to make her way from the family room to the dining room?

Mm hmm. Innocent little Baby, that's who. We no longer have any decorations on the half wall....

...because Baby thinks it's great fun to pry her way under or betwen the windows, which sends everything crashing from the half wall to the floor. Lesson learned.

So the trees, birds, sugar houses and such will stay packed away this year.


I've always decorated the DR bay window with our old animated Christmas doll and a small white tree.

This year, someone else discovered the bay window...

...and has come to realize that it's a great place...

...to spy squirrels and birds.

When Baby sees something that entices her...

...she doesn't let anything stand in her way...

...even if it means climbing the windows to (try to) get it.


Can you imagine what my doll and tree would look like by the end of Day 1? I shudder to think.

She is so sweet and innocent....

... but is a very precocious little kitty child!


The family room last year, decorated with my sugar house village, vintage angels, Santa and some reindeer on top of the TV.

You may remember how I posted that the top of the TV is one of Baby's favorite places to hang out (all the better to bat at moving images on the TV screen).

Needless to say, the village won't be set up this year.

Yes. Baby has claimed almost every item and area in our house as her own.

The top of the treadmill allows easy access to climbing the fake ficus tree in the family room (hence the hesitation about putting up a Christmas tree!).

She runs lickety-split from one end of the house to the other and leaps onto the top of the treadmill.

Here she is batting at the framed artwork that hangs next to the treadmill. Perhaps she thinks the cat in the "9 a.m. in New York City" print (Neuf Heures du Matin New York by Jean-Jacques Sempe) should look more like her!

Oops. She just spotted the parakeet and canary. Thank goodness they are plastic.

Lord knows what she spotted in this photo, but that wild look in her eyes usually precipitates a few minutes of frenzied racing through the house!

Last Christmas the living room bay window was decorated with a vintage tinsel tree and angels...

But Baby has made this window her favorite place to perform daring acrobatics...

... and to practice the fine art of balance.

I think it's safe to say that the feather and tinsel angels will stay safely packed away this year.

So our sweet Baby has really altered the day-to-day living and decorating in our little cottage............... and we wouldn't have it any other way!

To anyone who was waiting for a yearly "Christmas letter," don't hold your breath. Every time Baby hears the printer kick in, she races from wherever she is in the house to attack the moving paper.

She is quite proud for protecting me, as you can see by her big kitty grin.

Lest anyone think Baby is allowed to run amuck all the time, that is not the case. She was allowed to engage in her natural, curious antics for these photos. Normally we attempt to teach her that such behavior is not acceptable. Emphasis on attempt.

Hope everyone else is having fun decorating :)

Donna