Sunday, December 19, 2010

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

19 comments:

Claudia said...

Love, love these photos, Donna! She reminds me so much of my parents' kitties. They are constantly getting in trouble. The parents have their Christmas tree out on then screened in porch where Lydia can't get to it1

xo
Claudia

Unknown said...

Hello, I'm new here in blog land, found your blog right next to mine on My romantic home had to look because of the word Cat... Mine has of course a mind of it's own as well Please come and visit my blog soon Merry Christmas to you and your.

Deb said...

I am so in love with that cat. She is so full of beans and must be a lot of fun to play with. But, I do understand how a kitty like this can put the brakes on any seasonal home-decorating. I'm glad you had pictures from last year so we could see what your home COULD look like and it was very beautiful. Hugs, Deb=^..^=x5

Deb said...

I am so in love with that cat. She is so full of beans and must be a lot of fun to play with. But, I do understand how a kitty like this can put the brakes on any seasonal home-decorating. I'm glad you had pictures from last year so we could see what your home COULD look like and it was very beautiful. Hugs, Deb=^..^=x5

Joanne Kennedy said...

I am sitting here cracking up. She is one tallented kittie! You DO know it is HER home and she is just allowing you to stay there with her. LOL

She has to be one of the cutest cats I've ever seen. I could sit there all day just watching her.

How smart is she to figure out all that stuff!


Who needs decorations when you have cute fur babies to brighten your day.

Hugs,
Joanne

Sharon said...

Your home is beautiful and your furchildren are your decorations!
What a beautiful cat!

Donna said...

Baby is saving you a LOT of work with the decorating! Your decorations were just beautiful from last year. And she would destroy them in a New York minute, LOL!

Stephanie said...

Cats are soooo bossy! Mine are constantly telling me what to do..."let me in"..."let me out"...ugh. But, then they crawl up in my lap and purrrr and of course they get everything they want!

Heaven's Walk said...

What a fun post, Donna! Baby had me laughing all the way through it. Where would we be without our furbabies entertaining us, loving us, and claiming everything in their world as theirs.... :) How could one NOT love that??? lol! May fav pic is the one with Baby's tail straight up in the air on top of your shutters!

xoxo laurie

Susan said...

Hilarious post, Donna. Sure you don't want to re-name Babe as Grinch? She's stealing your Christmas but she's also stealing your heart. With a face like hers, who cares? She's beyond adorable. Susan

Restoration House said...

Baby is adorable! Who needs Christmas decorations? lol
Kim;)

MelMel said...

Such enchanting pictures!
Have a really lovely Christmas!xx

Brandie said...

Ohhh, makes me want to go find my own Baby! She's too cute and her energy makes me laugh. If it wasn't for PugsLee, I would be down at our local pound.
Thanks for sharing the fun!

Catsngrams said...

I laughed and laughed at your post. What a fun kittie. I hope your holidays are full of blessings and more fun with Baby.

meowmomma said...

Oh my gosh....only a cat lover!! That made me laugh so many times and reminds me of my Mombi ~ a black girl I adopted 12/27 coming up on 3 years. The vet told me to take her back, she's so wild!!! But we have struggled it out. Right now she is in a galloping phase and is about in for a rude awakening because we are getting ready to move into our motorhome and travel for the next year ~ her running room is going to greatly diminish!!!

btw; I googled the word wicked to name her becuz of her sharp claws and teeth ~ Mombi is the Wicked Witch of the North in the complete story of the Wizard of Oz and since we live in KS, it seemed to fit!

Merry Christmas! Your decorations were/are beautiful! I hope you get to put them out again, someday!!

MelMel said...

Thank you for such a lovely comment, have a lovely Christmasxxx

Brenda Pruitt said...

Oh, but Baby is so darned cute!!! I wish Emmy would come out and try some of this. I know things would get broken, that there would be mayhem. But at this point, just to see her unafraid would be priceless. I so enjoy your sharing of Baby with us! Merry Christmas! You've got one sweet kitty there!
Brenda

Elaine said...

Baby and Percy were definitely separated at birth! You were smart to not decorate at all.

I tried it and ended up with several decorations broken or ruined. I have now de-decorated. Lesson learned!

Priscilla said...

Hello,Just wanted to say I have loved looking at your photos in this post your cat is extreamly cute and made me smile!! Have a happy Christmas..

Priscilla x