Penelope is the almost two-year-old daughter of my friend Kari Underhill Cecil and her fiance Daniel Payne, and she is absolutely precious. The youngest of four, she is a silly little dancing machine.  Asking millions of questions about anything and everything like toddlers do. She loves to boss her older siblings around and her mama said "She always knows what she wants, and won’t stop until she gets it." Like cookies for breakfast or to wear her shoes 24/7 (on the wrong feet.)
Kari Underhill Cecil
Kari Underhill Cecil
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Recently, she has developed a bit of an obsession with Santa Claus. Which is kind of hilarious because her mama told me that last year Penelope was terrified of him. It's hard to stay scared of a jolly ole guy who brings you presents though!  "She has been watching Santa shows for two months now like Miss Rachel Santa and Super Simple Songs Santa, anything and everything Christmas," Kari said.
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Last week, Kari's older brother Steven AKA "Uncle Steve" got to babysit while Kari took some of her other kiddos' friends home. What you have to know about Uncle Steve is that he is always trying to pull one over on his friends and family, especially his nieces and nephews. He was a year ahead of me in school, and he was always hilarious cutting up in class. This time, little Penelope was the perfect target for his next prank.
Kari Underhill Cecil
Kari Underhill Cecil
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Kari said that while she was gone, Steven decided to pretend that Santa was stuck in the floor vent with the elves who were going after him! She said "He is very dramatic and convincing. " He told Kari about it, but Penelope seemed to be unscathed...until later that night. The fam was sitting in the living room and Penelope walked over to the vent, leaned over, and asked "Santa, are you okay?"  Days later, she has been checking on him about five times a day. Here's how it usually goes:

It has become something fun for the whole family now and Penelope's three older siblings are loving it.  "They think it's hilarious and try and find Santa down there with her," Kari told me. I hope Penelope doesn't decide to slide his cookies and milk through the grate instead of leaving them out for him!

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