This year our Christmas was definitely an eventful one! The Monday before Christmas, my Dad was admitted to the hospital. After some testing, it was determined that he has Congestive Heart Failure. This was not the news we were hoping to receive, but the doctors are hopeful that with the medications available today, a low sodium diet, and exercise, my Dad will live a full life. My Dad was released from the hospital on Christmas Eve, just in time to have dinner with everyone at Melissa's house. We were all so happy that he was able to join us! And Melissa made a spectacular dinner - it was delicious! Well, enough of the sad part of our holiday. . . I'll move on to the happier highlights!
This was Matthew's First Christmas. He is our little adventurer. When we set up the tree, I was certain he would be climbing all over it, but he was actually afraid of it! Thank goodness for that - I had been worried that he would pull the tree over on himself. He was absolutely terrified of Santa. Which is funny because my Dad was the man in the Santa suit (or "Santa's Helper" as we like to call him). Christmas morning Matthew had a great time playing with his new toys. He had so much fun that he just didn't want to take a nap!
This year Claire really understood the whole Santa and presents concept of Christmas. About a week before Christmas, Claire announced to me, "I Love Santa!" Claire was actually the destroyer of the Christams tree this year. She kept wanting to play with the ornaments. It seemed like every time I turned around, Claire was eating another candy cane from the tree. She was so very excited to receive her presents. On Christmas morning, I was in the family room & heard her wake up in her room. She sat up in bed, shouted "Pessents!" and sprinted for the Christmas tree! I had to laugh as she came running around the corner, so intent on finding the bounty left by Santa. She had a wonderful day playing with her new toys. After dinner, she must have been exhausted. She climbed up on my Dad's lap with a book & asked him to read to her. After the third book, she fell asleep all snuggled up with her Papa. What a precious sight to see!
Tyler was hilarious this Christmas. The one thing her really wanted for Christmas was the "Handy Manny truck that turns into his office." At his Kindergarten Christmas Program, he said that he wanted a Wii for Christmas. This was a strange desire, because we already have a Wii. My mom asked Tyler why he said he wanted a Wii if we already have one. He replied, "I just said a Wii because if I said I wanted a Handy Manny truck that turns into his office, all of the kids would laugh at me!" I guess he played it safe. I didn't buy the truck for him though. It's too big & I have no idea where we'd put it. I kept telling him that he wasn't getting that for Christmas, but he was still looking for it under the tree on Christmas morning, convinced that Santa wouldn't let him down. I don't think he was too horribly disappointed - he got plenty of fun presents. Now Tyler is looking forward to a sleepover with his cousin David tomorrow. He has cleaned up his room so that we can inflate an air mattess for them to sleep on. Just a little while ago Tyler told me, "I can't wait for Christmas to come next year..." I thought he was looking forward to getting more presents, but the next thing he added was, "because I get to have David come for a sleepover!" Too cute!-
Jeff and I had a great time this Christmas. We achieved my goal of having all of the presents wrapped before Christmas Eve! Hooray! After the kids were asleep, all we had to do was set the presents out under the tree! While we set all of the presents out, we watched A Christmas Story on its 24 hour marathon. We stayed up to see the end of the movie & we were way too tired the next morning. But it sure was fun unwrapping gifts with our kids. All of my bargain hunting and 5 months of shopping & preparation were well worth it! Now I can take a break until next August when my Christmas preparations will begin all over again!
Here are a few more pictures from our Christmas celebrations.
Here are a few more pictures from our Christmas celebrations.
Here's Matthew clinging to Jeff because he's afraid of the Christmas Tree.
Tyler & Claire had a lot of fun decorating the Christmas Tree.
Claire decorated this section of the tree. I guess she wanted to make sure she had easy access to the good stuff. I'm such a spoil-sport - I moved all of these candy canes up higher on the tree after she went to bed for the night.
Here are my 3 cuties, all decked out for church on the Sunday before Christmas.
It is definitely not easy to find a "Baby's First Christmas" outfit in size 12 months. Hallelujah - I finally found one for him to wear. He looks cute in his outfit & he's showing off his 2 teeth!
These kiddos are so excited to see what's in all of those presents under the tree! Don't they look adorable in their Christmas jammies. I love the reindeer feet on Matthew's Christmas jammies! My mom bought Tyler some Star Wars pj's to wear for Christmas. About a week before Christmas he got really sad that he didn't have pj's with a Christmas design. So Grandma went out & found Tyler some pj's with reindeer, snowmen & Santa.
Tyler wants to open presents at Grandma & Papa's house. What a cute smile!
