Little Things

We spent Christmas with Ryan's family this year.

Christmas Eve started out with yummy food followed by a talent show.Sarah plays the violaMommy and Boys give a finger puppet Nativity playMax gives his best rendition of the Hulk, followed by an explanation of superheros and their powers

Then it was on to Stupid Human Tricks where we learned that Ryan can wiggle both ears, the Pankratz kids can touch their noses with their tongues, and Brooke can fit her entire fist in her mouth.

Of course there was Christmas Bingo......with loads of prizes to be won, including false eyelashes.

Then in was time for Christmas PJ's and lights out for the little ones.The big ones stayed up to decorate packages...

(okay so only I did that because I have this weird need to make packages pretty)...and to arrange and rearrange all the gifts.
Then it was lights out for the big ones finally around 1:00 a.m.
We didn't want to keep Santa waiting any longer!

I never thought that I would actually have my baby on his due date. I know people with Christmas birthdays, none of which really appreciate sharing their one special day with family parties, crazy holiday traditions, and tired parents. So, we always do a little party a few weeks beforehand, but I have always wanted Max to know that his actual birthday was and is a very special day to us. So we started up a little tradition this year. We take him to a special Birthday Breakfast before any of the crazy holiday gathering commence.
His adoring uncles, Mark and Jeff, came with us this year to Denny's. Who knew that many other people also dine in for breakfast on Christmas Eve? Well they do apparently, at least at the Denny's in Lehi. Even Thurl Bailey was there.It can't be possible that my baby is already 4! He brings so much joy to our family and is learning so much everyday. He is really kind to his little brother most of the time and takes a good beating from him on a regular basis. He is always telling me how much he loves me and the thing he wants the most is for Mom and Dad to play with him. He has a memory that scares me. He can recall things you said and places we've been from years past.
Favorite Things:
Pretend Play, especially the superhero kind
Riding his bike and scooter
Being Outside
Reading books with Mom and Dad
Music and Dancing; he likes to rock out with his guitar
(...which if you know Ryan & I is a bit of a surprise...we aren't really the "rocker" type of folk)
Carrots, Apples, Cheeseburgers, Pizza, Chick-Fil-A. Chocolate Milk
Playing with his cousins
Preschool

As I watch my little Batman jumping from the sofa to save the day, I can't help but want to freeze time. I know in a blink I will be longing for the day when he could be anything he wanted, and believed we were all invincible and could make our own reality. Oh, Max. If I could only bottle your sweetness, your big imagination, your innocence.

Max's preschool put on a little Christmas Program at our local Arts center. He did such a good job and was so cute to watch. I worried that he would be too shy to really participate in front of so many people, but he did so great and was really into the whole thing.

He would come home singing bits and pieces of all these cute little Christmas songs. Before we knew it Luke was singing them too! At the program Luke would sing the words he knew. Max singing the baby Jesus song

Making Gingerbread cookies. Driving around looking at lights. Watching The Grinch, Frosty the Snowman, Polar Express, and Rudolph. Reading the Nativity Story. Just a few of the pre-Christmas things we have enjoyed doing together so far. Luke is only 22 months old but he has caught onto the whole Christmas thing so much more than Max did at this age. He knows who Santa is although he wants nothing to do with him in reality. We love listening to him sing Jingle Bells, Santa Claus is coming to Town, and Away in a Manger. He tells us "Baby Jesus" all the time. It's true. They are like sponges as this age.
Max has caught the Magic of it all this year. He realizes what it means to be on the Naughty and Nice list and all that it implies. Threats actually work on him this year. He has been excited about every ornament, every light, every song...it's just been magical. All he wants is a Leapster, he says. I have loved to see him be so interested in the Nativity Story. He says that Christmas Eve is his birthday and the baby Jesus. Everytime we are driving and the stars are out he says "Mom, I see a New Star." "It's for Jesus' birthday!" We have tried to teach them about giving to others. I explained to him why the man is ringing the bell outside of WalMart and let him put money in the bucket a few times. One day we came out of the store late at night, it was snowing and I had no more change or cash on me. He just started crying and telling me he needed to give the man some money. So we hurried to the car and found some spare change and ran back in the freezing cold to give to him. How could I not?

When Gram sent Max a $5 bill for his birthday, I said, "Max, you can buy whatever you want with that", to which he replied, "I can give it to the man with the bell."

Max had his first friend birthday party this year. Obviously Christmas Eve is not the best day to throw a birthday party, so we let him celebrate his big day a few weeks earlier and the theme was an obvious choice, since our home has basically been taken over by Marvel Superheros.
The hosts: Spidergirl and Big Batman.The party. Jolea was so cool to come as Wolverine.

Really that is the only explanation as to why we would do this. Oh, and then you take the caffeine and add on top of it..it's the only explanation as to why 3 generally rational and in control women would head out in minus whatever Idaho weather in the wee morning hours to stand in hour long lines to get MarmaDuke...which by the way...we never got (poor Christine...that's all she wanted). But we did walk away with a pretty good load from Toy's R Us and a few things from WalMart. By the time we returned home at 4 am, well we might as well have gone back out. Sleep is overrated when it's 4:00 in the morning. Thanks girls for the memories.

THANKSGIVING IS...
being in the kitchen all day... and then getting this