Yes, this post is one of those long lists of things that only I find interesting. Patience. Each Christmas I try to record somewhere (my journal, an email to my mom, a scrap of paper stuffed in my bedside table) some things I want to remember about that year's celebration. This year I'm doing it on my blog.
- According to David, two things come on Christmas Eve: Santa and snow. (Santa came but the snow did not.)
- Celery
- My grandma sent Mary a set of cute socks. Mary immediately wanted to try them on, so I chose a nice white pair with cute red bows that matched her pajamas. Mary was happy with those, until she saw the turquoise ones. She was adamant about wearing those turquoise socks all day.
- David and Mary crawling up on Greg's lap to check out Mary's new book. (They each get a new book to open on Christmas Eve.)
- The striped fleece mittens Mary insisted on wearing all evening Christmas Eve. (See them above and below.)
- The Nativity
- Greg makes calzones on Christmas Eve. When I explained to David that they were like pizza in a pocket, he thought that was hilarious. It was like the silliest thing he'd ever heard, and he couldn't stop laughing about it.
- Trader Joe's makes a good Panetonne. If only they made a Pandoro...
- David refused to watch "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" because he thought the DVD cover looked scary. He does not like to watch shows about people who are angry.
- On Christmas Day David was so excited about his new toys and games that he couldn't take a nap. So we let him stay up. (A very big deal in this house.) Greg and David had a good time playing his new games.
- When I asked David what part he wanted in our nativity reenactment, he immediately responded, "Angel!" He really liked flapping his wings.
- After a week of lighting the candles on the candelabrum each night, and then blowing them out (which is David's job), Mary started to blow too. She would take deep, gasping breaths and then blow a raspberry.
- At 6:05 am (ug!) on Christmas, when it was time to go look under the tree, David took off down the hallway and Mary chased right after him.
- Christmas morning Mary marched straight over to her new chair, climbed right up, hugging her new little mouse. She knew that chair was for her. (Mary really likes sitting on things. She explores the world with what cute little bum.) She sat there for an hour, sucking on a peppermint stick, presiding over the gift-opening from her perch.
- Once Mary climbed off her chair, it was a constant battle for David's Playmobil toys. If she grasps one of those people, there is no prying it out of her fingers.
- When we sorted all the presents Christmas morning, David's job was to get them from beneath the tree and toss them into the appropriate pile. He did a good job.
- In the days leading up to Christmas, the presents were variously walls, gates, mountains, and train tracks. Fortunately, everything was well wrapped and well packaged.
- David expressed a great deal of concern this year that there are no wise men on the German candelabrum.
- Mary wore my new Hello Kitty watch throughout our Christmas "dinner." (Christmas dinner consists of rolling up the carpet, laying out some blankets, and eating rotisserie chicken and deli salads on the floor in front of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." I know better than to try to cook my own poultry on Christmas, Deanna. And my children's wildest dreams come true--eating in front of the T.V.) Mary was so happy sitting in the booster seat on the floor of the living room that we left her there until bedtime.
- Mary as Mary
- This year we inaugurated the (real) sleigh bells--thank you, thank you, thank you, Grammy and Grampy. When David heard them, he shouted "Santa!" But he knew better than to jump out of bed. He tried so, so hard to fall asleep. I've never seen him try so hard. But, as expected, hearing Santa's sleigh bells made it even harder to fall asleep. David was so excited that he kept squeaking. He would try to stay quiet and control himself, but squeaks of excitement leaked out.
- Mary wore a new little pink backpack for most of Christmas morning. (Have I mentioned she likes accessories?)
- When David opened a present, he would exclaim, "My own (monster tractor/airplane/book/etc.)!!"
- The outrageously decorated house a few miles from here with choreographed lights and music. Every thing wrong about Christmas somehow made right. It was so tacky that it was mesmerizing. A heartfelt thanks to those neighbors for sharing some Christmas cheer with us all, especially my children who couldn't take their eyes off it. (Okay, so I couldn't take my eyes off it either...because I loved it.)
- Monkey jammies
- Glory to God!
- Funny, cute Mary toddling through the Christmas chaos.
- David enjoyed identifying Baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the new star, etc. in pictures, books, and shows.
- How much David loves toys. He played and played and played. What a fun age for Christmas. Old enough to be very excited about/appreciative of new toys. But young enough to be pleased by anything, blissfully unaware of what he didn't get/what other kids got/what television commercials say he should want/how much things cost/etc. (Though he did tell me today that Santa forgot his tank.)
- Raffi's Christmas Album
Because of our sweet, funny, adorable children, Greg and I love Christmas. We love to share Christmas at home with them. We like to spend the day showering all of our adoration and attention on them (hence the rotisserie chicken and deli salads), to play all day on the floor, down at their level, under the tree. (Okay, except for when I was at the computer blogging.) Our Christmas is small and intimate. I love the closeness, the unhurried pace. But I suppose there can be too much of a good thing...because by three o'clock Greg and I were desperately wondering how many more years until we can drag the kids to some saccharine kid flick Christmas afternoon--just to get out of the house! Even so, we're already looking forward to next year.
