Christmas Recap 2013

Dear Em,
You know the song The Twelve Days of Christmas? I feel like it's more like The Whole Month of Christmas for us. We had such lovely & fun Christmas celebrations with friends & family starting the day after Thanksgiving when we chopped down our tree until this past weekend when we took all the decorations down (still so sad in my heart, missing the coziness of them all).

You had fun with friends- near & far, big & little.

We were blessed to be able to share the holiday season with our family. It didn't matter what day we celebrated. I just felt so fortunate to be together with the most special people in our lives. No one is as excited as you to unwrap gifts, & our families mostly just let you unwrap them all- yours & ours. You relished in the gift opening, & Daddy & I worried just a teensy bit about how spoiled you are.

My favorite day of the whole month was the cozy day we celebrated Christmas, just the three of us. I heard you wake up in the morning & snuck into your room to find you sitting in your rocking chair, reading books. I couldn't believe that the excitement of Christmas didn't have you bouncing off the walls & waking us up at 4am. You snuggled in bed with us while we watched Christmas cartoons until Daddy couldn't wait any longer to go downstairs.

I love the moments when you first walk downstairs to see Christmas unveiled in our living room. Santa brought you an American Girl Doll, & your reaction was so priceless. "Oh, thank you, Santa! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I love her! Mom, we picked one out, but the one Santa gave me is way more beautiful" (it was actually the exact one you had picked out online).

We headed over to the counter to find that Rudolph ate his carrot. Santa ate his cookies & drank his milk. He left you a note that we read to you, with an extra message from Rudolph telling you that tantrums hurt his ears (& everyone elses). "See, Mom, I am on the good list." You gave me a defiant look that said "I told you Santa would never put me on the naughty list."

Daddy made us yummy Rudolph pancakes before we looked at the surprises held in our stockings. Your favorite gifts? A can of olives & a electric toothbrush.

We spent the rest of the day opening gifts in our jammies, watching movies, reading books, playing games, playing outside in the snow (we had a white Christmas), & snuggling. It was my favorite. I love the special time we get to spend just me & you & Daddy & the special traditions we share.

It was hard to say goodbye to our amazing month of family, friends, & fun- Christmas is your self proclaimed very favorite time of the year, & I love how it brings us together with the ones we love- but we're excited about the promise of a whole new year & all the new celebrations that will come with it. As long as I get to share it with you, I know our future is bright.

I love you so,

Mommy

getting back into the swing of things

Dear Em,
We're back. Between our holiday vacation & the winter storms, we had over two weeks of travel, family, celebrations, Christmas, your birthday, beach, snow, organization, play, your first sleepover of the year, relaxation, & reading. It's been amazing, & I can't say it isn't a little tough getting back into our routine.

I wanted to post our Christmas recap today, but after taking down all the Christmas decorations yesterday (it always makes me so sad in my heart to say goodbye to al of the Christmas cheer), I decided to relish in my last lazy moments snuggled up with a book (I can't put Philippa Gregory's The Cousins' War series down).

Today is not a day for relishing in lazy moments. It's is a day for getting back into the swing of things. It's for waking up before the sun has risen, getting ready & out the door. It's for work & school & doctors appointments. Sigh. Hopefully, it's also for getting back into the swing of things with this blog too. I hope to spend the rest of the week recapping the holiday & your birthday & the beauty that is two weeks off.

Stay tuned...

I love you so,
Mommy

Merry Christmas 2013

From Our Home to Yours...

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve 2013

Dear Em,
When I was growing up & my Dad was in the Navy, his schedule wasn't always predictable. There were times that he was forced to work on holidays, & we learned to celebrate when we could be together instead of when the calendar told us to. This is a tradition we have continued with our little family, & it's the reason why we have already celebrated our Christmas Eve.

Since we typically visit my family for the holidays, we celebrate Christmas & Christmas Eve earlier in December. We "wrote a letter to Santa" explaining that we would be traveling & asking if he would make a special exception. We were fortunate that he agreed to visit our home a little early, & that's how we found ourself celebrating "Christmas Eve" on December 13th.

It wasn't Christmas Eve for the rest of the world, & you went to school that day while Daddy & I went to work. You were abuzz with excitement. I love that holidays are so magical for you. I tried to get into the spirit of the season, but I had a little bit of a rough day. I had so much to do, & almost everything about my day seemed to have the intention of slowing me down. I felt a little irritated when we finally got home.

Daddy could see it in my face & hear it in my voice. He gave me a look- a look that reminded me it was "Christmas Eve." I don't always make the right decisions, but I feel like I did that night. I took a deep breath, exhaled, & decided to let it all go & enjoy the magic of my family & the holiday.

Then we baked cookies.

We made hot cocoa (mine had coffee & melted candy cane in it) & watched Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

We opened our one gift & put our new, comfy Christmas PJs on. Then we snuggled on the couch & read Christmas books.

We left some of our freshly baked cookies for Santa & a carrot for Rudolph.

We said goodbye to Elfie before heading up to bed & saying our prayers.

Daddy & I snuggled with a glass of a wine & watched a movie while we waited for you to drift off to dreamland.

Then Daddy & I got to play Santa. I can't tell you how fortunate I felt to be able to play Santa with Daddy that night.

It may have taken me a little while, but I'm glad I remembered the magic of Christmas Eve before it was too late. There are so many precious moments I would have missed out on & memories I wouldn't have been able to make. I'll only be able to celebrate Christmas Eve with our bright eyed almost four year old once, & living in those moments made this Christmas Eve the sweetest one yet.

I love you so,

Mommy

Scrapbooking With Kids

Dear Em,
Looking back through all the pictures & memories from this year, we've had a really amazing year. Your year was made so much sweeter by the fact that you were able to share so much of it with your best friend, S. We started the year with your very first time on ice skates. You visited the Easter Bunny & hunted for eggs. You shared your three and a half birthday weekend together, & had your very first double sleepover (& second & third & fourth). There were beach days, parades, trips to the zoo, fun at Waterfires, & rest time with movies. We made nachos & ate Dels, played at the park & jumped on the trampoline. We shared the best New Hampshire trip ever with S & her family. There was face painting & Umbrella Factory & trick or treating & festivals & The Nutcracker On Ice.

In so many ways S & her family have become such a special part of our family. We've had such a fun filled year, & we wanted to let S know how special it was to us to share so much of our year with her. We decided to make her a scrapbook filled with this years precious moments.

First I printed pictures I had taken of the two of you this year. There were a lot, like a real lot, somewhere around 140. I honestly had forgotten about some of the special moments until I looked through the precious photos. I purchased a photo album & filled it with your memories. Then you & I decorated it together. I let you do most of the work, but guided you here & there. You used stickers, stamps, rainbow letters, & your own illustrations. It was a lot of work for a little love, but you enjoyed making something for your best friend.

I think your hard work paid off when we saw little S smile as she opened it up. She looked through each & every page like it was such a special treasure. My heart melted.

We also gifted her a scrapbooking kit. I can see the two of you putting together you fun & sweet memories for years to come. You were thrilled to. You received a tutu for your doll & a Hello Kitty nightgown.

We laughed as we watched the two of you squeal as you opened Christmas gifts together. At the same time, I know the best gift of all is not something that you opened that night. Your friendship & the friendship we have as families is one of the best gifts we could ever receive- & the fact I get to watch two of the cutest & sweetest girls grow up together.

I love you so,

Mommy