The Weary World Rejoices

 Santa Baby.  

Christmas this year came on fast and furious.  I had this vision of what Christmas would look like with a newborn:  lots of baking cookies, snuggling with the kids on the couch, and re-watching up on all my favorite Christmas movies.  Kim was in Houma last year, so it felt like our season was reduced to the weekends and Christmas week itself.  It was actually really depressing being at home alone by the tree in the evening.  This year was going to be different!

Turns out staying awake with a newborn in the house is actually pretty tough once the sun sets.  And that snuggle time on the couch by the light of the fire with the Christmas tree lights twinkling?  Snoozeville!  By the third kid, I would think I had learned that lesson, but it is really amazing the stuff I have blocked out forgotten.  Still, our Christmas was magical in an entirely unexpected way.  I have been running hard since the house went on the market in July and slowing down (required for my recovery) has let me enjoy smaller moments with the kids, like playing Cars monopoly and building Sculpey ornaments.

Christmas Eve this year was at Grammie and Papa's house.   

Eleanor did awesome at church and slept happily through the whole service.  The big kids were also pretty good and this is the first year Emery got to come to "big church."  She did a bit of lap surfing, but otherwise behaved herself.

The big kids got little presents before dinner and had a great time playing.

In his letter to Santa this year, Alastair asked for an umbrella, chocolates, and a Lego set.  Emery asked for fingernails (she meant fingernail polish) and a Lego set.  I love how achievable their requests are.  Alastair initially suggested he would be asking Santa for an iPad, but I assured him that Santa would not bring that and his revised list was more on target.

Even Eleanor had a stocking.  She was, after all, very good in the month she has been here.  Her siblings were happy to help her get at her treats.

There were no unsatisfied customers.

We had to watch Emery because she just grabbed random presents and tried to unwrap them, regardless of whether they were for her.  Alastair was not a big fan of that and since he can read names with ease, he played the present elf.

Legos and Dollys.  

And new bikes!  

Alastair has moved up a size and now had hand brakes and gears.  In the days before Kim went back to work, they rode some of the dirt trails near Terry Hershey Park.  Alastair was initially afraid of the hand brakes but has made a full turn around and will race out on the bike every time the garage door is open long enough for him to get on it.

Emery isn't so sure.

With a birthday in October, Emery has a long time to wait before another big present opportunity comes along, so we figured this was a good time to get her the bike.  I bet she'll be tearing up the driveway by the summer, but for now she is happier on her trike.  After all, she has only just grown into Alastair's large hand me down trike.

Our new Christmas morning traditional photo:  kids on the stairs.

I made matching pajama pants again this year in the last few weeks before Eleanor arrived.  I didn't quite get around to making her the little matching infant gown I had planned, but inspiration struck on Christmas Eve.  In 15 minutes, I whipped up some cute little matching pants for her too.  I'm getting pretty good at pajama pants! 

Christmas night, while the wind howled outside, Grammie, Papa, and Uncle Bill came over.  We enjoyed our traditional tenderloin (floor steak!) and twice baked potatoes.  Grammie made an awesome pecan pie and we were able to christen the new dining room with family and good food.

The kids got to open more presents.  They are pretty good at it.

 

Writing this post, I have realized that the girls matched:  they were both wearing white shirts and tulle skirts.  The weary world, indeed.  How did I not notice that?  Emery got this outfit earlier in the day and it will be appearing again at Valentine's Day. 

Eleanor got to wear her "Santa Loves Me" outfit one last time.  That girl is definitly out of newborn sizes and probably will be well out of the 3 months size by the time she reaches that age.

Boxing Day was bright and cold, just like last year.

Alastair rode his bike and...

Emery enjoyed her trike, which she calls her bike.

In the week before Kim went back to work, we made a family trip to the Museum of Natural Science with a stop at the Cockrell butterfly exhibit.

Here's Alastair, patiently waiting with finger extended for a butterfly to land on it.  I love his optimism!

Alastair and I, December 2006

 

The whole crew:  2012

A little has changed since then, hasn't it?  I just see how young I looked in that first photo.  Have I really only been a mom for six years?  Here in the trenches, it seems like a decade at least, but I realize once they are off it will seem like no time at all.  I remind myself of this when I am up with a certain little someone at 4 a.m.  As fast as this Christmas past, it was still wonderful and I am so looking forward to all the ones to come with this crazy crew.