Christmas 2010

What a great way to end the year! We had a wonderful Christmas this year that lasted a solid 4 days filled with lots of family, fun, and, of course, presents! To sum things up...

December 23rd
Cousins Max and Mya arrive - Olivia only naps for 25 minutes as she knows she gets to see them when she wakes up! Snow, Snow, Snow! Appetizers and Presents! Olivia's becomes obsessed with carrying around her Dora backpack and feeding her baby! Gracie enjoys eating much paper, pulling herself up on all the boxes, and climbing on mommy at every possible minute. I open most of Olivia's presents as she just wants to play with Mya and the toys already opened. The kiddos bond with Auntie Tara and her iphone! Olivia and Mya are joined at the hip and confirm that they are sisters at heart. They manage sharing, trading, and playing together without any need for parental intervention the entire two days! Kids in bed by 8:00. It's still snowing! Chris, Beth, Tara, Brian, and I enjoy a few adult beverages, a game, and some laughs!





December 24th
Santa arrives! Mom and Dad learn that one present would probably be sufficient. The kitchen from Grandma and Grandpa Thornton is the biggest hit! Olivia potties a little in her jammies because she doesn't want to stop playing with her kitchen. Olivia has to be prompted to stop playing with one gift and to open another. Fun times at Luther with the cousins racing around the track and riding bikes (no pictures as I forgot my camera). Back to Grandma and Grandpa's for lunch. Olivia and Mya take charge of their own cleanliness and start their own bath after lunch and then stay in the bath for almost 45 minutes. Long naps for everyone. And, it's still snowing. Frantically get ready for church as naps were longer than expected. All kids manage to behave at Children's Mass - Olivia has to be chased down by Uncle Chris after Children's Moment as she has her dad's sense of direction and missed our pew even though we were in the 3rd row! A delicious adult dinner while the older cousins watch Dora and Gracie sleeps. Olivia shocks us all by coming out for a snack and proceeding to eat an adult size portion of beef tenderloin. We all end up sleeping at Pat and Roger's so as to not move the kids in the snowy, cold weather.




December 25th
Late wake up times make for a crazy morning of packing for the trip to Northfield. On the road by 8:45. Christmas with the Thornton family - kid gifts, white-elephant gifts, and family gifts. Olivia has no interest in opening her last presents, just wants to play with the open ones. Both girls illustrate amazing behavior and take wonderful naps. A delicious dinner is enjoyed once again. Bed time for Gracie includes some special (because it's so rare) cuddle time for mommy. Olivia's bedtime doesn't go as smoothly - over-stimulation perhaps! Gracie gives mommy a Christmas present by sleeping through the night (teething issues), but Olivia puts the kabash on it by getting up twice.


December 26th
Olivia starts the morning by finishing opening her gifts. Mom catches some extra z's. Lots of playing with Auntie Thyme. Mommy gets to satisfy her Target-fix. More playing and making a mess of Grandma and Grandpa's house. Baths by 6:30. In the car by 7:00. Gracie asleep by 7:15 with Olivia watching Dora on her new DVD player. Potty stop at 8:00. Home by 9:00. Lights out by 9:30. Mommy dreaming of someday having a clean house without boxes, paper, plastic, and toys everywhere. :)

Wow! Enough said! I love Christmas, but it's also a good thing that it only happens once a year! It took me two whole days to get our living room and family room in order. I've truly enjoyed being a temporary stay-at-home mommy, but because of exactly that, I don't think things will be ever completely put away either. I've decided that it's impossible to have a clean house if your kids are in it all day long! But that's okay, I'll fall back on the old saying: "A messy house is a happy house."