Thursday, December 27, 2007

Merry Christmas! I will upload some pictures of our day later, but I did want to write something while I had a chance, and Bracken has the camera in Palm Springs today. We had a lovely Christmas, and hope you all had the same.

Christmas Eve was spent getting ready for the next day. I was going to make a big dinner, but was already feeling the pressure of the next day's meal, so Bracken suggested that we go to McDonalds. Chloe had a great time on the play structure, and in a surprise move, I spanked Bracken at air hockey. We came home and watched Joy to the World, and read The Night Before Christmas. We had watched a biography of Santa Claus the other day, and it was so interesting to learn that Santa Claus, and his visit, was a 19th century invention. Wealthy New Yorkers, tired of the poor coming into their homes asking for gifts at Christmas, created the story to get the people to wait at home for someone to bring them gifts. Kind of sad, isn't it?

We had a really nice Christmas. Bracken took the night shift with Addie, so I got a little sleep. We did go to bed too late, though, after setting up Addie's new Exersaucer and getting the house ready to host Christmas dinner the next day. Chloe got up around 6:30, and we ran out to the tree. She noticed first that Santa had eaten his cookies and milk, which was really cute. Then she opened her costume box. I had been stressing for weeks about the fact that I hadn't gotten any costumes sewn for the box of dress ups I wanted to make her, and finally finished it all up the day before. I'd even found a little cowboy had, which I was so proud of. Chloe untied the ribbon, opened the box, excitedly put on the hat and boa, then took them off, put them back in the box, had me retie the ribbon, and ignored it the rest of the day. Yesterday she finally decided to put on a costume, but the only one she wanted to wear was her princess costume from Halloween. Today I managed to trick her into putting on a fairy princess costume, but she still wants nothing to do with the bulk of the box. Oh well.

She enjoyed the rest of her presents, her surprise favorite being the $3 Sit 'n' Spin I got her at DI. About halfway through, she decided she was done opening gifts, and couldn't be convinced otherwise. There are still two wrapped presents under the tree as a matter of fact. When her Grandma and Grandpa Mannion, Aunt Eden and Uncle Jose, cousins Mariah and Syrus, and friends Will, Sarah, Isaac and Autumn Morris came for dinner, we finally took matters into our own hands and just opened them for her. She was really excited to see what was inside, she just couldn't be bothered to open them herself.

My favorite gift was the box of See's chocolate Bracken got me. He got me a full pound of my favorite butterscotch squares, and I just so touched that he remembered. His favorite gift was the Mitt Romney for President yard sign that Santa brought him. He ran right out in his pajamas to put it up, with me on his heels to take pictures.

We had a really nice meal, if I do say so myself. It was so lovely to be able to host Christmas in my own home. I set up a big people table, and a kids table, and we served the food buffet style. We've been in our house 6 months now, and it sure does make us happy. After dinner, before we opened Christmas gifts, we, along with Eden and Jose, presented Bracken's parents with a 40th anniversary gift of a new computer. 40 years is pretty impressive.

The house is starting to settle down now. I've found homes for most of the Christmas gifts, mainly by trying to get rid of all the little garbage toys Chloe has without her noticing. Our biggest after Christmas problem now is trying to convince Chloe that not everything is hers--some of the presents are Addie's too. I can't tell you how many times I've already found her sitting in Addie's Exersaucer. I'm not really sure why it's so fun for her.

Addie had a big moment yesterday--her first rice cereal. She really seemed to enjoy it. We're hoping it will help with the acid reflux, and in turn with the sleeping. Unfortunately, we've got a new conspirator in the sleeping problem. Addie has begun teething. I just can't believe we've started into the grumpiness of teething, and she's not even sleeping through the night yet. Yep, she was up 4 separate times between 10:30 and 6 this morning. I'm out of ideas. And I'm just not sure how to let her just cry it out without keeping Chloe up all night. Any suggestions?

I was not very excited to see her when I got up this morning. Again. But then after she fell asleep in my arms, she started just giggling in her sleep. How could I stay mad?

There are so many more stories to tell, but Chloe has prepared a cheeseburger and fries for me in her kitchen, so I've got to go.

1 comment:

Sandy said...

Sounds like you guys had a great Christmas!! I'm jealous that you got to have it in your OWN house - we got to go IN our new house on Christmas...but without heat, electricity, water or sewer...we didn't stay very long:) Josh was similar to Chloe - interested in what was IN the gifts, but not really bothered by unwrapping. Just wait until she turns 3...I was about ready to scream with all the "Is there another one for me? Is that one for me? Do I get another one?" - so much for the Spirit of GIVING, eh? :)

My only tip with the teething is if you know she's teething, give her some tylenol when you put her to bed, even if she's not crying about it yet. You're not drugging your child to sleep...you know she's going to wake up in pain anyway, so just help her out a little:) If it got really bad, my kids liked sucking on an icecube securely tied into the center of a washcloth. You can use frozen fruit when they're a little older, too.

Sorry my suggestions aren't more innovative...I'm not a very willing nighttime parent!! I'm one of those hardened women who doesn't really enjoy being pregnant and groans every time someone starts whimpering in the night. Whenever I read a book about some woman saying to "cherish" the time you spend with your children in the middle of the night, I want to hurl. I'd rather sleep at night and cherish the daytime by not feeling overly tired, unmotivated, depressed and grumpy:) But that's just me:)