Our Christmas Story

This year's "Mad Christmas Dash" was much tamer than last years, but it was a little sadder.

We started some new traditions for our family, and we will be saying goodbye to some old traditions. Santa was really noticed this year, and PJ and Lily picked out at the store what they wanted to ask him--PJ's was Mack and Lightning (from Disney "Cars") and Lily's was My Little Ponies . Mommy also explained a little more about what Santa means: he brings us presents at Christmas-time because he is so grateful that we are good helpers all year long. And we give presents to each other because we are thankful for all the help we get. It was really great saying "Santa likes good helpers, and he's watching right now!" Another tradition we started was on Christmas Eve, both kids got new pajamas to wear for Santa to see when he came to visit our house. PJ was so excited when he opened the present, he put the pajamas on over his clothes! The kids also loved to snuggle in their new blankets made for them by Grandma "CJ" Carol.

When we got home from the "Christmas Party" on the eve, we put out cookies and milk near the stockings for Santa, and the next morning, they were eaten! We also found gifts in our stockings, and presents under the tree from Santa in special wrapping paper that only Santa could make. We stayed in our new pajamas all morning, while PJ played with Mack and Lightning, and Lily played with her ponies (so Santa must have thought they were good helpers!).

Next was a quick breakfast, and then we scooted off to the next two Christmas Parties. We started off at Grandpa John's and Grandma Carol's for opening presents and a delicious Christmas brunch. Grandma Carol also had a brilliant idea to bring with Lily's nap stuff and have her sleep there (if she was going to). That saved a lot of going back and forth (and stress) for us, but it had kept mommy and daddy up until 1am the night before wrapping presents. The hightlight was when Lily went down for her nap and we put a movie on for the rest of the kids in the other room so the adults could exchange gifts as adults. We did put a crimp in the parents wonderful idea as the "adult" kids started a wrapping paper fight, and Paul magically became a woman.

After Lily's nap, we then scooted over to Grandpa Paul's and Grandma Nona's, well rested and looking forward to more Christmas cheer and merriment. We had an absolutely delicious dinner that we ate too much of (and cashews were missing from the menu), and then more opening of presents. We let the kids open theirs so they could play with their new toys, while the adults were able to continue their tradition of opening presents in turns (which is so enjoyable to be able to see everyone's reaction to your well-thought out gift). Things did get a little cramped at the end because the kids were done, but it was still a very enjoyable Christmas overall.

We saw lots of family, and really enjoyed spending time with friends from both coasts that we don't get to see very often. It was wonderful to see Jackie and Jeff (PJ's Godparents) and their beautiful twin girls, Madelyn and Sydney. I really enjoyed having Madelyn fall asleep on me, and then be able to give her back to mommy when she got fussy. Sydney was fun to play with, and the exhausted looks on the parents faces reminded us of why we are done with the baby phase. We also got to spend a whole day at the Shedd Aquarium with Rob's friends Jay and Sally and their son Ethan. The kids had fun looking at fishes, and then we ran around outside with the beautiful Chicago skyline as the background.

One funny story to note: Rob's and Erika's Christmas presents were a little late because Erika hid her's from Rob so well that she couldn't find it before Christmas Eve in order to wrap it. She was a little surprised on Christmas Eve to find that her mom and her had the same idea when they bought him the same t-shirt. It took her until Little Christmas to realize that she had hidden Rob's present in a bag that she gave to her mom with her Christmas present. Erika's mom then wrapped it up for Rob, and he got his present twice! And Rob had a great idea for Erika (had been planning it since August), but didn't order the Star Wars Soundtrack Trilogy online until three days before Christmas (because he couldn't find it in the stores). It too came on Little Christmas, so appropriately, they opened their new-found presents together on the last day of Christmas.

We didn't have a trip to the hospital, thank goodness. We did still have a lot of "mad" and crazy and stress. We also had illnesses before and after, and we are very happy that it skipped over the holiday. Rob thought he had food poisoning the week before, but it turned out to be a nasty stomach virus, that waited for the rest of the family until we were run down from all the Christmas dashing. This is one reason why this was the last year for the tradition of attending extended family celebrations. It is something that has been a part of Rob's and Erika's lives, but we now realize that its time to make our own family traditions. We look forward to visiting with our extended family at less "mad" holidays throughout the year, and where we might actually get to visit with them.


We did have tears this season, as there was one special person missing from our celebrations. Erika' grandma passed away the previous March, and it just wasn't the same to have someone else say her famous line, "Well, that's another Christmas shot in the a$$!"