Christmastime

I'm just now getting around to my Christmas post...better late than never, right? I'm not sure how I would be surviving right now if it weren't for maternity leave and Tim having a week off after Christmas. Although we definitely had some time to relax, we spent more time this past week recovering from Christmas, purging and organizing the house, and just doing a mile long list of errands we had put off long enough!

Let me tell you something. Having kids really does change everything. I know both those phrases are old and hackneyed, but there's really no better way to say it. Having kids makes Christmas exponentially more delightful, and exponentially more exhausting. Even in the days when Memphis was not our home and we had to squeeze a couple of weeks worth of activity in a couple of days, not to mention the drive to Memphis and back, that doesn't quite compare to throwing kids into the mix, even now that we live close to family. Oh and did I mention I came down with mastitis Christmas Eve? Fun times.

But it was fun in spite of it all.

Savannah is almost two now (what??) so she was really into the presents this year rather than just the tissue and paper. Although she loved her "zoom zoom" (power wheels) and Tickle Me Elmo, I think her favorite thing might have been a pair of sunglasses, as you can see from the below pictures. Caleb of course didn't know quite what was going on, but was content with whichever relative happened to be holding him at any given moment. Between Christmas Eve and Christmas night, we had fully participated in (count them) 4 Christmas celebrations. I got to watch my daughter squeal with delight after opening every present, eat some wonderful albeit fattening food, visit with my new soon to be brother in law and new sister in law, make a Christmas toast, and cuddle with my new son (among other things). It's times like these where I have to pinch myself. I really do have any amazing family, and they make my cup run over.

My favorite quote of the holiday was by my husband. As we drove up to our house Christmas night (at 10:30 PM...WAY past the kids bedtime) he asked, "Do you realize our child is in the back sleep sound asleep holding a cup, wearing a boa and sunglasses?" Yep. That pretty much sums it up.

I have a bunch of posts building up....I have big plans for 2011!