Deck the Halls
As Christmas gets dangerously close, it is bittersweet to look back at where I was at this time last year. I was wrapping gifts the other day and I vividly remember standing in line at Bed Bath and Beyond last year checking out with the grandparents picture frame for my dad when the speech therapist called to make our appointment for the swallow study. My little man was bundled up and my trusty Medela pump was in the back seat next to the diaper bag, I would have never guessed how much that phone call would change the course of our lives!
Fast forward one year, and I am elated to be celebrating our FIRST Christmas at home! As I place the gifts under the tree (he has no desire to mess with them and could care less that half the toy store is wrapped in colorful delight for him), I remember how excited I was as a child for Christmas morning. Sadly, even as an adult, I wake up early and get butterflies every Christmas morning, I love the family time, the traveling, it is all magical to me. This year, I don't think it will be any different and hope that Caden can start making his own traditions.
Just to keep things "in the spirit"- some of my traditions, hubby's traditions, and what I hope to be new traditions:
- Muppet Christmas Carol- Perhaps the single best time honored tradition in my family, every Christmas eve, we watch the movie. It is a classic and amazing and wonderful and I have no intention of allowing Caden to ever go a year without experiencing it for himself.
- Annual Baking- I am a CRAZY baker.... yes, crazy. About 10-20 recipes get made by me each year, and I love it. Being covered in flour, chocolate and a few oven burns is just the way to start a Christmas season. I am not sure how well that will go over this weekend with the walking monster, but I intend to give it my best shot! I made the trip to the world's most miserable store so I am committed!
- The Christmas tree hunt- Every year we go and cut down our own tree. This year we took Uncle T with us, and we managed to pick a tree in the fastest time on record! I think because daddy didn't want to argue his opinion with mommy in front of his brother, mommy needs to make uncle T come around more often if those are the results she gets ;)
- Elf on the shelf- Now Caden is not big enough for these shenanigans yet... but let me tell you... they will be EPIC!! I can barely contain myself!
- The Christmas countdown calendar- every year I get a countdown calendar where you open a little door and get a piece of chocolate each day that you get closer to the BIG DAY. I remember my aunt finding ones for my cousins that had toys when they were little and when Caden gets older, I hope to be able to find something similar for him.
- Ornaments- One of my favorite things is going through the ornaments each year. When I was younger, due to my large family- the kids did secret santa and part of the gift you got your recipient was an ornament. I still have a few from over the years as well as ones I made as a child that my grandma kept and some from when hubby was small. It just brings back memories. I also love ornaments. We also had two trees as a child, a kid tree and an adult tree. The kids put all their ornaments ALL over their own tree in its multi colored tinseled glory and the adult tree was a more traditional glass ball and classical pooh ornament tree. I can't wait for Caden to bring me home his first homemade ornament!
Finally- Christmas Movies/ Specials and parody songs... Elf, the Mistletones (Sister Sister actresses needed a revival!), the 12 PAINS of Christmas, Walking Round in Women's Underwear, The Santa Clause... As much as I would prefer the weather to be a balmy 85, I really DO enjoy the festivities and merriment surrounding this time of year!
Fast forward one year, and I am elated to be celebrating our FIRST Christmas at home! As I place the gifts under the tree (he has no desire to mess with them and could care less that half the toy store is wrapped in colorful delight for him), I remember how excited I was as a child for Christmas morning. Sadly, even as an adult, I wake up early and get butterflies every Christmas morning, I love the family time, the traveling, it is all magical to me. This year, I don't think it will be any different and hope that Caden can start making his own traditions.
Just to keep things "in the spirit"- some of my traditions, hubby's traditions, and what I hope to be new traditions:
- Muppet Christmas Carol- Perhaps the single best time honored tradition in my family, every Christmas eve, we watch the movie. It is a classic and amazing and wonderful and I have no intention of allowing Caden to ever go a year without experiencing it for himself.
- Annual Baking- I am a CRAZY baker.... yes, crazy. About 10-20 recipes get made by me each year, and I love it. Being covered in flour, chocolate and a few oven burns is just the way to start a Christmas season. I am not sure how well that will go over this weekend with the walking monster, but I intend to give it my best shot! I made the trip to the world's most miserable store so I am committed!
- The Christmas tree hunt- Every year we go and cut down our own tree. This year we took Uncle T with us, and we managed to pick a tree in the fastest time on record! I think because daddy didn't want to argue his opinion with mommy in front of his brother, mommy needs to make uncle T come around more often if those are the results she gets ;)
- Elf on the shelf- Now Caden is not big enough for these shenanigans yet... but let me tell you... they will be EPIC!! I can barely contain myself!
- The Christmas countdown calendar- every year I get a countdown calendar where you open a little door and get a piece of chocolate each day that you get closer to the BIG DAY. I remember my aunt finding ones for my cousins that had toys when they were little and when Caden gets older, I hope to be able to find something similar for him.
- Ornaments- One of my favorite things is going through the ornaments each year. When I was younger, due to my large family- the kids did secret santa and part of the gift you got your recipient was an ornament. I still have a few from over the years as well as ones I made as a child that my grandma kept and some from when hubby was small. It just brings back memories. I also love ornaments. We also had two trees as a child, a kid tree and an adult tree. The kids put all their ornaments ALL over their own tree in its multi colored tinseled glory and the adult tree was a more traditional glass ball and classical pooh ornament tree. I can't wait for Caden to bring me home his first homemade ornament!
Finally- Christmas Movies/ Specials and parody songs... Elf, the Mistletones (Sister Sister actresses needed a revival!), the 12 PAINS of Christmas, Walking Round in Women's Underwear, The Santa Clause... As much as I would prefer the weather to be a balmy 85, I really DO enjoy the festivities and merriment surrounding this time of year!
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