Christmas and a big girl bed.

Christmas was a whirlwind but wonderful. It was a blur but it was wonderful. The days before and after were full of errands, lists, and little projects but it was wonderful.

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house White Chicken Chili simmered on the stove, Gigi and Papaw had arrived in the Big Blue Sleigh, and we were busy finding hidden Christmas presents, last minute wrapping, and putting batteries in everything imaginable. Olivia also said goodbye to Jack be Quick. She was a little saddened, and kept waiting for him to fly away while she was watching. She knows that Jack is busy helping Santa make toys for next Christmas, but she does miss her friendly elf.

Seeing Christmas through the eyes of a child is something that cannot be described, but is something everyone should experience. She was amazed that Santa had stopped by her house, and her eyes became wide and her mouth dropped when she saw her Dora Guitar. We opened presents for hours, and we thought that we had done a small-scaled back Christmas this year. WE did but grandparents, cousins, and friends did not.



LOOK-A Dora Guitar!



Helping Papaw with his presents.

Gigi's turn.

A two year old dream. Princess furry heels and a wand.

It's tough being a princess. You must eat a sweet roll while wearing fairy wings, holding a wand, wearing a purple tutu, and wearing furry high heels.

Daddy a little speechless with the Capital One bowl tickets.

Featuring Papaw on the piano and Olivia on the guitar.

Not only did Santa out do himself with the Dora Guitar, piano, doctor kit, and enough princess to start a princess school he also brought Olivia a big girl bed. We have never seen her so excited about going to bed. She raced up the stairs and jumped into bed. She slept in her new bed the entire night with no rails, no fussing, and no getting up. The first week she was in the bed we had a few occasions of rolling off or loosing her bear, but we think for her first time out of a crib she did great. As we tucked her into the bed the first night Robert and I just looked at each other and smiled. We both knew what the other was thinking. How is she already 2 1/2? How is she ready for a bed and no longer in her crib? How has our sweet hunka chunka peanutty gotten so big so fast? Olivia noticed that I was sad. She asked what was wrong and I told her that I was a little sad that she was no longer in her crib. That sweet baby put her hands on my cheeks and said, "It's okay moma I gonna be ok. You not need to be sad." And with that a smile returned to my face, we snugged in under the covers, and read our first bed time story in her new bed.

Every year, I have all of these visions of what our holidays will be in my head -- usually there’s a soft glow around everyone, birds are singing (somewhere) and I look 20 pounds thinner…it’s a great vision. And those visions pretty much never happen. It’s never perfect. I never accomplish all that I want to. Every year I say, I’ll make a list of those things I want to get done and make sure to do them. And every year life gets in the way.

A whole lot of “didn’t” happens/happened.
We didn't get one single family picture together this holiday season much less on Christmas morning.
I didn't get enough pictures of Olivia with her grandparents.
I didn't take enough time to sit back and "play" with all of her new toys.
I didn't get the projects, baking, so on and so forth done that in my mind needed to get done.

But I DID  get to spend Christmas with my family. And this year my family included a few new additions including friends and neighbors. With a wonderful brunch next door with our neighbors, and then them joining us for Christmas dinner.

And every year I realize how very OK with that I am. Our holidays don’t end up like my visions -- they always turn out so much better.