It's Christmas Eve

It's Christmas Eve, and we are making spirits bright. After the shitshow that was cookie baking on Sunday, things have chilled out quite a bit. Thank the Lord. {I sincerely apologize if I stressed anyone out from my last post}. I have since calmed down with copious amounts of hot chocolate and a sparkly Christmas manicure. That cures everything. 

My alias is Leticia, apparently.

Alex's mom and stepdad arrived late last night, and we kept the kiddos up way past their bedtimes to greet them. They loved staying up late, although I'm fairly certain Bobby got drunk from exhaustion. When I finally put him to bed, I read him Baby Lit's "A Christmas Carol." I almost died when I got to this page. They nailed it. Baby Lit knows what's going on.

Although I think it's supposed to be "purple drank," but we'll let that slide.

Bobby is in this phase now where he really enjoys getting tucked in. He falls asleep snuggled with Pooh Bear and holding a dump truck in one hand and a toy F-15 in the other. It's the cutest thing. He's a total guy.

  The thunderstorms last night were nuts; it kept Vivi and me up all night. Of course Alex slept like a baby husband. I woke up this morning and made a festive Christmas Eve breakfast: red velvet Rudolph pancakes with caramelized brown sugar bacon. Bobby laughed when he saw it :)

  We are hanging around in our cozy living room watching Elf and Christmas Vacation, while the kiddos wear their leg lamp shirts for the last time. It's a great Christmas Eve. Despite the madness, mischievousness, and minor setbacks occasionally, I have been truly enjoying this Christmas season with our two babes. Christmas has taken on a whole new meaning since having children. I didn't think the holidays could be any fun after being a child, but it's ten times more fun having a child. It's all about their smiles. It's all about making memories. 

I cannot wait for us to play Santa for the first time, and I cannot wait to see the look on Bobby's face when he scoots down the stairs tomorrow morning to see that Santa has brought him all kinds of goodies. I am eagerly awaiting the ripping of wrapping paper and bows flung everywhere. Because although I will feel a compulsion to clean the mess up immediately, I promise to revel in this Christmas joy with my babes and to enjoy the smiles and the love and our first Christmas together as a complete family. There is only a small amount of time to see Christmas through a child's eyes. And it will be magical.

Until Bob swallows a jingle bell.

We are going to round out this Christmas Eve by (hopefully) attending a candlelight church service, eating a yummy Honey Baked Ham dinner with all the trimmings, and reading "The Night Before Christmas." Then we will await the Big Guy's arrival and wake up to a fun Christmas morning. 

I hope that you have the merriest of Christmases with your families and friends. I wish you merriment and magic and love, and I hope you make the most wonderful memories.

From our family to yours, Merry Christmas!

-Annette