christmas

Sam and I were woken up by an excited whisper/shouting voice at 7:30am, "Muuum … he ate the cookies!!". Truth be told, we had been woken up at 5:35am by Felix who then came into bed with us and finally fell back asleep squashed tightly into my back. Sam eventually snored away as well … but I was wide awake, sigh. So I heard Henry and Walter rustling around some time later, whispering between themselves, before running into our bedroom to tell us that amazingly Santa had eaten all the cookies! Such a big excitement when you are 4 and 5 years old, they were so funny. Santa left a big box of dress up clothes (from the 70% off morning-after-Halloween sale, ahem) and they've had such a great time playacting as cowboys, knights, kings, and an almost always friendly lion. Grandma unknowingly added to the collection with her gifts of swords, shields and a neighing, trotting stick horse … so we're set!

We spent Christmas Eve and morning at home and then drove up to Duncan in the afternoon for a full out dinner with Sam's parents. I haven't stayed overnight at their house since we moved out this time last year so I was thinking of that transition time often and thinking back on our first full year living in Victoria. We stayed overnight and for Boxing Day … prompting Henry to say when we arrived home again "That was so much fun at Nana's!". They do love it there and we are thankful for that. Jim, Joy and Amy popped over to visit as well, bearing gifts of books and temporary tattoos as has become their custom, ha.

And then suddenly … Christmas was over for another year. The month felt full of preparations for me, some necessary, others optional. It was our first Christmas alone as a family (which I like!) in 3 years and I learned some things along the way. What I want to work on, what I want to change. It felt like a learning curve for me this year … understanding how Christmas really is with 3 excited and aware kids. Much different than the needs of the babies in past years. So I'm looking forward to next year already, feeling more mentally prepared for the day after Felix's birthday when my mind will need to shift to the next big event on the calendar. And as for this year? … Oh yes, it.was.good.