I can't believe Christmas and New Year's is over already! It always seems to sneak up on us, and then pass us before our very eyes.
We were anticipating Christmas this year. Not only was Connor on his 2nd round of breathing treatments and steroids, he didn't care at all last year...not even for the bows so we often reapeated "Next year...". Fast forward to this Christmas!
We ventured out to Glendale Glitters this year sans stroller. We let Connor walk and I had Brooke in the Ergo-which she LOVES by the way! Connor did great! He loved all the lights, the petting zoo, kettle korn and even watched a good amount of Polar Express on the big screen! Definitely something we will do every year!
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| Connor and Daddy watching Polar Express |
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| Dark, but me, Connor & Brooke watching Polar Express eating Kettle Korn |
Rachel, the kids' BFF and sitter, had a PJ day and has someone in the family dress up as Santa Claus. He brings gifts and candy for the kids, and Rachel takes their picture with Santa! (Sidenote-the day before I spent way too much so I could have Brooke's pic taken with a mall Santa. I just had to have one because I did it with Connor. I didn't bother with him-he's deathly afraid of the guy-Next year I'll know not to!) Connor was good until he was put on Santa's lap, and then the tears flowed. Brooke just sat there with her cute chubby cheeks looking adorable! Rachel put the pictures in a card frame for us, and made three ornaments each with their handprints and footprints, as well as a picture of them in a Santa hat. I can't wait to look at them next year and see the size difference! Have I mentioned how much I love her???
And let's not forget one of the best parts...BAKING!!! Connor helped me decorate the cookies this year, and he took this job VERY seriously!! He was so cute!
On December 23rd, the four of us packed up for the day and went to Ryan's mom's. His stepsister, Deon, was in town with her three kids and we wanted to spend some time with them. It was so much fun to see them play with our neice and nephew, who are the same age as Deon's oldest. Her youngest, Chloe, is a little over a year and Connor had fun playing with her!
After Connor woke up from his nap, we heard it...that wheezy sound when he inhaled. Because of our FOUR experiences last year with croup, we knew immediately where this was headed. So, Ryan excitedly *sarcasm* packed Connor up and took him to urgent care while I stayed back with Brooke. He called a little while later to let me know that not only did he have croup, but strep on top of it. Ugh!! I should have known his throat hurt-he wasn't eating his normal foods, only soft cold foods for about a day. I just thought it was because he was so busy playing! :( It would help if he was talking, but that's a different story! Off we went to the pharmacy to pick up his steroids and antibiotics. I had the unpleasant task of letting everyone who had come in contact with him (namely all of his cousins that he had been playing with) what the result of the urgent care visit was. Of course I cried because I thought I had ruined Christmas. Yup, I can be a little overdramatic sometimes-I admit it! My in-laws assured me everything would be fine, and my mother in law made sure it was ok that we still came over Christmas Eve. The only problem was that my little nephew Jack had just recovered from croup, so he was going to stay home to nap instead. I felt awful that we were the cause of everyone not being there. Connor had 3 rounds of antibiotics and almost 24 hours by the time we went over (late), but he still just wasn't himself. Our kiddos were nonetheless spoiled rotten by Ryan's family, and Brooke was passed around to the family getting lots of love and kisses!! I changed them into the Christmas PJ's, and by the time we got home, they were both put to bed to wait for Santa.
(With all of this, I had to keep Brooke away from Connor. That meant no kisses from big brother, and I had to make sure he kept his gross hands out of his mouth and away from everyone, especially Brooke. It was quite fun...)
Christmas morning came and he saw his new cottage house from Santa, played in it for approximately 30 seconds, and wanted to sit with his juice and watch Elmo! All that time wrapping his presents, and he literally could not have cared less!! Ryan and I opened our gifts-I got him some new PJ pants (a big deal because he has to have the Tall size!), a new watch band for his watch, some DVD's, the Sons of Anarchy soundtrack, a Suns shirt and a beer brewing kit (he had been talking about doing this for a year now, but then decided it was too much work with two kids, so he has to pick out a new gift!). Connor and Brooke made him a collage with pictures of the three of them in a frame to hang.
My family came over later in the morning in the PJ's. This is our new Christmas tradition and I love it. None of us got out of our PJ's all day! We FaceTimed with my sister, which I think was Connor's favorite part of the entire holiday. We ate sticky buns, drank mimosas and opened our secret santa gifts. Then the gigantic piles for Connor and Brooke needed to be opened! Again, Connor wanted nothing to do with any of this, so I opened them all! These kids just have no idea how spoiled they are...they are so well dressed and have so many fun things to play with because of our families! After Connor went down for a nap, we started making our big ham dinner. Football was on in the background, there was no time limit, no stress...just family and fun. Just the way Christmas day should be! 
I always take a minute and just sit back to watch on Christmas Day. I have such great memories over the years! We always spent Christmas Eve Eve with my Dad where he said "santa came a little early just for us), then dinner with his side of the family, and I will always remember Grandma's potato soup and excellent taste in clothing-we always looked forward to that! Uncle Tom pretending to be Santa on the roof at Aunt Mary's house when I was little, waking up to loads of presents under the tree, playing with toys all day long with Jennie. When I got older and started dating Ryan seriously, I was able to spend Christmas Eve with Ryan's family at his Grandparents house. It's crazy to think back to those days when none of us had kids. His family was so close back then, and it's when I was introduced to chili and tostadas, a family favorite!
Now I have my own little family, and Ryan and I are having to make decisions about how we spend the holidays. Sometimes it's tough and we can't please everyone. However, I think to when Connor and Brooke are older and I want them to look back at their memories of Christmas with the same happiness that I do. I want them to remember Christmas morning with just the four of us in our new PJ's and the smell of coffee brewing, sticky buns baking and the lights and home made ornaments on the Christmas tree as they wait to open presents. I want them to remember digging into their stockings and opening their presents with excitement. It's moments and memories like these that I always imagined when having a family!
I can't wait to see what next Christmas has in store. I just hope we can skip the croup!
keep them! Her top lip is thinner than her bottom, and they are in a permanent little frown...and I don't really know how to explain it, but it's the happiest little frown. There is a dimple in her chin that fits my pinky perfectly. Her cheeks look like they are packing food for the winter, and I can't stop kissing them. She still tucks her little legs up to get as close to me as possible while she sleeps. She's definitely a cuddler (she also LOVES the Ergo, and could live in it if I let her!). She's a great napping buddy because of this, and keeps me warm in the recliner on chilly afternoons. I love it!
I am doing my best to really enjoy every single day. I know now how fast time goes by, and I want to remember every moment with her! She's already grown so much, and is developing such a personality. My mom tells me I'm in trouble because she has this twinkle in her eye...it's so true. Just ask her Daddy, who is so smitten with her! I've said it before, but she is already a Daddy's girl! Tonight, for example, she was crying with me. Ryan grabbed her and started dancing with her in the living room, and she instantly started smiling and looking up at him. The smile Ryan gets on his face is priceless too. I'm a sap, as you know, and it brings tears to my eyes just picturing it!
