This Christmas was a very different one for me. We had the blessing of Sweet Haven's first Christmas this year and Everett really being able to get into Christmas, in this sense it was such an exciting Christmas that I was really looking forward to. It was also the first Christmas with the exception of maybe one that I was not under the same roof as my Mom on Christmas Eve. Having moved Mom into Heartis Nursing Home at the end of August and her declining condition meant that this year we would have to change some of the traditions I was used to. My heart breaks with each new special occasion that is unfairly altered due to Mom's condition and not being able to celebrate with her the way we are used to. I am so thankful for the two sweet kids I have that I was able to focus and put my energy into this year and to making this a very special Christmas for them.
Patrick called me early December to tell me that He and Taren would like to come for Christmas again this year. I was honored to host their first Christmas together last year but that was when Mom lived with us, this year I honestly couldn't bear the thought of not having family around on Christmas morning so I was elated to hear of their plans. Shortly after that call I got one from Ryan telling me that Peyton, Oakley and He would like to come the few days before Christmas. All the better! More Family, More distraction!! I was a bit of a nut trying to get everything done and perfect before the boys arrived. Ryan and the girls came in on Wednesday and left Saturday. We went to see Santa, did some shopping and let the kids play together. Everett was a much bigger fan of visiting Santa this year than in year's past. It was so good to get to be together with Ryan and the girls for that time! Oakley and Everett walked the halls of Heartis together bringing joy to all the residents who saw them. Friday night Patrick and Taren arrived and for a few short minutes we all got to be with Mom together! It meant so much to me because I knew it would have meant so much to her!
Christmas Eve Drew fried a turkey and we brought Mom over for a bit for dinner. Patrick and Taren worked on a puzzle while Drew and I got the kids ready for bed and prepared for Santa coming. Lots of egg nogg was drunk, Christmas Vacation was watched and quoted and gifts were wrapped and put together. It was a grown up Christmas Eve for us while we finished the night watching Saturday Night Live and playing Super Mario until 1 am.
Drew and I grew up with very different Christmas' I was used to a very big Christmas morning presents and he was not quite as much. It has become clearer to me that although my Mom absolutely went above and beyond each year to make our dreams come true on Christmas morning, she did so out of a desire to put smiles on her kids faces! This year as we thought through the perfect presents for our two kids we quickly found ourselves going over the edge of rational and into bigger is better. While out running around on Christmas Eve to come up with another present for Haven because Drew couldn't resist buying Everett a Thomas the Train trike I talked myself down from the ledge and recalled my sweet 9 month old girl already had amazing presents at home to open and she wouldn't realize if her brother opened one more than her ( of course she wasn't going to do the opening anyway). The distraction of going overboard, spoiling if you will, our precious children was such a thrill this year and the joyous look on Everett's face when he walked out to a mound of presents from Santa was worth every single bit!!
Everett has been in a habit of waking up insanely early, 5ish, and coming into our room. Since we had company he was already sleeping in our room and he woke up and crawled into bed with us around 6:30. We distracted him with shows locked in our room while I went out and started the coffee, breakfast and the Christmas music. Everett didn't remember that Santa came that night and he was easily distracted not caring about the music or the coffee but it was tradition! We finally went and got Haven up at 7:20 debating on if we should wake up Patrick and Taren or not. We tried to get Everett to go in and wake them up but he would only crack the door and shut it. After a group meeting between the four of us in the hall Drew and I decided that if they hadn't woken up with all the commotion we ought to just let them sleep. So we excitedly walked Everett around the corner to the living room where Santa had left his presents. I was sure the gits would elicite a "wow" or "whoa" from Everett but he just stood stunned. He would pick up a toy and say Dinosaur or Present but that was it. We had to prompt him to dive into his stocking. Halfway through he was way more interested in showing Haven her toys instead of discovering his own. Shortly he had dug into everything including Haven's toys and the living room was covered in wrapping paper and toy boxes while he played with his new toys. It was perfect!
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