Christmas at my parents

We traveled to my parents house for a long weekend to celebrate Christmas with them and my sister, her husband, and two kids Nicole and Tyler. We gathered on Friday night for a fish fry (I ate ham!) and as soon as my niece Nicole arrived she started in. " When can we open the stockings, Nana?" she asked. "As soon as everyone is available." Nana replied. 5 minutes later Nicole announces, "Everyone's available!" However, everyone was not even yet THERE so we had to put off the stocking opening for a little while longer. Kaelyn enjoyed her first stocking, tough I must admit, Nicole and Tyler did most of the opening FOR her. She got a way cool snowman straw which she promptly stuck her finger into. A little baby doll, a snow globe, a few other cool things.


The next day we got up, some of us were able to get ready, and opened presents. Kaelyn liked pounding on the boxes after the wrapping paper was taken off. She enjoyed a toy or two here and there as well, but the box pounding seemed to give her the most pleasure. Since we got home she's been playing with her new "camera" quite a bit. She also got a new Elmo book and a way cool puzzle that makes sounds. All from Aunt Heather and Uncle Paul. The puzzle is neat, she'll take a piece out and turn it over and over in her hands. Then toss it aside and grab another piece. I guess it's fun for me to put it back together. I think I've gotten the hand of it by now and know where all the pieces go! :) As you can see from the picture, the wiffle ball is still in play. It has to be close at all times! :)



Kaelyn also got a crawling baby doll. This doll crawls, coos, babbles, farts (why is has to fart, I don't know, but it IS kind of funny!) My mom said the baby has been cooing and farting under the tree for a month now. And I now understand why. Any time you make a small noise, turn on a light, enter the room, that doll goes off! Cooing, crawling, farting, legs in the air, legs on the ground, on her side, it doesn't matter. She just goes and goes! We did put new batteries in her so I guess it's our own fault. Kaelyn just looks at her and grins and grins. Or ignores her completely, depending on her mood.

Kaelyn also got her very own rocking horse, painted white with blue accents by her Nana. A bag with her name embroidered on it that we'll probably take to the library and places like that. A car toy that plays music and speaks in Spanish AND English (she's starting her bilingualism early...not sure that's a word, but whatever). And assorted clothes among other things.

Christmas was a success because we were stuffed silly the whole time we were there. Turkey, ham, the works. And then leftovers galore. My mom kept offering to make something new but the original meal was so good we just kept eating the leftovers! Whatever works, huh!

I always thought Christmas with a child would be more fun. I think someday it will be. To see the look of joy in their eyes, to see them rip through the presents, the anticipation. This year, however, it was just a lot more work! We had to work around nap times. I had to enjoy family while trying to please a tired cranky baby. I had to care for that tired cranky baby in someone else's home. They have a GREAT set up there, but still, I couldn't take ALL of our stuff with us! Just most of it! I left the kitchen sink at home. But then again I had a lot of help so it's not like I was alone. Maybe I just feel that way because of the sleeping issue, which you'll read about in the previous post.

I have to mention that Kaelyn took a particular strange attitude towards my brother-in-law Paul. He's the sweetest, gentlest guy. He loves kids, has two, and is great with them. She would look and look at Paul, her face VERY serious and somber. No matter what he would do, play peek-a-bo, ignore her completely, make funny faces, etc. After a few minutes of VERY serious expressions she would BURST out in tears, just screaming her little head off! She used to have that reaction to her Gramps but she has since gotten used to him. Perhaps with a little time Uncle Paul will be more fun for her. But for now it was somewhat funny for the rest of us to see her react to him like that! Though maybe not so much for him!!

Another highlight of the CHristmas celebration was trips to Chick-Fil-A. There is no Chick-Fil-A close to where we live so we have to go visit my parents to eat it. I worked there all through high school and part of college and I became a bit addicted. Most of the time when people work at a fast food place they will NEVER eat there again. But in my case, I can't get enough of it! On our last day visiting we went to the mall and had Chick-Fil-A (visit three of our stay there) and after eating I was standing there with Kaelyn and she got real cuddly and just laid her head on my chest. SHe's the type of kid that likes to go go go so she doesn't cuddle down that often. After a few minutes I looked down and she was asleep. She'd been napping around 9 and then 2 and it was only noon. Just a little power nap, I guess. But it was a great reminder to me of how precious of a gift she is and how sweet she is, no matter what issues we may have here and there with crankiness, tiredness, sleeping at night. She's a gift and at Christmas time there is no greater gift I could ask for.

Two Christmases down, one to go...however, with ice and snow on the way, who knows when that Christmas may end up being celebrated!!