Daniel turned down all requests to work on Christmas Eve (right up until today, Dec 28th actually) to make sure he would be home with us all. My biggest complaint as a wife is I always spend holidays and times of crisis (i.e. the blackout of 2003) alone because he ALWAYS is called to work. It was so nice to have him home for the whole holiday (he normally works Christmas Eve and Boxing Day). So Christmas Eve we just hung out together. Truly, we had nothing to do. Nothing left to buy, nothing left (really) to organize. My family was scheduled to join us for a Christmas Eve reveillon but that really didn’t involve all that much preparation. It was a wonderfully warm day and there was fresh snow on the ground so after an early lunch we bundled the kids up and took them out to play in the snow. I really felt sorry for “southern” kids that they don’t get to play in snow. The neighbour (a 30-something year old little kid if there ever was one) was deeply involved with snow fort building and snowball fights on the front lawn. Kamryn joined his two girls and some other girls from the neighbourhood (it really was a girl power day). Kamryn, being the youngest, couldn’t quite keep up but she tried. In the end she decided she wanted to build a snowman, so I “helped” her and our youngest neighbour (4 ½) build a snowman. They abandoned me for more interesting pursuits before we had even put the bottom of the body in place but I made a really nice snowman on my own. Ah well.
Sam got right to work shoveling the driveway with Daniel. It’s good he’s getting the practice in now. I expect in years to come it will get hard to convince him of how much fun shoveling the driveway will be. If you put Sam down in “deep” snow he just stands there. Eventually he falls over and just lies there. Can’t say he is really impressed with it – smart boy! It’s a very effective way to slow down a little boy who NEVER stops moving. He is very happy in the driveway though and likes his shovel.
Sam and his shovel.
After naps and dinner the kids changed into jammies and we opened “birthfamily” presents (our little tradition; it’s a nice private time for us). Kamryn’s birthdad is a very generous man with no clue about children. :lol He gave Kamryn a digital camera (a real one albeit for children (8 and up!) and Sam a remote control car that we didn’t even bother taking out of the box because he would break it in an instant. There other presents (from other birthfamily members) were much more age appropriate – a Thomas the Train Lego set – that is a big hit except I’m sooooo tired of putting Thomas back together for Sam (I realized this morning that Kamryn can do it and she has been earning her big sister bonus points); Pjs and a robe for Kamryn; books etc. The kids joined in the first part of reveillon and then they were off to bed.
Sam opens a present from Nana:
Santa’s biggest Elf:
Christmas morning was wonderful. Santa left the toys for the children in the living room in front of the tree; doll paraphernalia for Kamryn who has been asking for a “carosse” (doll stroller) since October it seems, and a Little People Garage and a Dump Truck for Sam. I was a teensy bit worried there would be an argument over who the toys were for but they figured it out in an instant and while they both play with each others toys they know what belongs to who (Kamryn is at present lecturing Sam for messing up HIS Thomas the Train lego train tracks). Santa seems to have gotten things right though and there has been the least fighting this morning ever as they are too busy playing with their new toys to get in each other’s way.
Stocking unstuffing:
Kamryn models a new dress. Don’t know where she is going to wear this?!?
Kamryn helps her cousin distribute presents (Sam was asleep).
Today is the first real chance they have had to really play, as soon after opening presents we were off to Christmas Mass and then to my parents’ house to open up even more presents. It was all a little much for Sam and after opening one or two presents our little man needed to head off for his nap (he was just exhausted) so he opened his presents with Papa and Maman after everyone else. He enjoyed it just as much though. Kamryn had a ball helping to pass out presents to others and opening her own – sometimes she confused to two tasks. She had a wonderful day playing with her cousins and being spoiled, as did Sam.
Boxing Day morning we were off bright and early to Kingston to visit with our good friends on Wolfe Island. The kids got MORE presents and really enjoyed playing with Daniel (5) and Ella (3) the littlest family members. They also enjoyed a great deal more spoiling. Then it was back to Ottawa that night so that we could be here to share breakfast the next morning with Sam’s Godparents, Joe and Monica, who oddly we had just seen the day before on Wolfe Island but who had left for Ottawa to visit with Joe’s mother.
Today Daniel is back to work and the kids and I are just decompressing. Toys are being tried out and hopefully we will get the nap schedule back in order.
4 comments:
So, so cute! I love the pics!!
What a wonderfully perfect Christmas! I loved the pictures and the thought of all of that family time (and presents! :-)
And, you know, I feel sorry for those southern kids too. I've never had a white Christmas and now that I'm up in Vermont, I was loathe to leave the snow behind for Georgia. Once we have kids, we're staying put.
what great holiday photos! beautiful kids!
I miss you journalling. Just so ya know. :-)
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