Christmas 2014

“One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don't clean it up too quickly."
~ Andy Rooney

It’s the most magical time of the year and this year was no different.  How can the season get any more magical with kids that are 5, 2 and 2 1/2 months?  I know in the future we will sit back and remember these years as great Christmas’s in our lives.

Our holiday season actually started the day before Thanksgiving as we made our now annual trek to the United Center for the circus.  This year Auntie Jea Jea and Hopey joined us for the circus. 

We pushed the height limit for Hopey to get in for free but Hope barely was short enough.  We arrived early to catch the pre show and as luck would have it we were one of the first down on the floor of the circus with front row to see the clown, elephants and the other performers.  The kids were only inches away from all the action and it was fun to try and look around to see their smiling faces.  Ticket prices for the circus are not that expensive and they have free parking but they get you on the overpriced light up toys that we bought for the kids, before we found our seats.  Jame got a light up sword and Hope got a unicorn purse.  The circus did not disappoint, it’s still a great show but not as good as watching their faces light up at different times.  Hope’s interest came and went during the show and Jame had his moments as well but at the end, he said his favorite was the motorcycles in the steel ball.

 

Just a small crowd for Thanksgiving this year so no record setting amount of turkey’s, only two this year.  We still baked a turkey and deep fried a turkey.  We filled the day with cooking, cleaning, and of course watching the parades.  Football Family and turkey filled out the rest of the day.  Grandma Rosie and Grandpa Jim came by early and helped, keeping the kids entertained and Rock happy and fed.  Uncle Brett or as Hopey now calls him UB stopped by and the kids love playing with him.  It was a simple small Thanksgiving but stuffed with a lot of love.

We wasted no time getting in the Christmas spirit the day after Thanksgiving Auntie Jea Jea, Jame, Hope Mommy and Daddy headed to Downers Grove where UB met us for the Downers Grove parade and tree lighting.  First it was off to the library for some fun and stories and then out onto the street for the parade.  As always Santa arrived to help light the Christmas tree.  Santa arrived this year on the back of an old 1947 fire truck.  Jame went up and talked to Santa but Hopey was not having it and held tight to UB.  After the parade and tree lighting we headed over for some pizza.  We were a bit worried about the cold evening air so we decided that Rock would not make the parade this year but we would bring all the kids back another day to meet Santa.

Grandma Ruth and Grandpa Rick made the as Jame would say the “REALLY LOOOONG DRIVE” from North Dakota to see their new Grandson Rock.  They were only able to stay for a short time but the kids enjoyed it, even Rock, who got used to being held.  Hopey had fun playing dolls with Grandpa Rick and Little Man loved having Grandma Ruth play with him.  The kids were not happy to see them go.

Grandma Vicki, Auntie Val, Auntie Jea Jea, Mommy, Daddy and all the kids were in Downers the next weekend to meet Santa Clause.  The kids love playing in the toy store next to Santa’s house and it’s also good to give us ideas on what the kids want for Christmas.  Santa made a quick visit with the kids inside the store and Hopey was not happy to see him at all but did manage to get out the word baby.  After playing with baby dolls and trains the kids made their way to see Santa in his house.  Once again Hope who talked nonstop about Ho HO began crying at the first sight of him.  Grandma Vicki, Auntie Val and Auntie Jea Jea did their best to help us get a good photo with Santa.  What we got in a strange way was even better.  To quote the Grinch we got a wonderful awful picture. 

Little Man was yawning, Hopey was crying, Rock was lying their oblivious, Dad had his eyes closed and Mom looked like she was smiling to avoid a nervous breakdown.  The photo was so bad it was actually well, GREAT!  Instantly we all started to laugh and friends told us how we should use it as our Christmas card and well who are we to disappoint.  With the pictures taken, Hopey still refused to talk to Santa, Rock just laid there like a slug and Little Man well he knew what to do asking for a Super Hero costume and a Fireman’s costume.  The costumes were a relief since he first wanted a dinosaur monster truck which may have proven tough to find for Santa. 

After the visit with Santa, we stopped at Ballydoyle, an Irish pub close to Santa’s house.  UB stopped by to join us.  We ordered and I noticed the table next to us was a band and it appeared they were talking about what they were going to play that night.  Looking at the stage and the large speakers I thought for sure we were going to have to hurry up and eat to get the kids out of there before the loud band started playing.  As we ate, I notice they pulled out a few instruments, a fiddle, an acoustic guitar and a percussionist with a hand drum and other fun items to play.  Before long they started playing at the table, they played Irish folk songs.  The kids were immediately drawn to the musicians and the musicians took them in and before long the kids were using the egg shakers and playing with the band.  Not only did we not have to rush out of there after dinner but we ordered dessert and enjoyed the music.  They played at the table next to ours and yet we could still talk but I just sat there enjoying every minute of it.

When Jame visited with Santa he gave him a special gift.  Bean was back from the North Pole.  We placed Bean out that night and opened the container Santa brought him in.  We had no idea the fun Bean would have.  The kids loved getting up in the morning looking for Bean especially Hopey, who to this day still asks about Bean.  The first morning started off with Bean driving one of Jame’s RC cars, then he started a band with Elvis’s and even hung up one of Jame’s stinky soccer socks by the stockings.  One of the kid’s favorites was that Bean cut out paper elf versions of them and was dancing with them on the cabinet.   Bean followed that by dressing up as a super hero; he then drew on the bananas to make them look like minions and then had a fight with the pirates in the house including Captain Hook, Jake, the Skipper and Gilligan.  He once again returned to the stockings and hung up Jame’s underwear but this time it cost him. 

Bean fell from the cabinet where the stockings were hung, Hopey was very distressed by this and Mom picked up Bean with a pair of tongs and placed him back on top of the cabinet.  The next day Bean was being helped by every doc we had in the house.  There was an ambulance by him; Doc McStuffins was helping along with Hermie the elf dentist and Doc from the movie Cars.  Bean was in good hands and was back up the next day to his old tricks; he was bathing in a bowl of candy and then had a party with a lot of his elf friends.  Cleaning up after a pooping reindeer turned out to be one of the funnier mornings for the kids and even funnier when they found out they were jelly beans that they could eat.  Spider Bean paid a visit next as he hung upside down from the ceiling with a spider man mask on.  Bean then got Rudolph noses and put them on our noses in a bunch of pictures hanging in the house.  He then must have tried to help feed Rock and found himself stuck inside a baby bottle.  We woke up and found him dressed in a styrofoam cup costume, looking like a snowman. 

He played with Lego’s, then one of the other favorites he sat on a glass reading a Jellybean book and a Hershey kiss was at the bottom of the glass like he had pooped, once again the next day Hopey took great joy in eating the poop while Jame was a bit grossed out by this act.  Bean once again hit the stockings by giving himself the biggest one, then he used Mom’s lipstick wrote on the mirror and colored the kid’s noses red.  He finished up by giving us googley eyes on our picture with Santa then he brought a couple of punch balloons and hung from the ceiling on one of them.  Christmas Eve came and Bean left a note and some presents for the kids.  Santa had granted them permission to give him a kiss goodbye.  On Christmas Eve Santa came and Bean went back to the North Pole with him.  We had fun Bean; see you next year.

Jame had his preschool pageant and this year he was one of the wise men.  Unfortunately I had to work and was unable to attend but Mommy, Hopey and Auntie Jea Jea went.  He did great and the place was packed this time, since his class is so large this year.  Mom stepped up and took pictures and videotaped the program so I could watch it later.  Little Man did a great job in the play and we love hearing him singing the songs from the pageant.  Two of the favorites are Chubby Little Snowman where a hungry bunny eats his nose with a nibble, nibble, Crunch!  The next one he does sign language as he sings Yes Jesus Loves me.  Hopey has also taken to singing along but she invents some words and even combines songs together, she sings Yes Jesus loves me, Nibble, nibble, crunch.

Little Man’s preschool also went to a nursing home to sing for the residence there.  This time Mom who was with Mimi at the doctor’s office could not attend but Dad was able to make it.  I loaded up both Jame and Hope and headed out to the nursing home.  It was a lot of fun to see him with his classmates and Hope is always happy to be around other kids.  Little Man introduced his sister to his teachers and she was right at home in fact his teacher commented that she was ready for school.  Once again he did a great job singing and even afterwards the kids had made decorations for the residence and both Hopey and Little Man were very good at handing them out.  Little Man is very good with his little sister and with the elderly.

Christmas Eve we spent at home this year, we decided last year it was too hard heading to church and it was enough trying to get ready and enjoy the evening.  The kids were excited as we said goodbye to Elf Bean and they both gave him a kiss and told him to have a safe trip home.  Next it was time to put out the milk and cookies; Jame picked out three chocolate cookies and we made Santa some chocolate milk to go with them.  We put the cookies and milk close to the tree and it was off to bed to sleep, well just to lay down, Jame is not only a night owl but was also very excited for Christmas this year.

The next morning I awoke walked out to the front room and sure enough Santa had come.  Auntie Jea Jea, who had been up late feeding Rock, had It’s a Wonderful Life on and I sat down to watch, it seemed like a great way to start Christmas day.  I only watched for a few minutes when I heard a door open and feet run down the hallway.  Jame ran into the front room stopped looked around and his eyes opened wide as he exclaimed, “HE CAME!” He ran over to the presents all wrapped in red paper from Santa and started looking for the ones with is name on it.  I stopped him and told him that he needed to get Mommy and Hopey up before we opened Santa’s presents. 

As you can guess, it wasn’t long before Mommy and Hopey were up.  Hopey took a bit to wake up but she woke up quickly once she noticed all the candy in her Christmas stocking.  The kids made quick work of their stockings and were ready for gifts. 

Santa must have gotten good reports from Bean since the kids got what they asked the big guy for Christmas.  Hopey got her baby doll and Jame got his Super Hero and Fireman costumes and Rock, well he got some diaper formula and an outfit.  Rock is keeping it simple this year, all he wants are the basics.  It was a wonderful morning filled with the magic of Christmas and I thought about the Andy Rooney quote of not picking it up to quickly but guests were coming and more presents needed to be opened.  

Later that morning, Grandma Rosie and Grandpa Jim came by to watch the kids as we continued to get ready for Christmas dinner.  The kids had a great time playing with them and Grandma Rosie did a good job of keeping baby Rock happy.  That night U.B., Uncle Brett and Uncle Wally came over.  As usual we had way too much food and I once again needed my turkey and deep frying is so good and so fast.  The kids hardly wanted to eat they just wanted to get to opening up the gifts.  After they ate barely enough to make us happy we went at the gift opening again.  At times it seemed like they opened gift after gift after gift.  Once again the floor quickly filled with wrapping paper and Andy Rooney’s words ran through my head.  All that was left of Christmas was to sit back and enjoy the rest of the night as the kids played with all their new treasures.  It was truly a magical Christmas with the kids at this age.

In between the holidays was Christmas with Grandma Vicki and Grandpa Mike and that part of the family.  They had quite a crowd there and just before we arrived, Hopey fell asleep in her car seat.  I was expecting her to be shy and clingy when we arrived but much to our surprise it was Little Man who became shy and clingy and Hopey was walking around happy.  A strange turn in their personalities but Little Man soon overcame his shyness thanks to Auntie Suzy getting him something to draw with and both the kids really opened up when their dogs made an appearance.  The dogs walked in tails wagging and mouths licking and the kids quickly started giggling.  Rock was happy as well with an abundance of people willing to hold him.  Hopey got a hat that she loves now and always grabs when we go out.  Little Man had complimented Grandma Vicky on her necklace that had the kids’ names and birthstones.  He had told her how he wanted one with her and Grandpa Mike’s names on it.  He wears it constantly and even has told her how much he likes it because it reminds him of them. 

New Years Eve was our normal Screw Your Neighbor card playing night.  Pot stickers, guacamole, fried rice and lasagna were all on the menu.  I filled up balloons with small toys and candy minus the confetti this year and hung them up.  Occasionally we would let Little Man count down from ten and pop a balloon; he seemed to really enjoy it.  Hopey was on her own time and long before midnight she decided it was time for bed and off she went.  Jame had no problem making it to midnight and popped the remaining balloons.  We stopped our card game in time for midnight and played one more after and then retired our dimes until next New Years Eve.

Rock is doing great after his rough start in life; he is picking up his head and moving it around.  The doctors are very happy with his progress and they are referring to him as a miracle baby.  Hopey has now developed a deep love with Anna and Olaf so we are watching Frozen on a nightly basis.  She has begun going potty in the big potty and is constantly talking, we have to be careful what we say around her since she repeats almost everything.  I have worked with her so that I can ask her how old is Rock and she will say zero.  I then ask how old are you and she replies two sometime with two fingers sometimes with three.  “How old is Jame?” “FIVE” she will reply and then I ask how old is Mommy?  “OOOOLDT” she will reply.  Then when I ask her “How old is Daddy?” She replies “Young” Mom has worked hard to change this and sometimes she gets a devilish smile on her face and calls me “WAY OLDT!” 

Jame continues to do great in preschool in fact we are only worried that they may not be challenging him enough.  His soccer skills continue to improve and it seems like he can score when he puts his mind to it, sometimes just hanging out and wanting to make friends at soccer is more on his agenda.

We are now packing up Christmas for another year but it will be one to look back on fondly.  Our lives are showing no signs of slowing down, we do our best to slow down a bit and enjoy the ride.  Soccer and school have started back up after the holiday break.  We are making plans to take a few days in Wisconsin Dells at a water park and hope to enjoy and smell the roses or the chlorine.  These are the days we are going to look back at with a smile.