This was your second Christmas. Your first one was fun, seeing your face light up and seeing you open presents and try to understand the concept. This time was so much fun! Your Dad and I got to experience our first night setting everything up, setting out cookies and milk for Santa, and overall just get ready for the excitement ahead of us the next morning. Being a parent is like being a kid all over again. Christmas is exciting again. I want to get up early just to see my child’s happy reaction.
You know who Santa is. You don’t entirely know the whole concept, but you know what he looks like and that he is EVERYWHERE all at once. (ie: the mall, people’s front yards, television, movies) it’s a little crazy now that I think about it. You loved watching anything about Santa Claus and you love pointing him out wherever we go.
Your favorite holiday movie this year was Frosty the Snowman. An all time favorite of mine. So when I saw it coming on, I recorded it.
We started the Christmas holiday by driving to Memphis and stayed the first part of the week at Naani and JoePop’s. Uncle Tim, Aunt B, and Josiah met us there to spend some quality family time and doing an early Christmas with them. You made out like a bandit! Lots of new toys to play with. Spoiled is an understatement. We went to Zoo Lights, a light show that you walk through and can see the animals at the same time at the zoo. You loved every second of it. You were a little weary of the people dressed as animals at first, but you came around and became obsessed with them. They each got at least twenty high-fives and hugs from you. After some carousel riding, and riding around in the wagon, we were pooped and went back home.
We spent the other half of the week at Birdie and HeyHey’s house. This is where we spent Christmas Eve and Christmas. Dinner out with the family, including Birdie, HeyHey, Daddy, me, Aunt Laura, Uncle Chris, Evan, and Uncle Crate, is always a tradition of ours on Christmas Eve. You were so funny saying “Bite of Bread?” over and over and kept everyone laughing and cooing over you.
The night concluded with dessert and opening presents with the family before bed. Then we wait for the big man in the red suit to come down the chimney. I still don’t think you understood what was going to happen when you woke up, but when that time came, your Dad and I were so excited, and then so were you once you figured out something big was waiting for you at the bottom of those stairs. The very stairs I went down every Christmas when I was growing up. I love sharing old traditions with you.
Once you saw your loot, you stopped dead in your tracks, looked up at me to confirm, and said “Santa Claus?” Then I knew you understood what was going on. How fun! You played and played and played until you were literally just sick and tired of opening presents. So we took a break.
The day continued with more tradition of Birdie’s side of the family coming over to be together. It’s always a fun time, even though you get overwhelmed with too much attention. Overall we had a great trip and an amazing Christmas. I’m sure someday soon we will start our own traditions here in our home, but for now, I love sharing it with the rest of the family. So until then, we can keep it this way.
Merry Christmas, little girl. You deserve everything you want and more. Continue to be a good girl. I love you.
Love Mommy
AliceLayne 