Christmas This Year

Christmas this year just felt a little bit more magical, a tad bit more special...

I found I was remembering how Christmas looks through a child's eyes. The lights, the decorated tree, the beautiful bows and boxes and gift wrap. 

The handmade stockings, hung by the chimney on the wall with care, and even a stocking for the puppy.

Our Christmas break started with Jake's birthday, so Baby K got some practice helping daddy tear open his gifts. She did great! And we surprised him for a visit at work - we sat at the bar and had some drinks, and they even let him go home early!

On Sunday, we went to the Children's Museum for the first time! It was like our own little family holiday outing. It was so neat to see how she interacted with some of the exhibits. Her favorite was the water table exhibit, with fountains and ping pong balls and soapy suds.

Daddy likes putting bubbles on her head when he does dishes, and she got some bubbles here, too!

Christmas Eve was at my parents', where they had a tall tree in their open living room. The pile of presents was impressive, especially with a new little gift opener this year.

We got a family photo after church - I love this one!

Kennedy got a new sled from Grandma and Grandpa, and here you can see her pure joy in being pulled around after church in the driveway. It was a great new experience!

Taking a break from presents to fly with Grandma

Checking out the snow globe with Auntie Natalie

I think she looks so old here - can't believe a year is just around the corner!

We woke up at home on Christmas morning, and had a beautiful lazy time as a family. We danced to Christmas music, opened gifts, giggled, and played with our new things. Here's K kissing her new baby doll (something she does frequently now).

And of course, a cell phone! It's funny to think that a techie-9-month-old would find such joy in a little gadget toy, but she certainly does. She often drags it around the house with her.

Christmas afternoon was at Grandma and Bumpa's house (Jake's parents') and we thoroughly enjoyed round 3. 

She sure loves her daddy

Lisa made a mashed potato bar and served them in these glasses - I thought it was a super cool idea!

In the end, when I sat with my love on Christmas evening, after all the gift wrap was crumpled, the boxes were torn, and the bows were thrown away saved for next year, I remembered that the magic of Christmas is definitely not tangible - it's something we feel, something that comes only once a year, sparkling in its brilliance, cozy in its warmth, and then fleeting, and we wait until it comes again.