Christmas 2013

For unto us is born this day in the city of David a Saviour who is Christ the Lord.

Merry Christmas from me and Tate!

We've been at my parents since Monday night.  We spent the majority of Christmas Eve in our pjs!!  So. Much. Fun.  Tate opened his last Lego Advent present here at my parents...it was Santa of course :)

Then after breakfast we made some egg free sugar cookies...YUM-O!

Gotta have a taste!

He loves icing!

He only licked a few!

ACK!  No Papa!! You can only have ONE!

We then hung out, played trains and tasted more than a few cookies!  Then it was time to get ready for the Children's Christmas Eve service at our church.

We saved seats for our sweet friend H and her parents.  Tate and H decided to be angels in this year's service;  well Tate wanted to be a star, but there were no star costumes this year.  I convinced him to be an angel...

My Christmas Angel! 

 Tate became less and less sure of being an angel as the service progressed and decided to bow out at the last minute no matter how much I tried to convince him he could do it.  I have to admit I was a bit put out and tried to convince him to do it, even offering him a chocolate kiss as bribery.  No dice.  We made it through, went home and picked up our cat and returned to Grandmommy and Papa's.

The grandparents and Aunt Lindsey were running around getting ready for their Christmas Eve service at my parents' church.  Tate opened his Christmas Eve pjs along with the matching ones for me and Vincent!

We tried Vinnie's on immediately...

So displeased!

We had a quick dinner and then time to don our matching Christmas pajamas!  Vincent included!

  

Of course I wanted a full family photo...this was a feat considering that by then it was just the 3 of us trying to set the camera and run into position.  Vincent was a trooper!!!

Tate was so very happy :)  Then it was time to open our last Advent book!!

We had to leave some cookies out for Santa!  After tasting one to be sure they hadn't gotten stale!

Bedtime!! Tate was out almost immediately. 

Santa Claus got busy really quickly!  

4:59am!  Tate was wide awake.  I on the other hand was not.  I was definitely not moved by the Christmas spirit at 4:59am.  I told Tate in no uncertain terms that if he did not go back to sleep Santa Claus would not be visiting.  A visit to the potty, a few pats on the back, a few more Santa reminders and some cuddles from mama and he finally went back to sleep about 30 minutes later and didn't wake up until the much more respectable 7!

First glimpse of the Polar Express!!

Then the present opening commenced!!  

Grandmommy's coat from me and Lindsey!

 

He's been asking for
 an umbrella for months!

New train hat and mittens from Mommy!

Tate got me two interesting stone houses (from the dollar store :) ) that were perfect for the back drop of the Polar Express. 

He watched and watched that Polar Express go round and round for what seems like hours.  He also loved the little train sticker book I got him (Santa got him).  I'm always so amazed by how entertained he is by a sticker book...he did that sticker book for the other hours.  He and I worked on that Lego train for forever.  I don't think I quite knew how detailed Legos could be and are.  This was the age range 6-12 and it definitely was more than he could handle at the age of 4 or that I could at the age of 46...I have no patience and Tate, though over the moon about the red Lego train, just wanted the train...he wasn't so interested in building it.  But we muddled through, me getting testy, him getting bored and finished almost all of it.  It's set up and functional and he's absolutely thrilled.  After all he only asked for 4 things from Santa...The Polar Express, the red Lego train, a bike for him and a bike for me.  Santa came through with the Polar Express, Mommy got the Lego train and tomorrow he will find what Santa has left at our house!

We made a birthday cake for Jesus...

Later this afternoon we headed over to my sister's for dinner and more present opening.  Dinner was yummy yummy and everyone relaxed (and was pleasant to one another :) ) and the kids, especially Tate who commandeered the train table upstairs immediately, had a blast.

We came back to my parents' and Tate was just exhausted, leading him to being all over the place.  I finally got him to sleep around 8 after he kissed everyone good-night, including the Polar Express...

My sweet sweet son.  My gift from God.   With how very much I love my boy, my son, I today more than any other day realize what an amazing gift God gave us in the form of His Son.  We are all truly blessed.