Merry Christmas 2014

Like all the children on Santa's nice list, Tate was up before dawn giddy with excitement.

Me, I wasn't so giddy or excited.

I told him to close his eyes and go back to sleep or else Santa wouldn't come visit him.

He made it all the way to 6:05am.  I think he dozed with one eye open for those 50 minutes, but I crashed.  Off and on.

We woke up and I reminded him that it was Jesus' birthday first and foremost with hugs and kisses of Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday.

I got my contacts on and he agreed to wait in the room with Aunt Lindsey, who along with my parents, had spent the night...they were asleep down in Tate's room.

I ran downstairs and turned on the tree lights then Tate came running down the stairs!  

His joy and happiness were all that I hoped and wished for for him.  He was so excited he could barely contain himself.  

In our home, Santa's gifts are unwrapped, while gifts from everyone else are wrapped.  I don't remember growing up if there were wrapped gifts from my parents...isn't that peculiar?  I'll have to ask them.  I am sure to buy Tate gifts from me as well as Santa.  I even make sure to have one big gift wrapped from me, so Santa isn't seen as the only one really giving.  I'm hoping that will soften the blow of knowledge of who Santa is.  In a few years.  I put gifts in both our stockings from Santa;  this is a definite departure from how I grew up, for our stockings were normally filled with some chocolates and one small item like a necklace (which were always way cool) or something small, but always something.  I tend to fill Tate's up a bit more.  I also put some nice stuff in my stocking from Santa Claus....this year he brought me some lovely Kate Spade jewelry...her 'All Aboard' gold earrings and 'All Aboard' gold charm bracelet.  Isn't Santa a great guy? :)

Christmas morning!

He had this 839 piece Lego Yellow
Cargo Train built...all by himself...
in 2 hours!!!

 

Isn't he the best reindeer?  Ever!!!

Practicing those reindeer flying moves!

We opened gifts and had a ball doing so!  This is the first year Tate wanted to open them all at the same time.  The past 5 years, we've opened a few and he's become overwhelmed and tired, not so much wanting to play with what he'd opened, he just got bored and tired of opening.

Not this year.  He went full force, happily squealing over each and every one.  He got many Lego sets!!  Santa bought the retired Yellow Cargo Train Lego set, Mommy got him the ICE Train Lego Set (known in Tate terms as the white Lego train), his nanny got him a set, his grandparents did and his Aunt Susan and Uncle Dan did as well.  Suffice it to say that he has built all the sets except one as of this typing on Sunday evening.

Tate and his nanny went shopping for me a week or so ago with money I left for her to let him use.  I had mentioned to Tate that he might want to buy something for me this year.  He was so excited, then sad when he realized he didn't have a way to go shopping.  So I asked Nanny S if she would take him.  They went to Victoria's Secret and he chose some lovely bath gels and lotions.  Nanny S said he was thrilled and knew exactly what he wanted to pick.  I am going to have the best smelling smooth skin in all of Texas :)

He also made me a lovely canvas at school.  It's absolutely precious.  I'm so grateful that his teacher helped the class make these for the parents...I absolutely love it and will keep this forever.  (even the gift bag :) )

It was a lovely morning wherein we all relaxed in our pajamas and slowly ate breakfast and just hung out.  There was no rush to make food or take baths; we just hung out as a family.  We listened to Tate's KidsBop Christmas music more times than I care to remember until my dad and Lindsey had had enough and turned on some basketball.  I made a turkey breast and everyone provided side dishes.

My sister and her family arrived around 3:30 for dinner followed by more present opening.  Again, just lazy, laid back fun with the family.  After ice cream and pie my sister and her family as well as my dad returned their own homes and bed.  My poor dad couldn't take another night in Tate's double bed and my house without a coffee maker :).  

Tate decided to wear his new Dusty pajamas that I got for him and came downstairs to show them off to Grandmommy and Aunt Lindsey!

I didn't take nearly as many pictures or videos as I have in the past.  I wanted to be fully present in the moments this year.  I wanted to be WITH my family as we opened gifts, drank wine, argued, loved and enjoyed one another.  I may not remember each and every moment, but my heart is full.  Isn't that what's most important?  My heart remembers the happiness...the little moments of smiles and giggles would be nice to have memorialized, but more importantly I remember how I felt.  I felt so happy that Tate was so happy.  The experience of actually really watching him see what Santa brought was better than any video or picture could capture.  That video of him seeing his presents was actually a couple of minutes after he saw everything for the first time.  He was going on and on, so I knew I could capture him with the same joy and glee after I just watched him.  He loved being able to show ME each and every item, especially the first time.

We also remembered as we went to bed to wish Jesus a very happy birthday.  I hope He was smiling from above as we all celebrated His special day with joy and love.

Merry Christmas!