Ode to Christmas Eve

Before going to bed the boys bid Tinsel farewell,
For they knew he would leave when he heard Santa's sleigh bell.

They agreed to go to sleep after leaving Santa cookies on a plate,
Mommy and Daddy were exhausted and knew we'd be up late.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
And we slowly looked around the room in dispair.

Surrounded by piles of gifts, we realized we had so much left to do,
How would we get the wrapping finished before the night was through?

We stayed up past 2 a.m. trying to get it all done,
And less than 5 hours later the Christmas morning fun had begun!

Message From Santa

Just before the boys went to bed, I checked my email and discovered that Santa had sent them a video message.  The look on Ryan's face as he watched his message from Santa was absolutely priceless.  It brought tears to my eyes to see the sheer excitement and joy on his face.  His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open in surprise when Santa called him by name, opened the official book to display a photo of Ryan on the nice list, and knew exactly what Ryan had on his wish list this year.  It has been truly special to experience the magic of Christmas through the eyes of a child.

Click here to watch Ryan's video message:
http://portablenorthpole.tv/watch/09a263967df83fe7e5734718d7e4b210

Or click on the link below and enter the password:
http://portablenorthpole.tv/
User name:michelle.mann2@gmail.com
Password:7uq8

To see Gavin's personalized message, click on the link below:
http://portablenorthpole.tv/watch/7c7915a9d44f3487bc0eb36f666771d0

Or click on the link below and enter the password:
http://portablenorthpole.tv/
User name:michelle.mann2@gmail.com
Password:q7sn

Letter to Santa

Earlier in the season, Ryan looked through all the toy catalogs that had arrived in the mail, circled all of the toys that interested him (virtually every boy toy shown!), and made his wish list.  Ryan understands there are a lot of boys and girls on Santa's Nice List. So, he wanted to get his request in early since Santa's toy factory is probably quite busy this time of year.  Then, together, we wrote a letter to Santa to send along with his wish list.  Ryan dictated the content of the letter; Mommy was merely the scribe. 

During our first shopping trip to Towson Town Center, Santa's helpers stationed outside of Macy's department store informed us that they would deliver all Santa mail to the North Pole.  They also told us that Macy's would donate $1 to the Make A Wish Foundation for every piece of mail they received.  So, a couple of days later, we returned with Ryan's letter to Santa and wish list so he could mail it to the North Pole.  (Shhh...Mommy and Daddy secretly replaced the originals with duplicates so that we could save Ryan's first Santa mail for posterity).

Below are photos of Ryan decorating and mailing his Santa mail.

Oh Christmas Tree....

Since it's Gavin's first Christmas and Ryan is really into the holiday this year, we wanted to make the Christmas tree buying experience really memorable.  So, we decided to go to a local choose-and-cut-your-own Christmas tree farm.  We had visions of our family walking up and down aisles of evergreens in search of the perfect tree; Daddy and Ryan sawing it down together and hauling it back to the car.  Unfortunately, our plans were foiled by indecision, muddy fields, and a bathroom emergency. 

We bundled up and started out on our adventure with boundless enthusiasm.  Armed with a saw, a tree cart, and a camera to document the memories, we hiked for a quarter mile to the far reaches of the tree farm, where the trees were less picked over.  The fields were horribly muddy from the recent rain and melting snow.   After slogging through the mud for nearly a half an hour, we were disappointed to find that the trees were small, misshapen, and the needles were sparse.  Undeterred, we spread out to cover more ground in our search for "the" tree.  At one point, after Mike had gone off to investigate another area of the tree farm, Ryan informed me that he had gone potty in his diaper.  Naturally, I had no diaper changing supplies with me and he insisted on being changed right then.  He refused to walk back to the car and we couldn't carry him since we had our hands full with Gavin, the saw, and pulling the tree cart.  So, Mike removed Ryan's dirty diaper, discreetly emptied the contents in the field, and carefully put it back on Ryan until we could get him back to the car to finish cleaning him up.  Oh, the poor unsuspecting soul who stumbles across that "discovery" as they are looking for their perfect tree...Hopefully they will mistake it for deer droppings!     

At that point, we decided to forego the tree cutting experience and instead opt for a pre-cut tree again this year!  I bet we were the only ones to return to the check-out stand empty-handed.  We quickly high-tailed it out of there and returned to the Christmas tree farm we've gone to for the past 4 years and bought the perfect tree.  It's just over 8' tall and is (err...was) beautifully shaped.  While the men strapped the tree onto the roof of the Explorer, Daddy and Ryan visited the petting zoo, where Ryan got an unexpected lesson about the birds and the bees since two goats were doing the "wild monkey dance."

By the time we got home, our enthusiasm had waned considerably and we were short on Christmas spirit.  So, Daddy and Ryan put the tree in the stand, uprighted it, watered it and positioned it in the corner of the family room.  Then we all agreed to wait another day or two to tackle decorating it, especially since we faced a lot of cleanup!  Luckily, the next day, brought renewed energy and enthusiasm, so Daddy strung the lights and Mommy and Ryan decorated it.  Gavin, who was oblivious to most of the drama of the previous day, was entertained by the bustling activity going on all around him and mesmorized by the twinkling lights.  Guinness, of course, slept through the entire production!

The next day, Ryan and I were eating lunch when we heard a creaking, groaning sound.  We looked over to the family room just in time to see the tree fall over.  For some reason, it never falls backward toward the corner.  Nope, it falls forward into the center of the room on top of all of the ornaments.  Ryan immediately started bawling.  And, while I wanted to join him, with a few expletives thrown in, I had to plaster a fake smile on my face, laugh and say, "Oh yea!  We had so much fun decorating the tree all day yesterday; now we get to do it all over again today!"  In case any of you were wondering, shatterproof ornaments can withstand 3-year-old boys as well a catastrophic tree collapse!

Here are a few before and after photos of our tree:

Soccer Star

Yesterday was Ryan's last soccer class for the Fall session.  This year, he's in the 3-4 year old program, which differs from the 18 month-3 year old program in that parents are no longer invited to participate.  Previously it was a stretch to call it soccer since it more closely resembled open play.  This time, they've taught a new soccer skill in each of the 6 classes.  They have practiced dribbling, kicking, passing, and even played mini 3-on-3 games that spanned the width of the field.  Yesterday, though, they scrimmaged the full length of the field.  Ryan scored the only goal of the game!  He was quite pleased with himself, especially when he turned around and saw and heard all of the parents applauding and cheering.  I'm doubly excited because it helped boost his confidence and renewed his enthusiasm for the sport. 

Indoor soccer has also become a family bonding activity in our household.  We've set up a makeshift goal using chairs from Ryan's playtable and established bounds of fair play (e.g., we try to avoid areas where someone could get hurt or things could be broken).  Then, using a squishy ball, we challenge each other to one-on-one competitions.  It allows Ryan to practice skills he learned in class, burns off energy since we run loops around the entire downstairs, and provides an opportunity to teach him good sportsmanship since Ryan doesn't like it when Mommy or Daddy score.

Although the photo quality is not ideal, here are a couple of pictures of the next David Beckham in the making.  (Note:  The second photo is Ryan licking the bowl after making his celebratory batch of brownies.)

Ryanisms

Deck the Halls
We began decorating the house for Christmas soon after our return from our Thanksgiving travels.  We have tackled it in spurts over the past couple of weeks as time and energy have permitted.  Our first order of business was to hang the pre-lit garland from the mantel and hallway railings and stair banisters since it's fairly quick and easy to put up and offers immediate results.  Excited to see the house illuminated, we were disappointed to discover that we were going to be one garland length short in the upstairs hallway.  To make matters worse, we weren't able to finish decorating for several days since the garland was not purchased locally.  We were going to have to wait until Mike could stop by the Robin's Nest in Easton to purchase the remaining garland strand.  It seemed as though every time he made a trip up or down the stairs, Ryan would comment on the missing garland.  One evening, he remarked, "We need to work a little bit harder on this tomorrow.  It looks funny.  No me think we can enjoy it like this!"  At least he used the pronoun, "we."  It seems far less condescending that way!  :-)  Thankfully, he's satisfied with the finished product as the house is now decorated with more than 50 feet of twinkling garland. 

Bathroom Humor
This past Friday, we went to Towson Town Center for Santa pictures and to do a little Christmas shopping.  While we were waiting for Santa to return from an emergency trip to the toy factory at the North Pole (a.k.a. his lunch break), I decided to take Ryan to the bathroom for a diaper change.  I thought I'd take advantage of the opportunity to use the bathroom as well.  Since I couldn't leave him in the bathroom alone, I had to bring him into the stall with me.  When I was finished, he said, "Good job, Mommy!"  Then he inquired, "Me no thought you had a pickle."  When I assured him that girls do not, in fact, have pickles, he then asked, "well how you go pee pee then?"  Figuring that was neither the time nor the place to tackle that sensitive discussion (plus, Mike should have to suffer through it as well), I hurriedly ushered him out of the stall, praying that we'd find an empty bathroom.  No such luck - there were several ladies waiting in line, all trying unsuccessfully to stifle their giggles.  If only they had changing tables in the men's room..

Diaper Disaster
Gavin has not had a good day so far today.  He shrieked inconsolably most of the morning.  I had no idea if the crying was due to teething, a stomachache, being overtired, or just crankiness.  Ryan and I tried everything we could think of to calm him down.  We read to him, sang to him, played music, rocked him, carried him around...nothing worked and we were starting to loose our patience.  By lunchtime, I was at my wit's end and had to put him in his bouncy seat in the kitchen so I could make a sandwich for Ryan.  We were relieved when he finally let out a long chain of "toots" and mini explosions in his diaper.  Thankful for the silence and grateful that the problem had finally passed (no pun intended), I took Gavin upstairs for what I assumed was a much needed diaper change.  Ryan accompanied me to help.  I was shocked to discover that Gavin only had a wet diaper.  As I had both of his ankles in one hand and was wiping his bottom with the other, he decided to let out another long string of "toots."  Ryan, of course, thought this was hilarious.  His amusement quickly turned to horror as Gavin's "toots" were replaced by squirts of diarrhea.  I frantically tried to catch it using anything within arm's reach - the discarded diaper, wet wipes, a dirty sock.  Unfortunately, although most of it landed in my hand, a few drops did get on the carpet.  I wasn't sure whether to laugh or to cry.  Luckily, Ryan made the decision for me when he emphatically exclaimed (from the safety of the rocking chair), "Geez, what is up with this kid?!"     

First Snow

On Saturday we had our first snowfall of the season.  We first noticed it was snowing around 8 a.m. and it didn't taper off until about 7 p.m.  We received a total of 6 inches of snow.  Although it was beautiful to watch the snow flurries coming down all day, the wait was torture for a particular 3-year-old boy who was anxious for it to stop so he could go outside to play.  When Daddy got home from work later that night, we all bundled up and frolicked in the frontyard.  Ryan thought it was "super cool" that we were the only ones outside playing at that hour!  I'm sure the neighbors thought we were crazy!  Daddy and Ryan made an impromptu snowman while Mommy and Gavin posed for a picture to commemorate Gavin's first snowfall.  After a half hour or so, we went inside to warm up with hot chocolate and marshmallows, which Ryan decided tastes better cold!

The next morning, we went outside fairly early to play since the rising temperatures were beginning to melt the snow.  Gavin was a trouper for his photo shoot even though he was so bundled up he could barely move or bend his arms and legs!  All of the excitement eventually wore him out and he slept in his bouncy seat just inside the front door while Mommy and Ryan enjoyed some special time together.  We had snowball fights and sled races and even made a few snow angels.  Then the girls next door came over to play and the three of them made snow forts and ice sculptures.  After a couple of hours, Ryan admitted he was cold, tired, and hungry.  He came inside for a warm bath, cold hot chocolate, and a long nap!

Thankful

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because it's a time to reflect on all the blessings in our lives.  I've found that over the course of a year, my outlook becomes increasingly negative and pessimistic as I tend to dwell on everything that's gone wrong or all the things we don't have or can't afford.  The holiday season, starting with Thanksgiving, always causes me to pause, rethink my perspective, and focus on all the blessings I do have.  I truly believe that while we may not live in a house on the water, wear designer (or even stylish :-)) clothes, go on exotic vacations, or drive luxury vehicles, we are rich in all the ways that matter.  We have a great family that brings constant joy to our lives.  We have each other and that's all we need.

I also believe God chooses our family.  He knowingly and lovingly pairs each child with the parents He thinks are best suited to raise that child.  Given that, I am thankful for my boys as they truly are gifts from God.

This year marks Gavin's first Thanksgiving.  We couldn't be more thankful for him, especially his health, given his scary start to life.  We're also thankful for his progress  (he's at that age where everyday brings a new discovery, a new "first," or new milestone reached), his happiness (baby giggles always make us smile regardless of the type of day we're having), and the relationship he's forging with Ryan (photos can't capture the mutual affection and adoration between the boys).

We're also thankful for our family.  Ryan and Gavin are blessed to have so many people who love them.  Each grandparent, uncle, and aunt has such different personalities, interests, and backgrounds.  The boys are fortunate to be exposed to such diverse perspectives and histories.  It'll be interesting to see how these unique, but equally loving, influences help shape their personalities, characters, and ultimately the men they become. 

Last but not least, I'm thankful for Gavin sleeping through the night.  Although he hasn't repeated it since, he did sleep through the night for the first time at Granddaddy and Grami Shar's house.  I changed and fed him just before I went to bed around midnight.  Imagine my surprise when I heard him cooing from the pack-n-play, looked out the window and saw it was light outside, and checked my watch and discovered it was just after 7:00 a.m.!  It was my first full night's sleep in almost a year since I had terrible insomnia during my pregnancy.  Now that's something to be thankful for!