Christmas Day 2009

This was the first year John had much of a clue about Christmas happenings. When he woke up (late, from sleeping in after attending Midnight Mass), we told him there were presents downstairs under the Christmas tree. He scampered down, pausing to kiss the Baby Jesus doll and put him finally in the manger of the nativity scene.

A new fireman's hat (after the last two broke)!

Mary discovering candy canes

Wal-Mart had a pair of real measuring tapes--one big, one miniature--on sale for three dollars! Now John can have his own and won't always be asking for Daddy's measuring tape, which he then loses and Daddy can't find when he needs it.

When John was 12 months old at Christmas, he participated in opening gifts, albeit slowly. Miss Mary didn't care about opening gifts and did not participate--maybe because there was so much activity around her, she could just race from one person to another, seeing what they were doing.

Mary treasured those candy canes.

No sooner would we take one away (because it had shattered and become chokable) that she'd find another one somewhere.

After opening stockings and a few gifts, we paused for breakfast. I served store-bought cinnamon rolls and Amish breakfast casserole (which I highly recommend--be sure to fry the bacon before mixing it in) (and plain toast for John, of course).

For this special occasion, I let the children drink out of their silver cups, which they thought was fantastic. (And I gave Mary one of my silver cups, which reminded me that she doesn't have her own yet.)

Pausing the gift-opening to play

Thanks for the AquaDoodle, Aunt Beezee!

The xylophone was a big hit. Thanks Grandpa!

For dinner I served balsamic vinnaigrette chicken with sun dried tomatoes and goat cheese, lentil-and-brocolli quiche (I won't repeat that recipe), and mashed potatoes (and for John--boxed macaroni and cheese, of course). Afterward I served a birthday cake for Jesus. I know that sometimes these mothers' blog posts (mine and others) make the home life look idyllic. We moms should always remember that no home life is idyllic. For example, after I worked hard all day, and specifically after I went to all that effort to bake a birthday cake for Jesus, to give a bold visual cue to my three-year-old that today was about Jesus' birthday, he chanted, "I don't like cake! I don't like cake!" And I shouldn't care that my weird little boy doesn't like cake (I've finally recognized that he really doesn't), but I almost burst into tears because I went to effort just for him and he rejected it. Instead, I sucked it up, reminded him calmly that he wasn't speaking politely, and told him he could say, "I don't prefer cake" and have ice cream instead (which he did).

All in all, it was a successful and enjoyable Christmas Day!