A Very Happy Christmas

We hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!

Our Christmas was busy and jolly. It started off on Christmas Eve. After 3 days of getting up at 5am to finish wrapping and other various preparation activities, I woke up one more day at 5am and finished wrapping my husband's presents. After I finished that, I quickly cleaned the living-room and hall bathroom for when my guest would arrive later that day. I then prepared myself for when my sister arrived for the packing of the baskets (our combined gift to all family members). The basket includes a calendar, CD, Homemade Soup, Bread, Nuts, Cookies, Cocoa, and handmade ornament. It is all arranged in a basket them wrapped in cellophane. They are a wonderful gift, but A LOT of work. After wrapping 7 of the 13 I needed to I went to my OBGYN appointment (for more on that see my baby blog). I left my sister in charge of cleaning the floors in my home. When I finally returned home about 12:15 I had to rush through the shower and get ready for my holiday guests at 1pm.

That holiday party consisted of my sister, brother in law, niece, nephew, mother, mother's boyfriend and me. This was our little Christmas get together before mom left on Christmas morning. We all then went over to my Grandparents house (just down the street) for our big annual Christmas Eve family party. My Grandmother made pastrami (as usual) and it was fantastic. We did the traditional luminaries and then opened Santa Gifts, not a good thing in our family. A santa gift in our family would be something like, if you hate candles, your gift might be a super ugly candle.

We then went home and tucked our little one into bed. Then "Santa" came and we were able to go to bed. I had a very hard time sleeping and woke up at 12, 2:30, 4 and 4:45. I eventually moved out to the couch and watched TV. I must have dosed off because I woke at 6:15. I was going to make a fire and prepare the food to take to my in-laws at 10, but I began to hear my little girl stirring (usually she doesn't wake until 7:30). She came out and discovered what Santa had left her. She was so excited. She opened all of her stocking and presents and proceeded to play with her gifts while Eric and I opened our gifts.

At 10:30 (late as usual) we went to Eric's mother's house and celebrated Christmas with hid family. It was fun and crazy. I crashed at about 12:30 and begged him to take me home for a nap. We got home and I napped until 2:30ish. We then went to my dad's house for Christmas dinner. We had ham, funeral potatoes, green beans, green fluff salad, corn and homemade bread. For dessert, my sister's homemade apple pie (delicious!). We stayed there until about 8ish and came home, showered and went to bed. I was/am exhausted. I am so glad that Eric and I have the 4-day weekend to recuperate from all the holiday fun.

We have spent most of today putting away the fruits of yesterday's adventures. This is not an easy task when you are 37 weeks pregnant.

Again, Hope everyone had a great Holiday and that you have a very Safe and Happy New Year!!

Distracted

I am so anxious about the new baby that it is hard for me to keep on track for all the holiday things that have to get done. I still need to...

Finish the shopping
Wrap the presents
Clean the house for a holiday get together
(a HUGE task)
Not over do it and put myself into early labor

Plus in the meantime:

My daughter is sick
Causing us to not get any sleep
Which makes my husband VERY cranky
Which irritates me (who also doesn't have enough sleep)
Which upsets the baby
Which makes me need to rest more
Which means I can't get the list done above
Which makes me feel inferior
Which makes me sad and weepy

I have to say to myself:
SUCK IT UP JENNIFER AND GET IT DONE!!!

Santa...

So Eric and I were skeptical on letting Brianne go see Santa Claus. She is always pointing him out and saying his name, but we were afraid of the typical 3 year old reaction when we got to his lap she would get shy and not want to sit on it.

Nope! She climbed right on up and sat on it. She even gave him a hug. Here is Brianne's first picture with Santa...