Images of Christmas

It's hard to believe that Christmas has come and gone, but while the memories are still fresh in my mind, here are some of the images I will always remember from Christmas Season 2011.

Our kids were so excited for the return of Winston, our Christmas elf.  He arrives every year on December 1st, and the night before, the kids could barely sleep as they anticipated his arrival.  We were so excited to have him back in our house and loved his daily updates about his family, life in the North Pole, and his Christmas countdown progress reports.  He is such a jolly elf, with twinkly eyes and a cheery smile, we were all sad when it was time for him to go home.

The kids sat on Santa's lap at the ward party.  Abby told Santa that she wanted an American Girl doll and Lucy told him that she wanted a baby doll.  I took nostalgic joy in knowing that my two girls both wanted dolls for Christmas.  Who knows when they'll ever have similar Christmas lists again. 

Peter had a Christmas program at preschool.  For weeks he had walked around the house singing the songs he was learning for his program.  The night before his program, he made us all sit down and listen to him sing (and do actions) just so he'd be ready.  His program was darling - and Peter smiled and sang through the whole thing.  He even got to play a chime during one of the songs and did a great job.  (My favorite thing was the way he kept time with his foot.)  I love the enthusiasm of four-year old boys and I sure love my Peter.

Abby was invited to a tea party with several girls from her grade.  The invitation encouraged the girls to wear hats if possible.  Luckily we had this darling hat that had at one time belonged to my grandma Lulu.  I loved the way it looked on Abby.  With the hat and the fur cap and muff, she looked like a perfectly elegant girl from a hundred years ago.  What a fun event it was.

Henry lost both his teeth this December which made for hours of fun singing "All I Want For Christmas" at our house.  He lost his first tooth at the beginning of December and we were all hoping he would lose his other tooth before Christmas.  Luckily, the week before the big day, we were at dinner with some friends, when their 12-year old son pulled Henry's tooth out for him.  It was a great moment - one Henry will always remember.  He looks so cute with that big gap in his smile, but man, it makes him look older - and that's not really the look I'm going for with my cute boy.

On December 1st, our power went out around noon and was out for the next several hours.  By dinner time, the house was dark and cold and we didn't know when the power would be on again.  So, we embraced our pioneer roots, and built a fire in the front room fireplace.  We snuggled together by the fire while the kids did homework and read books.  It was cozy and warm and even felt a little adventurous, but man oh man, were we ever happy when the lights came back on.  We all agreed that having electricity is NOT overrated.

Some of the best Christmas moments occurred when there was no camera available (or wanted.)

I loved sitting by the Christmas tree reading stories to my kids every night.  Amazingly, they are all still interested in listening to me read as they snuggle close to see the pictures and hang on every word.  These are magical times.

I'll never forget curling up together as a family and watching "It's A Wonderful Life."   Ever since I first saw it, years and years ago, this has been one of my all time favorite movies.  I was shocked when I learned that Andrew had never seen it, and several times over the past fourteen years, I have suggested we watch it.  Anyway, this year was the first time we finally got around to watching it as a family.  When it was over, after we all wiped away our tears, we all agreed it was one of the best movies we'd ever seen.  Ever since that night, Andrew has been on a mission encouraging others to watch this movie.  Somehow, he is repeatedly surprised when most people tell him that they have already seen it.  

I loved mornings in December when the kids would jump out of bed to find Winston and read his latest note.  I loved that every morning, someone would plug in the Christmas tree lights and the dark, cold mornings of December would feel brighter.  I loved watching the kids figure out whose turn it was to hang the next ornament on the advent calendar.  And I loved how in so many ways, we counted down the days until Christmas.  

It's such a magical month at our house, and while Christmas morning is the pinnacle, I love the whole season and the small moments each day that make it happiest time of the year.

Christmas Dresses

Three years ago at this time, I was pregnant with Lucy.  Only we didn't know it was Lucy.  We were still a few weeks away from that all-important ultrasound during which we would learn the gender of our baby.

With every prayer that escaped my lips and every prayer said silently in my heart, I pleaded with the Lord that this baby would be another girl.  I know I would have loved and cherished a boy - but I  really wanted another daughter and I really wanted a sister for Abby.

A few days before the ultrasound, I was looking through a catalog, when I came across a gorgeous Christmas dress, perfect for a little girl.

"If we find out this baby is a girl, " I said to Andrew, "I am going to be tempted to get Abby and this new baby matching dresses."  But after that initial thought, I set the catalog aside and didn't think too much more about it.

On December 18th, 2008, I  went in for my ultrasound and I heard the words I had been dying to hear.  "It's a girl!" the tech said.  I made her check three more times just to be sure, and just so I could hear those words again.  "It's a girl."

As far as I was concerned, Christmas had come a week early to our house. Hallelujah! I had everything I had ever wanted and was totally thrilled.  So, imagine my surprise on Christmas morning, when I found a large gift box under the tree with my name on it.  I opened the gift from Andrew, and inside I found the two dresses I had dreamt of buying only few weeks before.  They were even more exquisite in person than they had appeared in the catalog and I was amazed that Andrew had remembered.  (Yes, he really is that thoughtful.  Amazing.  I know.)

The smallest size the dress came in was a 2, and as I looked at that dress and thought about the tiny baby inside me, it seemed like a lifetime before that dress would ever fit her.

Well, here we are three years later, and my tiny baby girl is finally big enough to fit in her dress and Abby is finally big enough to fit into the dress bought for her by her cute dad.  I have to admit, my girls look even sweeter in those dresses than I could have imagined.

Also better than I ever imagined, is the relationship between these two sisters. As of a couple of months ago, these two now share a bedroom and they are darling together.  

At night, as they are going to bed, Abby's main goal is to get as much reading in as possible.  Occasionally this conflicts with Lucy's main goal of saying prayers as many times a night as possible.  It would be fine if Lucy would just say her own, but she wants Abby to say prayers too.  One night, after Abby had said at least five prayers at Lucy's request, Abby admitted, "Lucy is just too spiritual for me."

Besides that one difference, these girls have a sweet relationship.  Abby has taught Lucy about taking care of baby dolls, and about painting finger nails, and about being a princess.  Lucy keeps Abby entertained with her singing and dancing and jabbering.

Yes, three years ago, when I was saying my prayers and crossing my fingers and wishing upon every star, hoping for another girl, I dreamed of matching dresses and bows and frills, but I also dreamed of a sweet relationship between my two daughters.  Needless to say, these two girls have exceeded my hopes and dreams in every way possible.