New Beginnings: Holidays Part ONE

The 23rd John, I, and the girls went to N.C. to spend Christmas with Bridgett's family. Because of our much-too-late start we got there midnight on Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve was spent relaxing and playing with the kids except when Bridgett and I went shopping for a few things. At the last minute it was decided that we'd have a real Christmas dinner (up to then Bridgett was planning on everyone having subs). So, we had to shop for all that too. Luckily, nothing was out and we still found all that we needed. We THOUGHT we'd be enjoying the rest of day doing nothing but while I was taking Aidan upstairs to take a nap... her arm was pulled. I knew immediately something wasn't right so I looked up the symptoms online and it looked like she had Nursemaid's elbow. Since she was hurting but tired I let her take a small nap and then Bridgett and I took her to the emergency clinic and had it reset. I was right in the diagnosis. (It was my fault that it happened and I feel terrible about it. The next three days of her arm being limp and her telling me "My arm hurts" was guilt city for me. ) Well, while Bridgett and I dealt with one very unhappy Aidan at the doctor's... John was helping all the kids make Christmas cookies. (It was the holidays you know) Later that night they opened one of their presents (of course they were all "boring" presents)

Aidan opened some puzzles.

The boys both got robes,

Makensie a scarf set, and Carly

a nutcracker she wanted.

Christmas Day was a really good day. It started around 2 am. Bridgett and I had stayed up and since this was probably the last time the older kids would even kindof believe in You-know-who we decided to have fun. I took a door hanger that had a lot of bells on it and quietly jingled them up in their hallway outside their doors. Then I rang them lightly downstairs while Bridgett went and woke the kids up to tell them Santa was downstairs and that they might be able to catch him. I ditched it just in time and my reason for being downstairs was that I went to the bathroom and then hid when I heard the bells because I didn't want Santa to see me. Anyway, it at least put a question in Russell's head. He had already been told from peers the "real deal" but he finally decided that his Mom would never have bought all the video games that Santa had brought all these years. He wanted to believe it obviously. Carly, on the other hand, I think perhaps was just enjoying the theatrical performances by me and her mom. Anyway, the kids looked at their presents, played a bit, had a few pieces of candy, and then went to bed. We all slept late and because of Aidan and Ainsley taking naps... the present unwrapping wasn't until after lunch time. Once the presents were done.. the boys went and played with a new video game, Carly ran around taking videos (she got a new Hannah Montana video camera), and we all just relaxed. Later, we shooed the kids outside because it was a nice, WARM day. I taught the boys the basics on how to use their skateboards we'd bought them. I really enjoyed that. Cole is a natural I think. He didn't do all that great for awhile because he'd just hop on it and go but he started doing surprising things with the board after a bit. Russell did very well but I think it's because he tried hard. It was a really lovely, relaxed Christmas. The only blights were that Aidan's arm was so sore and Mutti wasn't there.