We have been busy little elves lately, enjoying the frenzy of the holiday season and preparing to spread some Christmas cheer in just a few weeks. Seriously, this time of year is intoxicating for me. I want to bottle it right up so I can carry it in my pocket for the rest of the year. Some people find it all annoying and irritating and would rather just call the whole thing off but I am definitely not one of those people. And it's my mission in life to make sure Nicholas isn't either. So, first up was our family house decorating which started the weekend after Thanksgiving. My rules are very strict - Christmas tree goes up just after Thanksgiving and does not come down until after the new year. I try to convince everyone that if they take their decorations down too early they will be sentencing themselves to a year of bad luck. I've managed to convert a few friends to my way of thinking, which I consider a complete success. The longer the holiday season, the better! After trimming the tree and adorning the house with all that is merry, we headed outside to put up the lights. It was such a fun afternoon for the three of us and I think Greg did one of his best jobs yet. We didn't start putting up outdoor decorations until after Nicholas was born and now I honestly cannot understand why we waited so long. They just add so much to my Christmas joy every time I pull into the driveway and I know they make Nicholas a very happy little camper.
And then last week was Nicholas' Christmas program at school. He once again played the dual role of shephard and wiseman. Out of all the holiday activities, this is one of my absolute favorites! St. Mark and the kids always put on a great show and as soon as they start singing their first song, I can feel my heart swelling. Since Nicholas will be in public school next year we can say good-bye to the official Christmas celebrations, which is definitely something I will miss. There is simply nothing better than seeing children act out the birth of Jesus and remembering what Christmas is truly about.
Whew, will you just look at these handsome boys! Am I lucky or what??
This is his best friend at school, Carson. They are always attached at the hip!
This picture isn't very good, but it caught his reaction when he saw us in
the audience during the processional. He was grinning from ear to ear.
Nicholas' teacher, Ms. Julie. She's terrific and she
just seems like everything a teacher should be.
And to top it all off was the much anticipated visit with the big guy. Nicholas has a Christmas list the size of his entire body so I had warned him that he needed to narrow down his favorites because Santa was a very busy guy. After it was over, he advised he me had asked Santa for two things but that he coudn't tell me because it was their secret. I like his style.
Nicholas has asked me every day how many more days until Christmas, and I'm very happy to say we're down to only 10! Enjoy every second with your family that you can. Sadly, yesterday brought about the horrific tragedy in Connecticut and it has broken my heart in two to realize how many families will never again celebrate Christmas with their children. I have been keeping Nicholas closer and hugging him tighter since then and I know that Greg and I will spend every second of this Christmas grateful for our family and loving our child with everything we've got.
