Christmas at home

Though Christmas day was spent in Texas, we celebrated again when we got home. We spent one morning, just the three of us, opening our gifts to each other and enjoying how sweet it felt to be our own little family unit on Christmas. As Hope grows, and we someday have more children, I'm sure that somehow we'll make the transition to where Christmas 'feels' right at our house rather than at our parents' houses. I guess that's a natural change that every family goes through, even though I'm not sure how it will look. But at any rate, Christmas at our house was cozy, memorable, and satisfying.



Then we did Christmas with Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt K, and Uncle E. It was, and always is, special for me to spend the whole weekend at my parents' house - especially at Christmas. We don't have tons of traditions, but it never feels quite like Christmas until we do what we've always done. And now it's so fun for me to include Hope in those traditions!

We figured that Hope would be much more into opening presents this year, and she was. But I hadn't counted on her not understanding about ~waiting~ to play with certain presents. There were some toys she could rip right into, but other gifts that had to be assembled or movies that we weren't going to watch right away. She didn't have a fit or anything, but after opening a couple of those sorts of gifts she asked for them about a hundred times. I felt sorry for her, because I know she just didn't understand why we were giving her things and telling her she couldn't play with them yet!

During her nap, Daddy and Grandpa assembled the much anticipated "neigh neigh," which she rode and loved a LOT!

And if the gifts and family time weren't enough of a treat already, then Aunt K and Grandpa thrilled Hope by letting her be the leader of a marching parade through the house. I kid you not, this lasted for the better part of an hour! They had jingle bells and instruments and just went around and around following Hope. She was saying "March, march!" and doing her own little one-legged march move.

The result? Just like in Texas. So much fun the poor girl just couldn't stay awake once she sat still for a few minutes!