Christmas Day 2011

I have only good memories of Christmas as a kid, I really do. My parents always made Christmas meaningful, memorable & fun. It was never about extravagant gifts or lots of money spent, but it was always about FAMILY! We had traditions that became so natural & habitual, that I now follow & continue a lot of them with my own children, because I want them to also grow up & remember nothing but happiness at Christmas time!

The lead up to Christmas is just as much fun as the actual day.....but the actual day....that my friends, is the icing on the cake :) The gift buying & wrapping & making, the craft & baking, the battling through crowds in shopping malls to get a 1minute photo with Santa, the money spent, the holidays booked, the handmade cards & MANY trips to the post office, the organisation, the plans, the creativity required......it's all hard work & can be very costly.....but all SO WORTH IT in the end! And as the sun sets on the 25th of December each year, I reflect back on not only the day we had, but also the magic & chaos that lead us to that day! And this year was no different.....as we got sleepy children bathed & into bed & then attempted some sort of 'cleanup', I felt a mixture of emotions. So happy & content with the day we had & the memories we made.....but also so sad that Christmas Day had come & gone yet again.....and all too fast....yet again! Relieved in some ways that it's all over for another year......and also excited about how we can make it even bigger & better next year :)

This Christmas was made even more special, as we had Jayden with us! He arrived on the 23rd & is with us for a whole month! Oh my, Ella adores this boy! She loves her big brother & the excitement she had on his arrival was bigger than any Christmas experience. Even though my girl loves Christmas & embraces it for all that it's worth.....I honestly think she would have been 100% just to have him here! Christmas was just a bonus on top of that :)

We had a perfect Christmas Eve night. The 'normal' routine of dinner at home, baths & couch cuddles, followed by Santa preparations. Ella wanted to leave Santa some coke {when we were at the shops, waiting in line to have a photo with Santa, she saw him take a swig from a can of coke, and thought it was the most hilarious thing ever that Santa drinks Coca Cola!!}, some cookies & some drawings she'd done. So.....that;s exactly what we did.....left 2 drawings, a glass of coke, a glass of milk, a cookie, a chocolate ball & a carrot for Rudolph. I lay with her in her bed {well...actually...the mattress on the floor in her room as she's given her bed to her big brother at the moment!} and I cuddled her as we talked about Santa & Christmas & the joys of this time of year. She was buzzing with excitement about the possibility that she may hear Santa's jingling bells during the night :) I lay with her until she fell into a deep sleep & felt good that she was mine....and it was Christmas.....and her big brother was here to share this magical time with us.....and it was her baby brother's 1st Christmas........life is good!

That night.....Santa came!!

He ate the cookie, drank the milk & coke, demolished the chocolate ball and let Rudolph nibble the juicy carrot. He filled their stockings. He took the drawings to share with Mrs Claus & he left a letter for Ella, Jayden & Ryder.

I was up at 4:30am feeding Ryder and was just nuzzling back into bed at 5:20am when I heard the pitter patter of children's feet down our hall way & whispers of excitement. Ella came bounding into our room "Mummy, you really truly have to come & see something! I can't tell you because it's a big surprise, but you HAVE to come & see this!!"

So....we obliged......excitedly, Chris & I followed Ella & Jayden down the hallway whilst pushing Ryder in his bassinet into the lounge! And we enjoyed a morning of bliss! Magical moments of discovery & gifts & giving! It was our baby's first Christmas....and although he won't remember it.....we will.....so special it had to be:

And special it was!

It was nice to sit back & just watch! And something that took me a little by surprise was Ella being more interested in giving other people their gifts & watching their reactions of joy.....as apposed to opening her own presents! She had more fun helping & watching Jayden, then devouring her own wrapped gifts! The girl had true Christmas Spirit!

After a home cooked hot breakfast by Chris and some cookie baking with the kids, we packed up the car & headed down to Chris's Aunty's house to experience some Christmas magic all over again with family! The wine flowed, the food was gooood & the company even better :)

My snoozing Baby {in Christmas nappies of course} & I.

Four generations were there that day :) Above: Chris's paternal Pa; Ken. {or as Ella calls him: Old Pa Ken....to determine the difference between her Pa's....cute}

Daddy & his girl

My 2 littlest loves!

Baby's first Christmas!

And it wouldn't be a complete Australian Christmas without some fun in the sun & swimming pool :) For both the small & big kids :)

As a child, I thought there would be no better feeling than being a kid at Christmas! I didn't want to grow up :)  But, now I'm not so sure....I think seeing & experiencing Christmas through the eyes & heart of my own children may {just may} be sweeter and a little more special! I feel grateful to be a Mum....especially this time of year!

Merry Christmas Everyone! I hope you too had a day of love & joy :)