Christmas at Home

We spent Christmas at home this year as a family of four. It was really nice to be able to spend unhurried time together, create our own traditions, and have a laid back holiday.
On Christmas Eve, we went to the 4:30 service at church. We decided to try taking Jillian into the sanctuary with us for the first time. She did pretty well overall, but got pretty squirmy towards the end. Her art teacher was seated behind us with her family, so that was a distraction for her as well. I ran out of time to take pictures before we left, so I grabbed a few once we returned home. Not ideal, but this is real life, people!

The true toddler emerges

How Adrienne really felt about taking pictures

Blurry, but the best I got. You can still see that they looked pretty cute!

Love this of Matt and Jillian

We ate chili for dinner (Birnbaum tradition to have soup of some sort on Christmas Eve. It was often chili), and then the girls got to open their one gift. I suppose I built this up to be a grand event, and didn't tell Jillian that the one gift on Christmas Eve is ALWAYS pajamas....she was completely beside herself with disappointment and threw an enormous fit. Not a very proud moment for us as parents--it's so hard to teach gratitude.
The girls went to bed and I prepped breakfast for the next day (baked french toast), and we waited til it seemed "safe" to play Santa. During this time, Matt gave me a gift that I will always treasure: a handwritten letter to me (and eventually, to the girls) about how he fell in love with me. After reading an article about how no one writes letters anymore in this age of technology, he was inspired. He bought special paper, pens, and sticker seals and spent all of nap time on Christmas Eve down in the basement working on this secret project. He documented our history, dating years, engagement, and how it is we arrived at this point in our lives. It was truly beautiful, and means more than any material gift he's ever given me. I love that the girls can read this someday and will know his feelings and his perspective--so much of what they will know is in my voice (this blog). Girls, I am writing about how special this letter is to me here because it's important for you to know that the real romance and beauty of a relationship isn't in flowers, gifts, and overt romantic gestures--it's about knowing your partner and giving to them in a way that is meaningful to them. Your dad knows that I am one who values words and expression of feelings. He will tell you that I bug him every year to just buy me a card for Christmas. The fact that he did this as a surprise to me absolutely blows me away. He is a good, good man.

On Christmas morning, Jillian waited until 7 to get up! We suggested that she wait until 7 so that she didn't accidentally run into Santa (read we wanted to sleep in a bit!). She came into our room and said, "I woke up and my clock said 6, so I just kept looking and looking until it said 7". We then waited 45 painful minutes for Adrienne to wake up. We had a fun time opening presents, playing with new toys, and dancing in the living room. It really was a wonderful Christmas morning.

Jillian's most requested gift: a Care Bear

It was so cute to watch Adrienne open her gifts. She has her own style: slow, patient, and deliberate!

Jillian couldn't stand Adrienne's patient approach. She is dying to help.

Hooray! An Adrienne-sized Curious George!

Matt is ready for Hawaii

Adrienne gave Jillian Candyland. She and Matt spent a long time playing that morning.

We ate leftover chili for lunch and took a rest before our guests arrived. The Durgins came over to enjoy Christmas dinner with us--brisket, mashed potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts, and our traditional birthday cake for Jesus. Jillian loved helping me decorate the cake with copious amounts of red and green sprinkles.

The kids enjoyed watching Frosty the Snowman before everyone headed home and we tucked our little elves into bed.

Max, Jillian, Bekah, and an uncooperative Adrienne

This was a blessed Christmas, full of wonderful memories for our family. I am so thankful for the time we shared together, and with dear friends.