Wednesday, December 24, 2008

'Twas the Night Before Christmas.....

We have concluded our first Christmas Eve with friends and family! The boys are tucked snugly in this "beds" with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads. We are waiting with anticipation for their first Christmas morning.

The night was filled with a lot of excitement as the boys visited with so many people and showed off their new fancy crawling skills. We took down the play yard and everyone took turns monitoring the boys to make sure they did not grab gifts, ornaments or pull the entire tree down. This is not a one man or woman job! As you can see, Aunt Joan was trying to keep this card away from Jared but was having little success. He is quite persuasive (or is it aggressive?).

The shiny gifts under the tree were very interesting and Jared and Wesley continued to crawl straight for anything with a pretty ribbon. Before dinner, I finally grabbed a gift for them from under the tree and told them to "tear it up." This gift was addressed to "My Boyfriend and his Brothers." During a visit earlier this year, Aunt Laurie and Andrew developed a very special relationship which resulted in him getting special mention on the tag.

Jared and Wesley tugged at the ribbon for a while. Jared would loose interest in the gift every few minutes and turn his attention to the camera. It was almost like he was seeing the camera for the first time. Really, Jared.... this is the same camera that flashes at you many times a day. However, he would not leave it alone until I finally let him "taste" the camera. Wesley remained focused on the gift and was finally able to get the ribbon off. He was proud of this accomplishment and continued to play with the ribbon for a long time. He loved the ribbon... thank you Aunt Laurie! Oh wait, that was not the gift... don't tell Wesley!

Andrew was a little tired and was hanging out with Daddy during this event. We let him have his go at the gift and he scratched at the paper but still no ripping. We moved the gift back to the floor and Wesley and Jared continued to rub and scratch the paper. Finally, after about 10 minutes of biting and rubbing the gift, Wesley actually tore into the paper and ripped off the first piece. The audience of family had been watching this for so long that we erupted into cheer when this first piece was pulled off the gift. The cheers scared both Wesley and Jared and they both started to cry. At the end of all of this, we are still in suspense at to what is inside the package. The boys did not fully open the present so it was placed back into the pile with the remainder of the gift to be opened in the morning. We do hope that the gift is not breakable as it was sure beat up tonight!

It was finally time for Christmas Eve dinner! We were eating the traditional Chili and Chicken Wings. Eating location is assigned based on seniority. We have the "Big People" table and the obligatory "Kiddie Table." While it pleases me so that we still have so many mature family members to fill the "Big People" table, I dream of one day graduating from the "Kiddie Table." It's been a long ride here at the "Kiddie Table." However, my brother is three years older than I am so I am not even next in line to move to the dining room. Oh well, at least the topics of conversation at the "Kiddie Table" don't include recent medical procedures like knee replacements and heart valve replacements. We have fun!

As this is the first Christmas for the boys, I was excited about teaching them the ropes of the "Kiddie Table." There was a new twist to the seniority seating that I not previously seen. I fully understood that it was seniority that earned you a place at the "Big People" table but, I did not know that a little person also had to earn their seat at the "Kiddie Table." In these pictures, you can see the "Big People" table in the dining room......

Here is the "Kiddie Table" tucked in the kitchen.........

Here is the shocker..... the boys had to sit out in the hallway..... it was so sad..... I could not believe that Grandma banished the boys to the hallway!

One day boys, dare to dream... you too can eat like real people at the "Kiddie Table" with your mother! Until then, it's the hallway and table scraps for you!

Of course this is all a joke! The boys had previously eaten their dinner (fed by Aunt Kim) and were placed in their high chairs while we were eating. There was little room in the kitchen so the boys were right outside the kitchen where we could see them. Midway through the meal, Grandma was outraged to see them still sitting in the hallway and she moved them into the kitchen to sit near the "Kiddie Table." The boys were given a teething biscuit during our meal and provided quite the entertainment for the rest of the "Kiddies" at the table.

The boys stayed up until about 8:30 and could wait no longer for the start of the gift exchange portion of the evening. The boys said their good nights and headed to bed. Tomorrow is going to be a very exciting day for the boys filled with more family, good food, their rightful place at the "Kiddie Table" and a full day of gift opening.

Hold on... I think I hear Santa leaving their gifts for them right now....

Yep, it was Santa. Here is the display the boys will wake up to in the morning....

I guess I should turn in so I have the energy to keep up with them tomorrow.

Take care,

Kellie

1 comment:

  1. I have to sit at the kiddie table too! I thought HAVING a kid would perhaps release me?? We have renamed it the "Under 35 table" in my family...although in 3 years my husband will force us (yet again) to rename. Looks like a wonderful holiday!

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