Christmas Vacation

This Christmas felt different than most other Christmases. While we had much to be grateful for, Nathan and I were too worn out to really enjoy the holiday. Additionally, I was a little sad because it was our year to go home to South Carolina, but obviously that couldn't happen with the twins being so small. I missed my family back home, but certainly enjoyed the company of the Robbins clan.

In order to make sure I felt the Christmas spirit, Nathan somehow found the energy to bake my favorite cookies.

He spent a good hour making the dough, rolling perfect peanut butter cookie balls, and unwrapping Hershey Kisses.

It was perhaps my favorite Christmas present because it was incredibly thoughtful and definitely no easy task with Eliza running around in the kitchen.

On Christmas Eve, I finally got around to building a gingerbread house with Eliza. She loved it! It was one of the first times Eliza and I have done something without a baby in my arms. Making the gingerbread house was all about her, and I could tell she enjoyed the one on one time.

Later on in the evening, Eliza and her two cousins, Hayden and Ellie, performed a Christmas program for the family. The children had several letters of the phrase "Merry Christmas" assigned to them, and each letter stood for a Christmas related theme/item.

The highlights of the program were singing "Jingle Bells" with the little kids, and Cheryl asking what the final letter, the "S" in Christmas, stood for.

She gave a clue, saying: "It was the special (blank) of Bethlehem." Rather than grabbing a picture of a star, she had accidentally picked up the picture of the snowman.

So, all of the children shouted: "The snowman of Bethlehem!" We couldn't stop laughing.

That night, when I told Eliza it would be Christmas the next day, she responded by saying, "No. It's too big!" I thought I had heard her wrong, so I told her again that she would have presents from Santa in the morning. Again, she shook her head and said, "It's too big!" I still don't really know what that meant.

Eliza received a number of little presents (princess dolls, princess shoes, pink nail polish, pink hairbows, pink pajamas, trains), but loved Connect 4 and her princess purse from her Aunt Dava the best.

The purse perfectly matched the nightgown Becca bought her, and she immediately loved it.

Nathan's favorite gift was a handmade leather bound book. My friend Katy is amazingly talented and created this lovely book for him.

It is BEAUTIFUL. Everyone couldn't stop looking at it in awe. It was a successful present!

My favorite gifts from Nathan were a tripod for our camera and a beautiful frame for family photos.

I also loved the surprise package from my mom.  In the package was my Bitty-Baby, a doll I have had since childhood. I wanted Eliza to have the doll, but it was nowhere to be found after my mother's move last year. I was so happy to know it had been found! My 12 year old self was slightly neurotic (just like I am now) and kept all of the clothes in the original boxes, wrapped in tissue paper. Everything is in perfect condition, so maybe I should wait a couple of years before handing over my prized possession to a toddler.

 And I mentioned it yesterday, but I am ecstatic to have some updated pictures of our family. Our friend Megan visited during the holidays and gave me the most amazing Christmas gift by taking a number of photographs. In all honesty, I have only worn makeup and something other than sweat pants once since the babies were born (thanks Becca and Ashley for getting me out of the house!). I haven't styled my hair and gotten "ready" in weeks, so it felt wonderful to look nice for pictures. That was probably a nice gift for Nathan :)

As you can tell, we were pretty spoiled this Christmas.  Eliza keeps asking for "Christmas." Hopefully, she can survive the year long wait.