It’s Beginning to Look Like 2017… A Very Merry Hall’s Christmas

Just like that, it’s a wrap! Christmas 2016 is in the books!  We had the most fantastic time celebrating Josiah’s first Christmas, and the first Christmas that Addisyn actually understood it all.  It is way more fun being an adult and living Christmas through your children, than actually being the child amidst the Christmas fun. From the time the turkey was carved at Thanksgiving we were in full on Christmas mode, and have barely slowed down. Just this morning Addy sang Frosty the Snowman at breakfast, and begged for “Buddy the Elf”, immediately after. I pleasantly obliged because I’m a sucker for all things Christmas. The worst part about Christmas was the actual tears my daughter shed when she awoke from her nap to discover both Christmas trees were gone. Yep, she’s my daughter and I still don’t know how I managed to completely un-deck the halls solo during nap time. Go me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We kicked Christmas off learning about the nativity with Addisyn. We focused on the true meaning of Christmas and celebrated Jesus’ birthday with lots of commercialized Christmas fun mixed in also. We made gingerbread houses, cookies, had Christmas playdates, saw Christmas lights, watched lots of Charlie Brown, Frosty, Rudolph and other Christmas favorites, visited Santa, and went to Christmas Town at Busch Gardens more times than I can count on one hand. Each and every moment was magical for both Addisyn and Josiah. Who am I kidding? It was all magical for ME too. I will always revel in watching my babies pure excitement, and to say they were delighted this Christmas season is an understatement. We visited family, we celebrated with friends, we opened gifts, and eagerly went to sleep with excitement of Santa arriving after reading the story of Jesus’ birth as a family on Christmas Eve. In true Addy fashion, she stole carrots from the reindeer instead of cookies from Santa that night. Yep, that’s Addy!

Christmas morning came with a very surprised and overwhelmed Josiah. It took him a while to figure out what exactly to do, but once he did, he busied himself playing with each and every toy that had been dropped from Santa’s sleigh. His absolute favorite things this year were cars of any kind. He spent most of Christmas pushing around all of the cars he received, and making noises to go with them.  True boy!  Our poor girl clocked a whole 10 minutes of looking at her presents before complaining of a tummy-ache and spending the rest of Christmas day on the couch with her sand bucket by her side. She had the first every stomach virus she has ever had,  on Christmas day of all days.  It’s the pits watching your 2-year-old miserable on Christmas day, but that just meant we had a re-do of Christmas morning the day after and she was equally excited to play with all of her goodies. Her favorite thing this year out of everything was sitting her at desk she received and playing with play-doh. You pick out all of these elaborate toys and they find the most joy in the simple, the predictable, and every day things.  Go figure!

We rang the new year in with a pre-party with Addy and Josiah. Hats, horns, confetti poppers, and streamers delighted both littles while we did a count down and make lots of ruckus over the New Year approaching .  Later, we rang the actual new year in with great friends as the littles enjoyed a “sleepover” with their buddies. We ate delicious Cuban food (thanks Noelle!), and laughed our way to 2017. It seems there are fewer days between each new year we see as time passes so quickly! Here’s to lots of amazing memories in 2017.

 

This time last year, we were eagerly counting down the days to the birth of our son, and now we are in full swing preparing for his first birthday! Every time he wraps his tiny little arms around me before bed, I’m amazed that he’s one day closer to being a one-year-old! I blinked and he went from a tiny little newborn to my big guy who took his first steps two days after Christmas!! I think of how small Addy was when she entered the hospital room door and met her little brother, and now she has self-appointed herself as his second mommy and remains enamored with him; most of the time!

 

It was a blessed 2016 for us. Welcoming our baby boy, watching Addy become a big sister and turn two-years-old, and spending each day lost in being a family of four! I am sad to see the calendar turn so quickly but I am so excited to see what 2017 brings! Happy New Year friends! May you each have a year of joy and peace!

XOXO,

The Halls