I thought I'd share some Christmas memories from Christmases past....
Photo #3: One of our Christmas cards, with the kids "oh so posed" in front of the tree. I found that dress that Paige was wearing the year before for 75% off. I loved that dress!! This is the year that Paige told us she was so excited about decorating the tree. I asked her why and she told me that she thought we (meaning Clay, Paige, Daddy and Mommy) could make hot chocolate and stand around the tree holding hands and singing Christmas carols. I laughed too. And, no, it didn't happen. Sorry, Paigey.
Photo #2: I think Paige was about 2 here. Please notice that apparently I put a bow in her hair before I would let her come downstairs to see what Santa brought. WHAT was wrong with me?!?!
Photo #3: Another Christmas card picture. We were living in Gig Harbor and the kids were wearing adorable German outfits that my mother brought back from a trip to Germany. In my zeal to get the "perfect" photo, I'm afriad I reduced my sweet children to tears. "Would you just look HAPPY, dammit!!" Not one of my proudest moments. Again, what was WRONG with me??!!
Photo #1: Leaving cookies and milk for Santa. Please notice the solemn expression on Clay's face. This was serious business and had to be done JUST RIGHT.
Photo #5: Clay at about 17 months with the police motorcycle that Santa brought him. With a siren. A loud siren. Again, What WAS I thinking?!?!
Photo #6: Clay's first Christmas. 5 months old.
Photo #7; This was the day we moved into our new house in Gig Harbor. Clay was 3 and Paige was 15 months old. We moved in 5 days before Christmas, and our dear friend Kathy took the children for the day so they wouldn't be underfoot. 5 DAYS before Christmas!! I was a basketcase, trying to get everything unpacked and ready for Christmas. Tim kept telling me we could just celebrate Christmas later and not to stress...and I would just get wound tighter and tighter. I was determined to "do it right." We did have Christmas on Christmas Day, with all the decorations up, and we did have Christmas dinner - on my Christmas china (I dug through about a million boxes trying to find it). I did figure out where Toys-R-Us was, and Santa did come. But really? Why did I stress so much for a 1 year old and a 3 year old, who didn't know what day it was anyway? WHAT WAS WRONG WITH ME?!?!?!?!?
Photo #8: Now, for a couple of non Mommie Dearest memories - I did do a few things right over the years!! We used to have a big Christmas party every year, and invited Santa Claus to come and visit all the children. This photo is of Clay and Paige greeting Santa at the door.
Photo #9: This one is of Clay around age two, which is when he went through a brief period of having an imaginary friend. His imaginary friend was ... The Little Drummer Boy. Yup. Really. It was so cute. He loved that video and watched it over and over, walked around singing Pa Rum Pa Pum Pum and the Little Drummer Boy was his best (imaginary) friend.
