When you have a kid I think one of the things you look forward to most is holidays. You picture all of the amazing things you’ll do to commemorate the holiday…. gingerbread houses, baking cookies, seeing Santa Claus. All magical and amazing.
And then their first Christmas you realize they are 3 months old and don’t care whether or not you are handing them the newest age-appropriate learning toy or an empty box and scraps of wrapping paper. The baby stays up all night despite the fact that jolly old St. Nick only comes when children are all nestled in their bed. Christmas definitely holds a little more sparkle than it did before as you start traditions but not much has really changed.
And then their second Christmas they are 15 months old. They still think wrapping paper and boxes is just as cool as toys so you decide you aren’t buying them any toys. Their grandparents and Aunts have more than spoiled them and everything comes home with you anyway.
They are walking and talking and all sorts of adorableness wrapped in a wobbly, curious little body.
You bake cookies semi-successfully but mostly just watch your one year old gleefully dump sprinkles on everything.
You go to visit Santa Claus & well…. I don’t have to tell you how that one went.
And now you have a two-year old. A walking, talking, fiercely independent little human being who shares every emotion she’s experiencing. She sings Jingle Bells and Mary Had a Baby. She begs for the lights to be turned on the Christmas Tree every single morning when she wakes up.
“It’s so beautiful mommy. I just love the Christmas tree.”
Yeah, she says that.
She brings home ornaments from school that have her precious little fingerprints turned into snowmen. She tells me that “Jesus loves her Amen” & in the same breath says she would like Santa Claus to bring her a Dora doll & bracelets (don’t worry kid, Santa’s got you COVERED).
She won’t look into the camera and give me a straight smile no matter how much I beg but her personality still shines through in pictures.
She adores her baby sister and covers her in kisses. She asks if Santa is going to bring “little Hannah” gifts too.
You sit back and look in amazement at everything she understands about this time of year. Your heart explodes in a million pieces every time you see the look on her face as she stares at Christmas lights. You realize that this is why you have kids. There is nothing more spectacular than experiencing the holidays through your children’s eyes.
And seeing the big guy? Well let’s just see it went a whole lot better this year DESPITE the fact that he didn’t ask her what she wanted. WTF Santa? She was so excited to tell you about how she wanted new bracelets.
Luckily Santa is all-knowing.
I’ll leave you with a little Jingle Bells a la Madison. Merry Christmas!
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