One week before Christmas (just after we got home from Chicago) Nick got sick. The sickest I have ever seen him. He fought through it for a couple days and then threw up the white flag and took a few sick days from work (which he NEVER does!). Of course the moment he decides to stay home I catch whatever he has. This is the sickest I have been in a LONG time, if not ever (and I had food poisoning earlier this year). Nick and I were running around the house in dust masks trying to protect the kids. However, it didn't totally work and over the weekend Cal caught whatever we had. Of course we quickly called in reinforcements and my mom came down to Pasadena to help while my dad took Ellie up to Santa Barbara to escape the germs for a couple days. It was a mess and threw everything off.
However, by Christmas Eve, we were all well enough to be excited about Christmas and the arrival of Aunt Susu. Ellie and my dad picked Susie up at the airport on Christmas Eve and headed over to our place. We spent the rest of the day setting up the Christmas tree and decorating it and the house, wrapping presents, and what people generally do on Christmas Eve. There was some last minute shopping as well. We opted not to make dinner and ordered in. But we did make cookies.
After dinner it was time for presents! Ellie was super excited. Cal had no idea what was going on but really seemed excited by everyone and all the wrapping paper.
Of course before we started opening presents we made the kids sit in front of the tree and the overwhelming pile of presents for a picture (which Ellie got frustrated with her brother..."site still and look at the camera Cal! Then we get to open presents!" The agony of waiting...)
Like I said, Cal had fun opening presents. I think he had more fun crawling around though and climbing into people's laps. And playing with the wrapping paper.
Ellie got lots and lots of presents. And she was really excited about them all. Even the toiletry bag that we got her! There were plenty of books, of course. And clothes (we got her more school uniforms for Christmas). But there was plenty of fun things. Including a Kate Spade bag for Ellie from me. Yep, I got my daughter a designer bag for Christmas. I couldn't help it...it was more for me anyway.
Aunt Susu made Cal a book with pictures of everyone from his family. Nick gave her pictures of everyone from the Harrer side. She did a really good job and we all enjoyed looking at it. It'll be an awesome keepsake and book for Cal to look at all his family!
After some cookies and watching of A Christmas Story, we finally convinced Ellie that Santa had already dropped off presents to Tristan in Chicago and it was time for her to head to bed. She convinced Susu to go to bed at the same time as her (Susie was sleeping in Ellie's room).
Christmas morning Ellie and Cal actually slept in till almost their normal wake-up times. I think it was around 6:30 that they both woke up and we were able to convince Ellie to stay in her room until Cal was fed and changed. So it was around 7:00 that we headed out to to the living room with Grandma and Grandpa to see what Santa had left. And oh my was he generous.
First the kids went through their stockings. Fortunately I had just barely enough time to finish Cal's stocking (done the morning of Christmas Eve) so that all four of us (and Mallie) had homemade stocking on the mantle. Ellie and Cal seemed excited by what was in their stockings. Cal also almost figured out how to get things out of his stocking.
Then it was time to check out the Santa presents. Ellie was impressed that Santa was able to read Cal's mind and brought him exactly what he wanted, a swing for the yard and plenty of peach baby food. She was also happy to see that Santa remembered what she asked for, an Easy Bake Oven and took it up a notch and brought a doll from her the movie du-jour, Big Hero 6 (apparently this doll is very hard to find, kinda like the Elsa dolls of last Christmas and it was a coup that one was procured by Santa).
Of course Santa didnt forget the adults in the house. Or maybe we are just older kids. Is that a flux capacitor? Yes, yes it is.
Of course after a nice breakfast of cornmeal mush, we packed up and headed up to Santa Barbara for more family, food, and presents! We had dinner at Auntie Claire and Uncle Buddy's. Claire and Jim cooked dinner and what everyone declared multiple times was the best turkey we had ever had. And yes, more presents...and tissue paper!
It was a blast and so much fun to have Calvin join in the Christmas celebrations. I think, despite some of us not being 100% that we all had a great time. It was nice to see family and take a couple days to take a breathe and relax. Ellie of course was super happy to have her best friend around, Susie, and hardly let Susie our of her eyesight. Good times, good times. We all need more vacation time to enjoy our presents now!
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