Christmas Day

Well, Christmas has come and gone for another year.  All that anticipation and build up, and just like that, it's over.

Our living room turned into Santa's workshop on Christmas eve, with Tim putting together Ella's trike.  I think we were more excited about her reaction to it than she actually was when she got it!

Ella wasn't quite herself when she woke up on Christmas day.  Although she was happy with her trike, she was uninterested in opening all her other presents - still a bit young to understand what's going on I think and all a bit overwhelming.  Tim and I didn't go overboard with presents for each other this year, but I did receive a voucher for a pregnancy massage which I can't wait to have in a few months time.

We had lunch with my family which I always love.  Mum and dad do a full traditional Christmas hot lunch.  I can always remember Christmas as a child, our house full with the smell of roasting meat and vegetables, us all sweating in the searing heat, not helped by the fact that the ovens were going full force from early in the morning.  This year the weather was quite cool though so we were all comfortable inside the house, but that smell of a Christmas roast still took me back.

Dad cooked a delicious Turducken.  Some in our family were skeptical at first but it was a resounding success and did not disappoint.  For the next few nights we ate Turducken left overs - delicious fritters made by Tim as well as yummy grilled sandwiches.  We've also been gorging ourselves on left over pudding.  I'm glad that I can blame my expanding tummy on the baby this year!

In the afternoon we went to Tim's parents house for lunch.  More presents, delicious food and good company.

Although we had told our parents about the new bub, we were saving the news for all the other family members for Christmas day so we could tell them in person.  I've always loved Christmas for the family aspect but once you throw your own children into the mix it makes the day even more special.  I'm so excited to be adding to our brood!

Santa Claus

I worked on Christmas eve but promptly left at 2pm to come home to Tim and Ella.  It was a sweltering hot day so I was glad to come home to the air conditioning where we all just sat, played, wrapped presents and relaxed.

I had been wanting Ella to have a photo with Santa this year but she is not a big fan of the jolly man.  I had tried to warm her up by reading books about Santa and walking past him in the shopping centre, but the minute she sees him you can just tell that she's not comfortable.  I know she's still young and really when you think about it, he is pretty scary.  Big fat man wearing all red with a big white beard - that's pretty daunting, but still it's nice to have a keep sake each year.

Tim took Ella to the shops on Christmas eve while I was working and was hoping to get a snapshop to surprise me but unfortunately she screamed the whole time and although the photo's were pretty hilarious, he couldn't bring himself to spend the $50 for a photo like that.

I had already decided that I would bring home a Santa suit from work and get Tim to dress up in the hopes that we could take a photo ourselves. I thought perhaps if she was in a familiar environment and if Santa had a familiar voice she might be ok.  I was wrong.

Tim looked pretty legit in his suit but the minute Ella saw Santa she started bawling her eyes out.  She was not happy, even when Daddy took off the beard and spoke to her.  The suit went straight back into the bag.

A little later that night I was giving Ella a bath and she was having lots of fun.  Tim thought it would be a good idea to try out the Santa suit again unbeknownst to both of us.  So we were playing the bath tub and I saw Ella look up and literally freeze.  I turned around and there was Santa's head peering around the door into the bathroom.  It scared me so I can only imagine what Ella thought!  She immediately turned into a plank and sunk down into the bath so she couldn't see him, her eyes almost popping out of her head.

I'm not quite sure what Tim was thinking but that was the last strike with Santa and Ella.  We didn't try again, except the next morning when Ella came into our bedroom and saw the suit tucked inside the bag and the white beard and wig on top, she just pointed and said "Oh dear" in a very dramatic little voice.

Maybe next year...

Christmas is here!

Christmas is our busiest period at work so instead of winding down like most people, our workload increases drastically so I usually end up doing everything at the very last minute although each year I vow that that won't happen.  On the 1st December I was very proud of myself as I set up the Christmas tree and started to get into the Christmas spirit.  Unfortunately it kind of ended there...until last week.

I am happy to say that the house has been decorated, presents bought and wrapped, cards made and sent, ham purchased (very important!! YUM!) and I don't feel like a crazy woman rushing around getting these things done at the last minute like I usually do.

I love to make things for other people, particularly baked goods, and would have loved this year to give home made presents but unfortunately I just haven't had the time to do that.  As I shopped the other day I couldn't help be turned off a little bit seeing all the junky things that people are selling and buying just for the sake of it.  Don't get me wrong, I love buying or receiving a great present, but sometimes I feel that I am just buying presents for the sake of it and it just seems wasteful.  This year I have tried to be more thoughtful with the gifts that I have bought people and also made an effort to buy gift cards from World Vision where families/communities will be given animals and resources from the money that is donated.  I hope people appreciate that.

Tonight I am off to a special Christmas dinner with my best girlfriends who I haven't seen in a while now.  I can't wait.  It's the first time that we've been together for a couple of months and I am planning on sharing my news about baby number 2 which is exciting.

Bring on Christmas, Family & Friends!

Photos:

1)  Merry Christmas from my cheeky little elf
2)  Our Christmas tree the day that we decorated it.  Ella has been surprisingly good with it.  We have only had one incident where she pulled at it and it fell over!  I was upstairs at the time and just heard her little voice say "Oh dear!" (this is her new favourite phrase)
3)  The snow globe I bought Ella for her first Christmas.
4)  Making cards with Ella
5)  We caught our first glimpse of our new little bub at an obstetrician appointment the other day.  Very exciting!