We headed to Charlotte the Tuesday before Christmas. It was a last minute decision and from the time we decided to go Tuesday evening and the time we left, it was 2 hours. 2 HOURS, people. In the three years that we have been parents, we have really gotten our packing down to a science! Of course, we got to Charlotte and I realized I had left EVERY. SINGLE. PAIR. of Griffin's shoes at home. Every pair. I didn't put any on the kids before we left because they were going to be sitting the car for 2 hours--who needs shoes?? I felt really good about my parenting skills. ;)
Wednesday, we headed to Founder's Hall to see the Bearenstein Bears Orchestra. It's a cute little production of mechanical bears that "play" instruments and sing christmas carols.
Thursday we met my cousin Amy and her husband Tyler in Romare Bearden Park downtown at their German christmas market. It was a complete dud, but we had fun with them! We also were able to make plans for dinner after Christmas, so it wasn't a total fail!
Friday we took the kids to see the gingerbread houses at Ballantyne Resort. I'm not sure what was going on, but it was so incredibly busy. The houses are set up in a hallway, so we were having walk single file. It was hot and stuffy. The houses were great and I'm glad we went, but in years past it wasn't nearly as busy!
Saturday was Christmas Eve and we all headed to my grandparents house for the night. David and I always go to the Christmas Eve service with my Aunt and her family, and this year we brought the kids. It's something I want them to enjoy doing with us, but y'all. Holy moly. They didn't sit still at all! David took Griffin out quite a few times for squealing and wiggling and Hadley kept "whispering" (you know, where they talk but think it's whispering?!). It was a kid-friendly service, so they weren't the only ones disrupting, but man...as a parent it's a little embarrassing! But then there was the time during the service when Hadley kept kissing every one of her family members on the cheek and singing the christmas carols she knew. Those are memories I'll keep forever!
Hadley started getting a cough at some point while we were in Charlotte and Griffin ended up getting it Christmas Eve. So both littles were sick Christmas Day, but it didn't stop them from enjoying the fun! Santa brought so many goodies and and my kids were spoiled by their family. For the last month, Hadley kept saying she wanted a "stroller with a down seat and an upseat (double stroller) with a diaper bag." Santa brought her the stroller, but her Aunt Amy and Uncle Tyler got her the diaper bag. She said over and over how "this is perfect! This is just what I wanted!" Be still my heart.
Probably the best thing about this christmas is that memories were made. Yes, memories are made every year (I"ll never forget my first christmas as a mom!), but this is the first year that Hadley will likely remember. She may not remember all of it, maybe just bits and pieces, but I am so thankful that all of her people were there. As a mom, you absolutely love your children. But that doesn't mean everyone else will. I am so grateful my family loves my babies as much as I do. There is no shortage of love for those kids.
It was such a special Christmas!
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