the Littlest Sullivan: Merry Christmas, Happy 2012!!

For Christmas this year, we decided to really start taking it easy on ourselves. Over the past few years, the holidays have just gotten really out-of-hand and stressful. I really started to hate the "most wonderful time of the year" because I felt like I was always running, trying to keep up with the amount of gifts that I felt "obligated" to give to others, the baking that needed to be done, the decorating, the traditions, not to mention a heck of a lot of important birthdays right there on the end of the calendar.

So, we made the decision to not buy gifts for others. We asked friends and family to not buy us anything either, but to instead spend some time relaxing and enjoying the season. We feel like gift giving has gotten out of control in today's society, and we are GROWN and don't need parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles sending us things. Of course we realize that everyone wants to give Ryan a gift, and that is perfectly fine!! Kids SHOULD get gifts. But the greatest gift to me is to be able to spend time with Dave, Ryan and the boys and to see my kids enjoying their things.

Also, I found a blog on the internet that suggested doing a "Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh Gift Exchange". The 'Gold' gift would be something that you WANT...it could be anything. The 'Frankincense' gift is something you NEED, like socks. And the 'Myrrh' gift is something to benefit your mind, body, and/or soul - like a musical instrument, a journal, or a book of devotionals. Dave and I had already bought each other a few small things here and there, so we decided to do a modified version of this...3 main gifts with a few small goodies here and there.

It was FANTASTIC. It was very low-key and low-stress!! We spent the month of December having dinners as a family every night at the table rather than dashing around the mall food courts. We had time to drive around to let Ryan see the Christmas lights on houses...which she would exclaim "ITES, ITES, ITES!!" each time she saw any. We were able to relax at the end of the day rather than scrambling to wrap hundreds of gifts. And our bank account, which was already hurting due to our recent travels, was not in the red at the end of it all.

Ryan checking under the tree before bed on Christmas Eve

Christmas morning, we got up at 7:30 so I could pop my homemade cinnamon rolls in the oven, then we woke Ryan up around 8:00. She loved digging through her stocking so much, that Dave and I let her open ours as well. After the stockings, we had a break and had breakfast as a family on the living room floor. Ryan got a new sippy cup with a STRAW in it that was filled with her favorite drink - ice cold vanilla soy milk. She gobbled up her banana and toast as we ate our extremely unhealthy, sugar coated cinnamon rolls. Then we opened up our gifts!

Ryan's first peek on Christmas morning!

Digging through her stocking

Daddy helping with her stocking

Breakfast with mommy

Taking a break to enjoy a good read

Ryan did a great job opening. She like ripping the paper and she would play with each gift for quite a while rather than dashing for more to open. And we just let her go at her own pace! She said 'thank you!" after each gift, and funny enough, her favorite things to open were clothes! She got several 'Gold' gifts, including wooden play food and crayons. Her 'Frankincense' gifts were some new cups, snack bowls, and pajamas...she was really growing out of her PJs fast! But she is completely restocked now!! And her 'Myrrh' gift was a little guitar from Santa. It is not a toy guitar, but not a real one either...it falls somewhere between. It doesn't actually stay in tune, but it has real strings on it, and it is really a good way for her to learn to hold a real guitar and how to strum.

Santa came!!

First lesson!!

As for Dave and I, my Gold gift was an iPhone and his was a fancy set of shaving stuff that he was wanting. My Frankincense gift was new bread pans which I was really needing, and his was a fireproof safe so we have somewhere to put our important documents. And for our Myrrh gifts, we both got each other several books.

Christmas fell on a Sunday this year, so we had church at 11:00. Ryan still had a few gifts under the tree, so we left them for later rather than trying to rush her through them. We had a great church service and Ryan got to wear her pretty Christmas dress. After church, it was nap time, so we came home to let Ryan nap it out in her bed.

After nap time, we went over to my parents' house for some dinner and Ryan had a few gifts to open. She got a tricycle, a kitchen, and a play tent, and several more things. She likes the tricycle, but it is still too big for her. She can't reach the pedals, but she likes to scoot on it.

Then it was home again, and Ryan finished opening her gifts before bed. After it was all over, Dave and I were talking about how great the whole day was. It had an ease about it, and none of us felt like we did not get "enough". I honestly could not think of anything more I could want. This is going to be our new tradition for sure!! I am excited to teach our kids about the true meaning of Christmas and to be thankful for the things they receive rather than always wanting more, more, MORE! To everyone who gave Ryan a gift, she enjoyed them ALL and we are thankful for your generosity!

She screamed "NEIGH!!" for 10 minutes at these horsey PJs...she loved them!!

Dave had almost 2 whole weeks off at the end of the year. We spent a whole day having a "jammie day", with no plans, being lazy, not leaving the house, and not getting out of our pajamas all day. Sounds like a nice time? Well, not for us!! By the end of the day we were regretting out decisions to be so lazy!! Dave can barely function without a shower and putting shoes on, and I just feel useless if I don't at least put some make up on and change into real clothes! We dragged our butts around all day feeling very blah...we vowed to get up and around every other day of his vacation...and we DID!! We have spent the week hanging out with friends, test driving cars (we will need a bigger family car with our new addition), cleaning around the house, watching the Outback Bowl, and turning the dining room into a playroom!! We had to move several things around in the house to make it all happen, but now the dining room table is in the kitchen's breakfast area, my kitchen hutch and cookbooks have been moved to the garage, the dining room hutch is in the living room, most of Ryan's toys are now in the dining room, and the living room is TOY-FREE!!! We are loving the new layout, and Ryan is REALLY enjoying her playroom!

For New Year's, we had 2 couples over and I cooked Thanksgiving dinner...we had earned a free turkey from Ingles in November for spending a certain amount in groceries, and since we were on the road for Thanksgiving, and having a super low key Christmas, I wanted to cook it when we would have plenty of people to share it with! We had dinner and just hung out for a while. Everyone left by 10:30, and Ryan fell asleep immediately after. I really did not want to stay up until midnight, but after I had a shower and dried my hair, it was quarter till, so we just watched the ball drop before heading to bed....I felt awful the next day...I hate staying up past 11:00!!!

So that has been our Christmas vacation. We have had such a great time hanging out as a family. Ryan is learning quicker than you can imagine! She is starting to put 2 words together...she says "Go Dawgs!" and will throw a toy for Grimm and holler "GET IT!!" Just last night, out of nowhere, she started saying Tonka, instead of the usual "TON-DAH". And then she tried to actually say Grimm...she usually just grunts a "G" sound, but she has now started saying "MEMM". We bought her a potty seat for the bathroom and she likes to sit on it, but has not "done anything" yet.

The new baby is growing too. I am starting to show, which is a few weeks earlier than I started to show with Ryan, but that is normal. My clothes are still fitting fine, but getting a little more snug. I have been feeling a little lethargic, and I know it is because I need some exercise. My left hip has been really hurting, so I have had to take it easy, as well as sitting or lying down to rest my back frequently. But this week I plan on taking Ryan for walks and doing some more stretching. Other than that, the baby is pretty uneventful at this point. I am in my 2nd trimester now, so more things will start happening soon. I have an appointment next week and then within a month hopefully we will be scheduled for the ultrasound to determine whether we are having a boy or a girl. I can't wait to know. I feel so disconnected with the baby before knowing. Once we know, we can pick a name, we can buy a homecoming outfit, and I can make a crib quilt. Until then, the only thing I have to remind me that I am pregnant is a nagging hip and alway being tired!

Ryan did NOT like Santa.