We kept it really simple this year between the three of us- Bryce, Max, and I. We have so many other Christmases to go to, and so much family…that it was important to us to have a little quiet time to start our celebrations as a new family of three…and to start our own traditions. We only got Max four presents in total, since we knew that as the first grandchild on both sides of the family…he’d do pretty well elsewhere.
Bryce picked out a gift for him (one of those bendy wire toys with the beads on it), I picked out a gift for him (one of those wooden circle stacker toys), and because I’m a reading teacher–I made sure that he had two new books under the tree as well.
However, just as I predicted in 15 Misconceptions about Baby’s First Christmas….Max wasn’t nearly as interested in the gifts we picked out for him. He was more concerned with tasting the wrapping paper. But even eating the wrapping paper was nothing compared to what Christmas is really all about for our 8 month old….the rusty metal vent (go figure).
Bryce and I really aren’t big on material items…we really have everything we need…so we kept it simple and gave each other experiences. I got Bryce tickets to an out-of-state Pacers game, and Bryce gave me the most AMAZING coupon book ever (,including an entire house-cleaning, dinners cooked by him, and quality-time screen free evenings). He also is getting me a phone upgrade and is going to get me the chair that I’ve been obsessing over from IKEA once it comes back in stock this week. (YAY!)
We woke up early to the sound of our little Christmas elf crying in his crib…we got him fed and ready, then Bryce and I took turns getting ready (more like Bryce waited on me for an hour and entertained the troops after he threw on my favorite shirt of his). I came downstairs and Bryce had two cups of coffee waiting, and my Bible open to Luke, Chapter 2. I love that he leads our family this way and made sure that this was the first part of our Christmas.
Now that I’ve been through childbirth…Christmas actually has a whole new meaning to me as I think about Mary and all she had to go through and all the luxuries that she didn’t have. I was brought to tears yesterday at our Christmas Eve service when we sang Silent Night, and I kept thinking about the night that Max was born…and how amazing it all was…craziness and all.
After Christmas, we got everyone all packed up and we went to Grandma and Grandpa’s. Max was soooo excited that he wouldn’t take a nap. He knew everyone was having a blast in the other room and he was suffering from some serious FOMO (if you don’t know what that word means–Google it). Max’s Great-Grandpa built him the most AMAZING, yellow, rocking-plane. Bryce and I got kind of emotional when he brought it out for him. That gift basically won all of Christmas. At that point…nothing else could compare. I can’t wait until spring-time to take Max’s One-Year pictures riding his plane outside!
Christmas was tough last year, after just losing my grandmother a few months before…and I know that for so many people, this time of year is absolutely miserable. I’m thankful that this year was a joyful year for us. I’m thankful for the family that we could circle around the table with, and for the simplicity of our new family’s first Christmas.
(I know this picture is completely focused in the wrong spot….but it couldn’t be any more perfect… I completely love that we were able to all three look at the camera and smile with the 10-second timer on my camera.)
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