Merry Christmas!

Yeah, yeah.  Jumping on the bandwagon many days late.  Christmas was really nice this year...other than everyone had a stomach bug.  We fortunately missed Christmas day itself, but it's been an interesting week.  My immediate family had it the weekend before while my in-laws were here, my in-laws got it ON Christmas, but were no longer at our house, and my parents got it after.  Fun times.  It was a good week for Robby to be out of daycare, for sure!

 

Earlier this month, we went to see Santa...and that didn't go so well.  Well, Robby did a GREAT job in the hour and 1/2 line.  But he flipped out when he saw the jolly old elf.  Chris wouldn't let me get the screaming one, so there's just a sad face.

 

Robby got all sorts of practice with presents.  On both Thursday and Friday, he got to open presents at daycare, and on Friday Santa was there again!  Robby was actually the only one in his class that was brave enough to walk up to Santa to get his present.  Lots of new, wonderful books!

 

Saturday he was a total slug, as was Chris.  There was lots of cuddling on the couch, book ended by lots of clean-up from illnesses.  The real mess didn't come until Sunday, though, while Chris's parents and my parents were there.  Thank goodness, actually!  I had gone up to settle Robby since he had been screaming and refusing to fall asleep.  I picked him up, holding him, rocking back and forth.  He settled, laid his head on my chest, and then projectile vomited all over me and the entire room.  It was lovely.  I still haven't finished cleaning out those shoes.  But Mrs. P was a huge help.  And Chris gagged a lot while scrubbing the floor and carpet.

On the way to church.  I was the sick one here.

 

Surprisingly, while my in-laws got him many great toys, the fire truck scared him because it moved, and the cell phone was the HUGE hit.  It can record your voice and plays music.  He carried that thing around all evening.  And it terrified us as it would randomly ring loudly without prompting.

 

My in-laws left Monday, I got sick, and thank goodness there were people to entertain Robby.  Church was interesting, as I really didn't feel very good, but Robby did as well as could be expected.  It really isn't the most child-friendly parish.

 

By Tuesday, Robby had the opening presents thing DOWN, but even he couldn't finish it all in one sitting.  He had a grand ole time tearing into everyone's gifts.  The hit of the day was the trash truck from my parents, and he's developed the cutest little routine of picking up the trash, then insisting that everyone in the room waves "Bye" to the trash truck, driving it in a circle, then starting over.  I need a video.

 

It was fun finally being at an age that at least the presents excited him.  Next year I hope he'll understand more traditions, and more of the meaning.  For now?  It was still great!  And as Chris said, "At least the dog didn't bite your eye this year."  I have such Christmas luck, don't I?

 

Christmas 2011 & 2012