So...we're home and *almost* over our jetlag. (Sadie is crying herself to sleep for her nap right now, which she never does. I guess I misjudged her energy level today and let her go too long before putting her down. Whoops.)
The Christmas season felt odd to me somehow and I'm still not sure why. I guess for the first time I can remember, I felt a little bit of that "Holiday Stress" that everyone talks about.
For starters, our annual Saunders Siblings Christmas Party was our 14th and possibly final one. It was incredibly hectic this year, with more kids running around than adults (at least that's how it felt to me more than once throughout the evening). I look forward to that party so much each year, (when else do I get to see dozens of my and my siblings friends & their growing families all at once?) but it really is a feat to pull off. My mom always ends up having to help way more than she should (this year it was making chili at the last possible second) and we just don't have a generally good system for making it happen smoothly. Anyway, that's that. Ask me in 10 or 11 months if the 15th Annual is in the works. I'm open to suggestions.
I suppose it didn't help that Shutterfly botched my Christmas card order not once but twice, so that I ended up starting over and scrambling to get them mailed. Notice that I still had time to get them out even with 2 printing errors; I really was on the ball with regard to cards this year! Here are the pictures we ended up using:
There wasn't any stress related to gift-buying; my family did a "secret Santa" exchange through Elfster for the first time this year and my in-laws did "stockings only". Piece of cake.
To Andrew's and my delight, Sadie is too young still to have any of the dreaded materialism or greed that is so "normal" in young children with regard to Christmas. I hope to glean some advice from friends with older kids as to how to avoid that madness, which I intend to do at all costs (no pun intended).
She still got a pile of presents, though - we have an extremely generous family which includes 2 former grade-school teachers who always know just the right things to get. (thanks Ellen and Shannon!) Her great Aunt Debbie (the one who married us) has an uncanny ability to zero in on people's needs and wishes, and absolutely hit the mark with her gifts for Sadie. I could go on and on - special books, unique little stuffed animals, etc. Thank you mom, Betsey, Heidi, Justin, Kat, Jill, Joanne, and everyone!
In an effort to enjoy the month or so before Christmas, I did have the radio tuned to stations playing Christmas music almost constantly (whenever Andrew wasn't around - I'm not that crazy). I thought maybe Sadie would learn a few songs, since there is so much repetition. I think she did. She especially seemed to like The Little Drummer Boy and would say either "boy" or "rum-pum-pum" when she wanted to hear it. Cute. We also spent a lot of time admiring our small tree as well as any other trees, lights, wreaths, etc. that we saw anywhere and everywhere. Sadie definitely enjoyed that aspect of the holiday season.
She took equal interest in her Baby Jesus (thank you, Mexican relatives!) and her Maccabee toy which plays Hannukah songs (thank you, Carol!). I suppose I have to admit that that felt like a nice precursor to the omnivorous approach to religion that I have planned for her...(now there's a topic To Be Continued!)
Hmmmm, now that I think about it, I guess it wasn't that bad after all! :)
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