I have always loved Christmas.
With each passing year it seems I love Christmas even more.
Our festivities started with a picture on Santa's lap. We went back to the local children's specialty shop again this year to have them taken. They have a day with Santa where you make an appointment and the proceeds all go to the London Women's shelter. The quality is terrible as I took a quick photo of the photo on my iPhone but I just had to post this. He was freakin' adorable. Santa even asked if he could speak because apparently he turned to Santa when he was placed on his lap and clear as day said, "Hi!". I love that my child didn't even stop for a second to stare at this strange human who looks so very different than most of the rest of us. Way to go Kiptyn! Inclusion at a young age! We could all learn something from this...
Next, we continued the holiday preparation with parties and friends. We got some of the "babies" (I refuse to call them anything else yet) from our online Mama group together once again. I love getting together with these ladies and their beautiful babies. They are the sweetest group of ladies and I feel like their babies are part of my family. The kind of family that even though we don't see each other daily, (but we sure do discuss a lot online....and it doesn't always just have to do with babies...) we always have a good time and understand one another. This year Santa came for a visit. I LOVED watching their reactions.
Other than the fact that Santa knew Kiptyn's name (he was told prior) and Kiptyn gave him the, "Do I know you?" stare, the little Bug didn't even flinch.
Max & Kipper
I made peanut butter truffles and although I only had one of them....I have to admit.....they were really good!
This particular day we had a bridal shower to go to in Sarnia, then the Christmas party in Ingersoll, and then a birthday celebration and Grandma & Grandpa's house. It was a long day full of travel and a lot of fun!!!!
Welbourn Family
A highlight of the holiday was Kiptyn's first Christmas concert. I was SO excited. The infant room was the last group to go on so I waited anxiously while thinking about the fact that I would have picked him up from daycare two hours ago had it been a regular day.
Kiptyn needs food.
He needs food often.
When the time came for him to come on stage, he walked out in his little reindeer hat wide-eyed staring at all the people.
Naturally I stood up and waved yelling, "Hi Baby! Kippy Boo! Hi Honey!"
Once he spotted me, a GIANT smile surfaced and he came walking towards me. Keep in mind....he was on a stage. I jumped up from my chair (as any Mama would, even though there were two rows of people between him and I as well as two stage spotters), and they pulled him back to join the group once again. Well......that was it. He wanted Mama.
It went from crying, to "please come get me Mama, I'm sporting the square-mouth"
To complete meltdown.
So maybe I didn't get that terrified-of-sitting-on-Santa's-lap photo (that secretly every mother sort of hopes for as blackmail and future wedding slide show material), but I sure got my share of, "look at that child crying through the whole concert" photos. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
We also participated in the Santa Clause Parade.
And by participated I mean, thought of the ideas (Candyland was our theme this year), crafted and put together decorations, attached decorations to the truck, and finally rode on the float while Daddy walked beside and handed out candy...oh and took it all down at the end. Although a lot of people were unable to help out it was still a lot of fun.
And by participated I mean, thought of the ideas (Candyland was our theme this year), crafted and put together decorations, attached decorations to the truck, and finally rode on the float while Daddy walked beside and handed out candy...oh and took it all down at the end. Although a lot of people were unable to help out it was still a lot of fun.
We also went to Ingersoll to be a spectator for their parade. Kiptyn and Lily were very intrigued.
On Dave's birthday way past Kippy's bedtime, we surprised Daddy at his volleyball game.
Kiptyn enjoyed hanging out in the lobby just as much. This was the first time he ever touched a Christmas tree.
But it wasn't his last...
This one was in his room
Ornaments Old and New...
The Starbucks Mug- an oldie but a goodie
The Camera- my new one for this year
The Ballet Dancer- one of my favourites from childhood
The Train- Kiptyn's new one for the year
Another Christmas party, another Santa sighting...
He loves to kiss himself in the mirror
We spent a lot of time this holiday, running around in pajamas and just enjoying the down time (when we didn't have somewhere to go)
On Christmas Eve Day we ran around delivering Christmas cards to neighbours and gifts to friends and visiting.
Christmas Eve we went to my parent's church. The little children's choir always get to me. I don't know why but whenever I see a child sing or dance I cry, and it doesn't matter if I know them or not. Kiptyn also put on a little show for the crowd. He didn't want to stay still for very long and before you knew it he was running up and dancing to the Christmas carols. He would have gotten right up on the stage had I let him. It was sweet.
After church we went to my parent's house for a party. Kiptyn loved the lights as he had never been outside after dark to see them. I think he would have partied outside the whole night if it were up to him.
It wasn't long before Kiptyn had a bath and got comfy in his pj's....he stayed up past his bedtime pretty much every night of the whole two week holiday.
That night, Santa came...
We were shocked that on Christmas morning Kiptyn reacted to what Santa had left behind. We have it on video and it was seriously cute. He came down the stairs and walked into the family room. When he saw the toys he stopped, pointed, walked closer and then continued to do these high pitched squeals of delight for about five minutes without even touching anything.
The rocking horse was a huge hit
He enjoyed going through his stocking with Daddy and ooh-ing at everything
It was game over when he opened his set of Cars cars from the Disney collection. He loves them. Good thing Daddy thought it was a good idea to buy them. I am not into cars, or Disney type toys and they were small so I figured he wouldn't be very interested. Boy was I wrong.
That's right Dave....I was wrong.
XOX
I am sure he will enjoy the train set a little more in a month or two. Right now he is at the taking the tracks apart stage.
He opened up a gift of shoes....yes, my child has a shoe obsession. These Gator sandles for the summer were also a Christmas favourite.
Dave and I had a gift from Kiptyn under our tree. A special gift he made us in daycare.
This was my favourite gift.
Later that morning we went back over to my parent's house for breakfast, and that evening we went to Dave's parent's house for dinner. Both sets of our parent's were together as well on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day so it was nice to be able to have them all together at once.
Kippy Boo's Grandpa made him a table and chair set. We love love love the animal theme and Kiptyn enjoys getting up and down all day long.
This is something he (and we) will treasure forever.
The week following Christmas we were just as busy, and we had friends come to visit.
I really enjoyed our time together and it was so much fun introducing Kiptyn to new things and traditions.
We ended the year at a house party and then we went out for a fancy dinner
After dinner we went back to the party to ring in the New Year soaking in the hot tub.
Now, would you believe me if I told you that we didn't get up to any shenanigans?
HA!
We ended up having races through the snow in our bathing suits through neighbour's back yards.
We also did snow angels, went on the swings as well as the slide all in our suits!
A little too much champagne but a really fun night!
Thank you to our parents who stayed with the little man at our house and had their own little celebration!
It was a very Merry Christmas indeed.
