Christmas Day

Our Christmas Day was exhausting, but that good kind of exhausting that leaves you immobile on the couch at the end of the day saying, "man, what an awesome day!"

Get ready for lots of pictures. I mean, this is my kid's first Christmas here, people.

It all started with Ellie's first look at our Christmas tree that morning, post-Santa visit. Look at all those presents, Ellie!

I think she's impressed.

My kids in front of the tree on Christmas morning

And so, we dug in. I helped Ellie check out all the stuff in her stocking, and when we moved on to the rest of the presents, she got the hang of ripping paper pretty quickly. We just had to keep a close eye on her so she didn't eat any. I think she thought it was pretty fun, though!

Left: New Winnie the Pooh tub toys! Right: "Look at all my cool stuff, Dad!"

Her first wrapping paper tear!

Checking out her Snowbaby first Christmas ornament from Mama and Daddy

Fun with bows!

Who needs presents? I've got a tiny scrap of paper! Hooray!

Ready to open her big gift from Santa

Oops. Maybe Santa got this one wrong.

Oh wait! Maybe this thing is kind of fun after all!

Ellie made out quite nicely this Christmas. Her stocking was filled with fun goodies like pajamas, socks, a baby toothbrush and yogurt melts. From Mommy and Daddy she got her first Christmas ornament and some New York Art for her nursery. From Baby Jesus (a tradition in my family when I was growing up) she got a Little People Nativity Set. And from Santa, she got some new books and her Learning Walker. Quite the haul!

Achilles also got to open his stocking (Dog treats! Surprise!), and Eric and I opened ours. He and I opted to only exchange ornaments and stockings this year, considering that we just bought a car and will soon be buying a new iMac. It was kind of fun to be challenged to keep presents small and sweet!

After our family gift opening, we moved out to the family room so Ellie could open her gifts from Grandpa, Aunt Heather and Aunt Molly. She got a new book and "laptop" from Grandpa, new clothes and a sweet nightlight from Aunt Heather and a fun Christmas hat and pretty purple gloves from Aunt Molly. Thanks, everyone!

Reading Ellie's new Goodnight Moon book. It was a favorite of mine when I was young!

Checking out her laptop

Left: Getting tired, poor thing. Right: Tearing into a gift from Aunt Heather

Delicious night light, Aunt Heather! Thanks!

Siting in her new rocking chair, sporting her Christmas hat from Aunt Molly and Uncle Arturo

By that time the poor Christmas baby was all tired out, so she went down for a nap while Eric and I got ready for the day. My dad went to pick up my grandma and Uncle Tom and brought them over to the house, so once Ellie woke up we were able to spend a little time with them before we had to run out to our next celebration.

Big teddy bear from Great Grandma!

It was then off to Eric's grandmother's house for dinner with his family. It was a big turnout this year: Gramz and Toni, Kelley and Phyllis, Ronnie and Stephanie with new baby Charlie, Uncle Steve and Aunt Patty, cousin Tara and her fiance Patrick. A full house!

Bottom: Tara and Aunt Patty

On the couch: Patrick, Phyllis, Stephanie and Charlie, Gramz, Ellie and me, Toni

Standing in back: Kelley, Ronnie, Uncle Steve and Eric

Goofy! 

It was so great to have both babies there to celebrate their first Christmas together! We are just so smitten with our new nephew Charlie. He is such a sweetheart.

Left: Gramz holding her great-grandson; Right: Daddy Ronnie with his baby boy

Ellie saying hello to her cousin

The brothers and their babies

We ate a delicious dinner of lasagna (what else?!), exchanged gifts (lots of great new clothes and toys for Ellie!), and visited with each other. Plus, somehow, against all odds, Ellie even took a little nap in there! A Christmas miracle! It really was a great afternoon with a wonderful family.

Dinner time!

Toni, Eric and Kelley

Ellie was napping during the gift exchange, so Eric and I happily accepted this giant Pooh Bear on her behalf.

Giant Tigger for Charlie!

Kisses for Ellie from her Nonnie

High fives from Aunt Patty!

Cuddling with her Great Gramz

Left: Stephanie and Charlie; Right: Fun socks!!! (Both were stocking stuffer gifts from each other, naturally)

When things died down at the W. Family Celebration, Eric and I said our goodbyes and headed off to our final stop: to see my mom at my stepsister Julie's house. We sat outside for a bit and exchanged gifts, then moved inside when it got a little chilly. The whole family was over there, so it was nice to see all of them. Poor Ellie was just beat by this point, though. Frankly, we all were! It had already been quite a day.

Poor baby. Last stop!

Come here, dog. Let me pinch your face.

Scrunchy smiles for Grandpa Gary

Hi, Grammy!

Two tired girls

We stayed as long as we could (energy-wise) then said our goodbyes and headed back home. We had just enough time to serve Ellie her Christmas dinner of "baby lasagna" (really just pasta, cottage cheese and shredded cheese) before finally putting our poor, tired baby to bed. She really was such a trooper!

Ready for dinner!

It was such a wonderful Christmas, and so different from Christmases we've had in the past few years. Instead of just doing a quiet celebration with the two of us, we jumped from house to house and saw almost every single family member. It was exhausting and hectic, but so, so nice. It was especially nice to have been able to share Ellie's first Christmas with our loved ones, to watch them dote on her and celebrate with her. As much as I may whine about missing New York, it has been such a blessing to be so close to our family this holiday season, and I love that Ellie will now have a chance to get to know everyone so much better. We sure do have an awful lot to be thankful for this year!

Merry belated Christmas, all!