The month of December has always been special to me. I'm a December baby, and therefore feel that I partly own the month. I always got to celebrate my birthday by going out to get the Christmas tree and decorating it with my mother. I got to watch as my brother would string lights up "Chevy Chase Style" on our house so it would be lit for all of my birthday guests. We would sing Christmas carols at my party. I would look forward to an early December dusting or snowstorm to make me my own winter wonderland. Mixing Christmas with my birthday made the month a little merrier.
As if this month couldn't get more fabulous, Andy and I started dating on December 7th, 2002. This gave me something extra to celebrate in the month of December. Three years later, December 15, 2005, Andy took me for a walk in Boston Common to see the Christmas lights. It was snowing-an absolutely a beautiful night. He got down on one knee and told me he wanted to be the one to make every one of my dreams come true. Andy knew how much I loved December-and I remember him saying, "Now we can celebrate your birthday the first week, our engagement the second week, Christmas the third week, then New Years-you have something to make you smile every week in December." I love the way he thinks.
We've been sailing along happily, celebrating our little milestones. Last year we had our 5 month old celebrating his 1st Christmas. We dressed him in a cute little Christmas sweater on Christmas Eve and he celebrated with the Conway's at our family Christmas party. Christmas Morning was a memorable one. James had been watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse for practically his entire life, and my mother had bought him a Mickey stuffed animal. We unwrapped his 1st Christmas gift, and his eyes bugged out of his head! He couldn't believe he had his very own Mickey. The expression on that 5 month old face was priceless, and one I'll remember forever. Mickey got lots of hugs that day, and James was one very happy baby.
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| Baby's 1st Christmas! |
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| "While visions of sugarplumbs danced in their heads." Daddy and James sleeping on Christmas Eve. |
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| Mickey? Really? NO way!! |
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| Hugs for Mickey! |
This year has been even better-just when I thought it was not possible. My mother bought him a personalized Santa book. She's been reading it to him daily. He can now pick out Santa Claus-who he refers to as "Ca Claus," reindeer (rindeer), the snowmen (mowman), and the angel. She has also been collecting those crazy, animated, stuffed animals shaped like all of the Christmas all-stars that sing all of the Christmas classics. James runs around the house, collecting them on the kitchen floor. He presses all of the buttons (it amazes me how he knows where each button is on each animated animal, snowman, and tree), and dances like a little maniac in the midst of the Christmas chaos. He cracks himself up (and us too). My father has been playing the song, Mary's Boy Child-by Bony M for as long as I can remember. This has now become James' favorite song. He comes in the house, shouts, "Papa! Song!," and my dad will put it on. They both dance around the house and he laughs the loudest belly laugh. He's started to learn the words, "day, angel, more, Christmas." To me, this is heaven. Seeing him enjoy my parents makes me so happy.
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| James with Frosty and Doggy-2 out of the 100 of my mom's animated Christmas friends. He walks around hugging them all day. |
Andy and I took James to see Santa Claus at the mall. This can always be an "ify" process with toddlers. For some reason, Santa can come off as terrifying, rather than jolly. While we waited in line, James socialized with all of the kids waiting anxiously for Santa. All of their faces reflected pure horror. James was walking up to them with his little dimples and truck, saying "HI!" He added humor to the long line. When he was next in line to finally see Santa, he was trying to cut in front of the little boy (who clearly had no desire to sit on Santa's lap). It was hard to hold him back. It was finally his turn. He ran over to Santa, shouting, "HI CA CLAUS! HI CA CLAUS!" The child was not shy. He got right up on Santa's lap and flashed his adorable smile for the camera. He looked at Santa with the happiest face, and kept giggling. It was hard to pry him away. Talk about a happy first experience meeting Santa! I, of course, was all weepy-seeing him with Santa and knowing Christmas had that pure, innocent, happiness again!
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| Santa's #1 Fan! |
This morning, we woke to a glorious winter wonderland. I ran into James' room and told him it was finally time to wear his "boot shoes" that he had been eyeing for a month.He proudly gave me his feet, and I bundled him up. We stepped out into the snowy morning, both with the biggest smiles on our faces. I put him down into the snow, and watched him kick it around a little-trying to figure it out. His little arms went up over his head, and he looked up at the sky. The snowflakes fell so lightly on his little button face. He was in his glory-and so was I. My neighbor shouted from across the street that he was excited he got to witness James' first walk in the snow. It was so cute!! Tonight we bundled him up, and Patrick, my dad, James, and I ventured out in the snow. We made a small snowman, James made his first snow angel, and I taught him how to eat snow-which he loved. He ran around shouting "WEEEEEE!" at the top of his little lungs! Without realizing it, I was there beside him, doing the same thing. I had become a child again. The two of us had a blast-more fun I've had in the snow in years! The best part is-its only the beginning!
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| 1st night playing in the snow. He loved it! |
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| I taught him to eat snow. I'll eventually have to teach him to stay away from the yellow snow! |
I can't begin to explain how excited I am to see James enjoy Christmas this weekend. We've been telling him all about Santa and the presents he'll be getting. I can't wait to see him dance the "Conway Dance" with all of his great aunts and uncles to Mary's Boy Child. I can't wait to put him in his little Christmas pajamas and tuck him in to bed by the glow of the Christmas lights. I can't wait to see his little sleepy eyes and messy hair on Christmas morning, when he spots all of his presents under the tree. I can't wait to see all of the adult faces light up with joy when he gives them his gifts-his precious hugs and kisses.
This is what Christmas is all about. Thank you James, for helping your father and I find the magic and excitment of Christmas all over again. We've been waiting patiently for this. It was worth the wait. Life is wonderful!
