Sloan's First Christmas!

Christmas Eve was in the books, onto the excitement of Christmas morning.  After our guests had left, I double checked that "The Stockings Were Hung by the Chimney (aka gas fireplace) with Care", made sure our milk and cookies were out for Santa,  and it was off to bed.

I had warned everyone, that as soon as Sloan was awake we would be on the road to the Tebb's.  You could expect us at around 6:30 or so, well wouldn't you just know it.  Christmas morning, Sloan slept in - until 7:30, normally I would have been tickled pink about this, but instead I was awake, and waiting.  I was considering for the first time in my life that perhaps it was ok to wake a sleeping baby.  But instead I showed real restraint and the second his eyes popped open, I roused Reg (who knew this would be so difficult?), and started tapping my foot, let's go people!  I phoned Mom & Dad, and we were off!  With 3 kids under the age of 10, I was sure we had missed Christmas.

I needn't worry.  Poor Sloan opened his Christmas gifts for 4 days, I couldn't help myself, and it's only fair it took 4 days to open them because it took at least that long to wrap them all.  And I have learned my lesson  (at least "officially"), buy a baby a baby gate, bowls, spoons, bibs, that's great - very practical, wrapping them for an 8 month old - moves them right into the impractical column.  And as Reg has pointed out to anyone who will listen, packing up all of our gifts, hauling them to Jodi & Brian's to open them, and then hauling them home...also  very impractical.  Reg also took this year to try and train me about Christmas - I heard the speech (lecture) a few times about how Sloan wouldn't know the difference, so we didn't need to buy him a lot, he didn't want the latest and greatest toy, so let it be...

Well bah humbug!  If nothing else this Christmas was for me!  I got to wrap, unwrap, shop, take pictures, decorate, sew and create "Baby's First Christmas" Julie style.  I complained to Reg that I hadn't realized I had married the Grinch, and Reg complained right back that he hadn't married Mrs. Claus either...Again Bah Humbug!! Bring it on!
I videoed pretty much the whole thing, and here is our entire Christmas Morning - just kidding!!  I did video a lot, but I think perhaps a few photos will tell the story just the same.

Handsome Kolt in his new Smithbilt hat!

Jake's new kobo - he loves it!

Mom opening her stocking

I had searched for a Baby's First Christmas outfit for Sloan, but when you wear 18 - 24 month clothing, they assume you have already had your first Christmas, so we went with some Christmas bibs instead.

Sloan, ripping paper, wondering why I need his picture I think!

After we had finished opening our gifts, and had eaten some breakfast, I took Sloan home for a nap (we both had one), and while we were gone, The Men's battle began!  Jake got a new NHL game board, and this scene was to be repeated a few times Christmas Day, the player trades, team management,  hockey games...all serious stuff!

Here is Sloan, and Jodi listening to the board game antics...

Christmas night we had dinner at our house.  Uncle Gerry & Auntie Caryl joined us, and we had a big  meal (I should mention, Mom, Jodi, and Auntie Caryl are the cooks), Sloan was ready to eat!

After dinner, while the men did the clean up and dishes (oops, sorry slipped into my fantasy world for a second there) , I mean played the board game, we took a few last photos.

Normally I am a very serious Boxing Day shopper, but this year, Sloan had work to do first, he slept in - again, this time until 8:00, and then opened a few gifts, before we headed out.

I hope you all had as much on fun on Christmas as we did, and the best part? Only 364 days to go...

Love,  Julie

Christmas Eve

When we were growing up Christmas Eve was held at my Grandma and Grandpa Giles' house west of Airdrie, and it was always a special night.  We would head out there in the afternoon have a big family meal, hang out with our cousins, and usually I could convince them to participate in a Christmas Caroling/Talent show before the night was done.  Then it was home to prepare for the chaos and pure excitement of Christmas morning.

As we got older, and people got busier the group for Christmas Eve started to dwindle, and so Grandma started to change the date to accomodate more of us.  I never missed a Christmas Eve at Grandma's, seven years ago we lost my Grandma; she was in the middle of cooking Christmas dinner for us (although it was December 10), when she suffered a brain aneurysm.  She passed quickly, and while it was a terrible shock for those of us left behind, I know it was how she would have wanted it.

The following year, in an attempt to hold onto this family tradition I offered (read "Insisted) to host Christmas Eve at my house.  We had to "Julieize" it a bit, so no big fancy dinner, instead we have appetizers (as in bring your own),  we hang out for the evening, play a gift exchange game, and usually have a good visit.  It has become our tradition, and I love it.

Sloan missed a good portion of the evening this year, as he was tucked away in bed by 7, but this is a tradition I will carry on for him, so he can have the same family memories of Christmas Eve that I hold in my heart.

This year to make it a little more fun, for the  kids, we set up a cookie decorating station.  Denise was left in the kid room to supervise, because all that icing, all those sprinkles, and all those kids....clearly needs supervision.  They decorated up their cookies, and were all so excited to take them home for Santa. 

This is a good pairing, as Kolt & Austin, were both keen to get right down to work.

This cookie decorating is serious business... the room was quite quiet the whole time, and check out the expressions on the kids faces...

I really wish I had taken an "after" photo of the cookies, this was the in the early stages, by the end there was no cookie to be seen, and sugar, icing, and candies pilled into little mountains.  I hope Santa had his toothbrush handy or he surely will have some new cavities to contend with...

For some reason,  I have no other photos to share from Christmas Eve, I should have pictures of people laughing, visiting, eating and drinking, but don't worry, I've got plenty from Christmas Day - coming your way!

Love,  Julie

Four Christmases

As you have heard...A Baby Changes Everything, and Christmas is no exception...

Since I have been a part of Reg's life, Christmas with his Mom and family, has been held on the Sunday prior to Christmas.  It's a low stress day, where we get treated to a yummy brunch at Priddis Golf Course, and then back to Brenda & Will's house to open gifts, play a board game or two, and a late afternoon snack.  

Sounds lovely, doesn't it?  Unless you are the over protective Mom of an 8 month old baby who won't sleep in the car, or at Nana's house.

I was fretting, and finally thought, I would phone Reg's Mom and see if we could change things up a bit and move Christmas to Airdrie.  And lucky for me, she agreed.  We had brunch at our house in between Sloan's morning and afternoon naps, opened gifts in there as well, and it was almost midnight before everyone had left. 

Here are a few photos of our Hanson/Goode Family Christmas

Sloan with his Uncle Brian...who for some reason must have his eyes closed for every photo...isn't he a natural with a baby?  If you look close you'll see he's holding Sloan up by the back of his shirt.

Here is Sloan's cousin Sage opening up a gift, Sage definitely won the award for most enthusiasm!

Tate, Dakota & Morgan opening gifts...

They got new laptops for Christmas, and for the next several days this what you saw, in every room of the house...a definite hit!

And here is Sloan opening up his favorite gift...well not the gift, but that jingle bell on top - is the best thing ever!  We have tied it to his excersaucer, and it's by far his favorite toy.

In fact, this is the look we got when we tried to move onto the next gift, which was jingle bell free...

The next night we took the kids to Airdrie's Festival of Lights, it has been years since I have gone, and I'm not sure when I might have last walked through it.  It was awesome!  Although Sloan was a little less than impressed to be drug out, after his bath at bed time in the cold...or maybe he just couldn't see the camera pointing at him in the dark??

And I thougth this was photo worthy, how cute are Dakota and Morgan?

At least I think they are hugging...

Three more "Christmases" to go...

Love, Julie

Santa Baby!

It was painfully obvious who the star of our Christmas card would be this year...and sadly after 7 1/2 months of life, there was no photos of Sloan suitable for a Christmas card.  What was I to do, but schedule in a few.

I bought a Santa hat for him, I bought the kids size, but it didn't fit - way too small, man that's a big head.  So back I went for the adult size, and while I was there I picked up some red ribbon, and figured we were good to go.  (Do you find yourself thinking...a little less information would sometimes be ok Julie...) 

Here are the results of our Santa shoot...

And, "the one"...

And the finished product...which for the most part, I failed to mail out.  So here is your Christmas Card!  As for your Christmas letter, please visit http://www.juliegiles.blogspot.com/ all our goings on are well detailed there! ;)

Merry Christmas!

Love,

Julie

Christmas Time's a Coming

As soon as my birthday arrives, I like to Christmas into high gear.  The tree goes up, the house decorations get unpacked, my front door gets decorated, baking begins...

I like to do a Christmas craft with Jodi's kids, and sadly this year Jake missed out, but here are Kolt & Drew's mini muffin tin advent calendars.

This year I got to add a new Christmas preparation to my list.  It was time for Sloan to meet Santa.

My type A personality kicked in, and I started researching Santa displays, the one that would be make the very best backdrop for my Santa photo, and as luck would have it I found a great one close to home.  I loved the reindeer and log cabin, so we were off...

Maybe not the smiliest of Sloan photos, but not one tear, or upset gesture, at one point he even grabbed a hold of Santa's coat. I have to give Reg credit for this, as Reg was clearly getting Sloan ready for Santa for the entire month of December, going as far as to grow a beard Sloan wouldn't be scared.  Here is Daddy Claus.

We also brought Jodi, Jake, Kolt & Drew with this, so we got a picture of all the kids together with Santa.

And of course a few shots for my scrapbook...

And I learned a lesson with this photo...Jodi can not be trusted to tell me my hair looks like I've been in a 90 mile an hour wind...

And then I found a whole new avenue to get in one more visit with Santa.  I convinced Dakota (bit of a tough sell), Tate, Zane & Morgan, that not going to see Santa at Christmas is a very bad practice, and we got one more Santa photo for 2010.

 Love,

Julie