Anna's First Christmas

As I write, it is the 26th of December. The day after Christmas. And, like my dad, I'm experiencing some after-Christmas-blues. The time off with family is over. The gifts have been given. The food has been eaten. Anna's first Christmas will never happen again. Sigh. Anna must be experiencing a little case of the blues, too, because she is currently sleeping it off...she's been asleep now for 11.5 hours. (Yes, I've checked on her.) Here's the run down of our Christmas with the Banana.

Thursday: Nana & Big Pop (my parents) picked Anna up at 7:30 a.m. so that I could try a case. After said case was tried (and won), I got my hair cut, then met Joseph at home where we went to dinner and then came home and slept. See aforementioned hair:



Friday: I packed up and left for my parents' house. Joseph arrived a few hours later sick as a dog from some stuffing he'd eaten at a work holiday party. No more potluck for him!

Saturday: Dominoes were played, family was enjoyed, good food (i.e. ribs cooked on the Big Green Egg and this potato salad) was consumed. Later, I opened my gift - Beginner's Yoga Set - from Kim and Anna "gave" cousins Alex and Emily their gifts.

Sunday: We dressed Anna in her Sunday finest and went to church. She slept almost the whole time. Uncle Bill and I spent all afternoon beating everybody else at Dominoes. We'll see if Joseph pipes up at that comment. Hehe. My dad, Joseph and I did a little Christmas shopping in town, too. We didn't buy anything...well, my dad must have, but I didn't know about that until later.

Christmas Eve: We spent the day playing more games and eating good food and enjoying each other's company. Dad and Joseph prepared a turkey in the Big Green Egg. Mom played with Anna. I attempted to watch "Love Actually," but it was just too long. It is DVR'd, though, so maybe I can finish it at New Year's. In the evening, the extended family came over and we exchanged gifts. I had already opened my gift from Kim who drew my name, so I got to help Anna with her gifts. Cousin Olivia got her a Fisher Price Musical Barnyard. Anna LOVED it. Cousins Mark and Alma picked out an adorable stuffed Eyore for Anna. Aunt Brenda and Uncle Bill gave her a whole winter wardrobe of clothes. Anna was a perfect angel during the whole evening. Since she hadn't been sleeping too well in my care, we put her to sleep in mom and dad's room. We got a Christmas Eve gift of sleep! Ahhhh.

Christmas Day: Joseph and I awoke at 7:00 a.m. (with an alarm!) and found Anna already awake and fed in mom and dad's room. Sausage balls were in the oven baking, coffee was brewing, and Santa had been to see us! Very exciting stuff. Pictures can say what I can't, but I will say that Santa was very generous this year. And as much fun as the presents are, spending time with mom and dad and my extended family were the best gift of all. I am excited that I get to go back for New Year's. Somebody will be losing to me in Dominoes or Canasta!

After the gifts were exchanged and breakfast was eaten at my parents' house, we packed up the sleigh and headed to Joseph's parents' house where more family fun ensued. His mom and cousin Kathy had prepared an excellent meal for us to eat, and Anna got to hear stories about Uncle Ace from the man himself and his daughter. Hilarious. (Anna, I think your daddy is a little bit like Uncle Ace. What do you think?)

All in all, we enjoyed celebrating Christmas. Yay for the Baby Jesus who made it all possible! Yay for Anna who gave us the best Christmas ever....now, if we could just do it all again tomorrow.