Christmas Moments

This was taken at our cookie exchange party. Tom wore the musical Christmas light tie I bought him at the dollar store, and I had a great vintage apron that was a gift from my mother-in-law.


Tom and I each talked our "Baby's First Christmas" ornaments off our parents this year, because I thought it would be a nice idea to put ours up on display along with Sly's. I was delighted to discover that Tom and I actually had the exact same ornament (and we were born the same year), except that his was the boy version, and mine was the girl version. I joked that it's a sign that we were meant to be :-P

The ornaments are hanging on the garland on our mantle. My parents stopped buying baby's first Christmas ornaments after me, and I was the first child. But I want to keep it up for each of our future children - I think it will make a nice tradition, and then everyone can be represented with a special ornament.

And here's Sly's ornament. We actually another one at first. It was a blue glass ball. But Tom already broke it before Christmas even came! I need to remember that lesson, and only get non-breakable ones from now on.

Tom had the day off on Christmas Eve, so we went downtown to look at the Christmas displays (which are not nearly so numerous now as they were when I was a kid. These days, people just want to shop at big box stores, so no one ever goes downtown anymore. Perhaps a topic for another post some day). While we were passing the skating rink, Santa drove by in his motorcycle.

We then went to Macy's for the express purpose of meeting Santa. Sly was wearing the cute, but silly reindeer outfit my mom gave him because we had lost his regular winter bunting suit. I would have never used this word before becoming a mom, but I think this picture with Santa is absolutely precious.

Pittsburgh has a huge gingerbread house-making competition every year, and the entries were on display in various buildings. This castle inspired by the old claymation Christmas movies was one of my favorites!

On Christmas Eve night, Sly got a fun pony toy from my mom. For such a tiny person, his stuff sure takes up a ton of room in our house.

This is me on Christmas morning outside the church before Mass. I didn't realize until I got out of the car that I had put on two different boots! Tom kept making fun of me. I was so embarrassed. Christmas morning, a day when you want to be wearing your best, and I had mis-matched boots! Not only was one brown, and one black, but only one of them had a heel! How on earth did I not notice the difference in my steps when I walked out of the house?!


Here's a close-up of the boots. I kept worrying about them all during Mass, sure that everyone was noticing. But, of course, it's one of those things that seems like a big deal to you alone. I doubt anyone else had a clue.


Visting Tom's parents in Philadelphia. Tom is fixing up an ornament I decorated with the baby's name, which they wanted to add to their tree.


Sly continued to be spoiled with gifts. He got a great doorway bouncer chair. He's still not sure what he thinks of it, though. I think it's going to take some getting used to.

Reading How The Grinch Stole Christmas.