Here's what I have....
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| Christmas Tree of 2012 (my friend Whit made my tree skirt - it's reversible and awesome) |
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| The gift that he STILL to this day, and we are in May 2014, puts on weekly |
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Christmas morning |
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| Here is the Commemorative 2012 Christmas Photo Hill looks like such a tiny baby too! |
Hill pretty much got superhero everything. I think all in all Reid had a good first Christmas she slept, ate and pooped. Sounds phenomenal to me. Hill "helped" her open her presents which consisted of pretty much diapers. He opened one big box of diapers looked at me and said, "This is not a good present."
Now, Christmas 2013
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| A magical magical fairy came and decorated our house for Christmas |
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| The Elf theme and whimsical colors were Redonk-ulously cute. |
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| Even my mantel was decorated |
They did not leave out any details. Doug our Elf got a mailbox that we could stick letters in to for Santa. My Christmas cards were hung from strips of burlap and clothes pins adorned at the top with ELF PANTS stuffed with tinsel! Are you kidding me? Who thinks of this stuff? Santa left cookies and candy on a tray in our kitchen. My dining room table and buffet had ensembles that I will never be able to replicate. Needless to say, it was Ah-mazing.
There is one thing I left out though. It's a story all in itself. Megan is such a thoughtful giving person. She's our friend that when Chip's mom, Adrienne, died made us this chocolate chip cake straight from heaven above. It's Chip's fav. People ate this cake, which was the intention, right? Well Chip didn't want to share it, but they ate some of it. So he had me call Megan and ask if she'd make us another one. Who does that? "Hey, that cake was so good but Chip wanted to eat the whole thing by himself, can you make another one just for him?" That's seriously how the conversation went. By that night, Chip had his own cake. Meanwhile, as we have Megan slaving making cakes, her mom Sherrie who was Adrienne's best friend helped us make it through that rough time. During Adrienne's sickness Sherrie was who we called on, but never had to really call on her because she was always there and knew what was needed. She did everything, all of Adrienne's friends did everything. Without those precious ladies I am not too sure how Chip and I would have made it through that time, at. all. So, as I continue on about this Christmas story....
Sherrie and Megan didn't leave out any detail. Seriously, if they hadn't have done this, my kids may not have had a Christmas tree in 2013. I wasn't going to set it up - where would that time come from? They said they had a great time doing this for us. They did it because Snooks (Adrienne) would have wanted them to have this whimsical fun bright cheery Christmas decor and fun surprise to walk into when arriving back from TX....and the toy tractors and ball toy that were left under the tree by Doug the Elf from Santa while they were gone.
So, we get in from Texas. It's late. Kids are asleep in the car and you have to do the - fingers crossed unbuckle the car seat lift them out of it and carry them into the house to their bed - thing. Hoping they don't wake up. Well it worked for Hill, got him to bed and tucked in for the night. Reid on the other hand I wasn't so smooth about. Got her out of the car, carried her inside and she woke up. Mesmerized by the lights on the Christmas tree. Doug the Elf and his magic mailbox. The stockings hung with lights and bright colors. All of the Christmas photos hanging from the french doors....and the ball toy just for her. So we played with her toy touched the decorations and she went back to sleep.
At 6:00 the next morning Hill bee bops into our bedroom...."MAMA! There is stuff in our house! A Christmas TREE! Doug must have done this! Mama! I saw tractors under the tree! Any other day after traveling 13 hours in a car and beyond exhausted I'd have been like, juice is in the fridge, go turn on your tv in your room and don't go outside. *snor-snor* Yet, I knew that I couldn't just leave him to figure out this magical wonderland that has become our house! I got up really excited for him. We walked around and looked at everything. I read him the letter from Doug explaining things and that the tractors under the tree were his. We opened the box and played tractors for a minute. I was still exhausted. I asked him if it was ok if he played tractors in his room and watched tv for a bit but if he needed me he could come get me in my bed. That was at 7am. Reid woke up at like 8 so Chip got up with her and Hill and they let let me sleep. At about 8:30 Chip comes into our bedroom. "Uhh, Rachel" - that's never a good sign- "Sorry to wake you but I need to tell you this story."
Chip got up and tended to the kids and in all the hub bub of the kids excitement Chip dotted on Hill about his tractors. "Man those are awesome!" he said. Hill looked up and asked Chip, "Who is your friend that was with Snooks?" Chip, who is a non believer in anything spirit / ghost like in the afterlife was confused. You have to understand that Hill never met Snooks. She died the August before he was born. We talk about her and keep her spirit alive through memories but he's never mentioned word of her, much less about who was with her. Chip asked Hill what he meant about his "friend with Snooks." Hill elaborated that Snooks came to visit him and play tractors. She had a friend with her and he was a man. Snooks said it was his daddy's friend. She went on to tell Hill about how she use to take care of his daddy when he was his age. Hill said she played with the little tractors and he played with the big one.
This is when Chip came in to wake me up. He told me the conversation that took place and he- the nonbeliever of afterlife visitation- was stumped. Hill couldn't have made this up, he knew that. And on the cusp of the whole spirit of Christmas done in memory of Snooks. Hill didn't know any of this, he thought Doug the elf was the mastermind behind the wintery whimsical wonderland our house had turned into.
I got up and prodded the conversation a tad. It was the exact story Chip told me. "Daddy's friend and Snooks came to visit me and play tractors. Snooks said she would come back again to play with me but that she had to go." I calculated in my mind. I went back to bed at 7am and Chip woke up with Reid at 8am. This had to have happened within that hour. He was well awake by that time so it wasn't a dream. Even so, what a dream. Later Hill and I went in his room to play tractors. I asked how Snooks played with him. I meticulously asked questions so they were not open ended or formed any persuasion of the answer. Hill had to come up with the answers on his own. He's a very flamboyant story teller so you know when he makes stuff up. He said she had the little tractors and Snooks was making "vroom vroom noises" when moving them around. Daddy's friend never talked or said anything, he was nice though. Through a series of conversations with Hill I now know that Snooks came through the door of his room like you and I would. He was not scared and knew who she was even though he'd never met her before. They played, she referred to taking care of Chip when he was little. She said she'd be back and then she left. She has yet to revisit Hill, but what an awesome feeling knowing that she's looking after my family.
Of course I immediately called Megan, in tears. I feel that because of her and her mom Snooks came to visit. I'm not sure if it was the spirit of season and her being the reason this magical Christmas came to fruition, if it was to play with Hill, or if it was to let Chip know that she's truly here watching over us and that was needed to be proven through the innocence of his own child. It doesn't matter, it's an awesome story and one I will always remember. Makes my heart happy.....just like this picture.
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| 2013 Christmas Photo I LOVE THIS MORE THAN WORDS |
Hill had his Christmas program at school....
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| Pre-show |
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| On Stage |
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| I think he was looking for us the whole time instead of singing. Why do I think that? Because the teacher said, "Don't look for your parents in the crowd" |
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| These cutie pattoties before the show |
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| I die. This photo is like the epitome of Reid. I shall title it "The Epitome of Reid" Cheesy, Hilarious, Messy, Eating 24-7, Into Everything... and Adorable |
There are 2,489 other Christmas pictures, but this hit the highlights.
Cliff Notes version of Christmas 2012 & 2013
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