Holiday Wrap Up

What just happened??? I feel as though I was hit in the head with a 2 x 4 and left for dead.  I guess that is what 35 family members converging on our humble abode will do to ya!  This holiday season had promise with two weeks off from work and no runways in sight.  Music to my ears. Our first Christmas with Ayden, what more could one ask for. Cue 'Jaws' music.....and family from all corners of the earth.  Don't get me wrong, I love my family as much (or probably more) than the next person, but lets be honest, entertaining is entertaining and two weeks is TWO WHOLE WEEKS!!  But, my squashed hopes, dreams, desires, yearnings, aching aside, we had a great two weeks with the family ('all things considered') and Ayden made it successfully through his first Montijo-Riley Christmas virtually unscathed. There is no telling what latent issues the traumatic Santa Experience will cause. Thankfully Ayden will never know the horrifyingly cheerful, round bellied, bearded jolly man was his very own Grandpa Joe.

Grandpa Joe does Santa

Our first holiday event was Zane's second birthday hosted by the one and only Gram-E. A perfectly planned meal of Mac n' Cheese and Dogs for the house full of kids. Those in my generation spent the night scratching their heads wondering where in the world all these kids came from??? And so fast?!? (Well, we know the answer to the second question, nudge nudge *wink *wink, Mike & Dash!) Zane had plenty of help opening his gifts as all the kids were primed and ready to be the fastest gift unwrappers in the west.

 Where's waldo??

Christmas day started out, well, like any other day.  Ayden and Zane were up at the crack of dawn,  but instead of rushing to the tree to count how many gifts were theirs or shaking them to see if it was a puppy, they did the same blanket toting, passie sucking, hold me while I continue to wake up routine they did the day before. Lets just say the whole thing was a little underwhelming! That said, who needs the kids to act like kids when you have husbands around to fill the role! J's sulking when he found his stocking empty was spot on. However, Ayden's reaction to his own empty stocking was a well timed nap. (Thank you Santa!)

Post nap and, Montijo tradition, Spanish Tortilla, the house began to rumble with anticipation for our first shift of the day, my mom's family, J's family and Dasha's family. Despite all the presents under the tree and the large crowd urging him on, Ayden was FAR more interested in playing with Daddy or better yet, the empty wrapping paper role.

 

Around 4pm we had a shift change with my dad's family joining us for the evening gift exchange and dinner (Yum TACOS!).

*Note to self* - remember for next child....level of excitement does not waiver if he finds tissue paper versus extravagant toy.

Needless to say, the whole day was really for us parents to stare adoringly at our son, dressed in cute Christmas PJs, crawling around placing stickie bows on his head. Despite Ayden's strong disinterest in unwrapping, he has a strong interest in playing with the gifts, so, a big THANK YOU to all our friends and family for the wonderful presents you so lovingly and graciously bestowed upon him. No doubt next year we will be yearning for the calm, collected Christmas of 2009!!