Maldoff Family: Christmas in a Nutshell

Is there any possible way I can squeeze the entire Christmas of 2011 into one blog post? I am going to try!

Work went ahead and decided kick my arse with 3 huge meetings in the month of December. Only the busiest month of the year. Thanks work. I'm not bitter. I haven't even written about Thanksgiving yet. Always getting the shaft, that Thanksgiving.

Hence, I have not updated the blog with all the fabulous activities we have done to celebrate the holiday season with Henry. I cannot even explain to you how much more incredible Christmas is having a little one around. Last year, it was all about the wrapping paper and that's it. This year, OMG, it was like I was living my childhood Christmas' through him and I was a kid again!

"You mean Santa gave me an orange and a banana in my stocking mom? And some old toys that I forgot about? What?! How did he know that's what I wanted?! Amazing!"

(There were some new things in there too. No need for concern. I know this is probably the last Christmas I can get away with this.)

If you are reading this as an endorsement to have children, you are absolutely correct. Please. Have one. For Christmas' sake alone. You will be have a ridiculous goofy smile on your face all December long.

You will love it so much, you will happy cry as you listen to the same Amy Grant Christmas CD you've listened to for 20 years.

And then ugly sad cry and tell your husband you are not ready for it to be over yet.

And then you will realize you are an emotional mess and you need to get a hold of yourself.

A praline will help. And maybe a mexican wedding cookie. Top it off with a piece of peanut brittle and all is well again. Thank you sugar.

In all seriousness, we did have an amazing Christmas this year. We tried to pare down a little with the gifts and not buy things just to buy things. No lists this year. We went on pure instinct. I liked it! Required more imagination (thank you to Etsy for your imagination), but I love when the gifts have meaning. It makes it so much more exciting when they're opening your present!

My favorite gift to give this year was Henry's silhouette that I bought from Etsy for my mom. I loved it so much, I had to get one for me too.

I loved all my presents I got! I always do, I'm so easy. Henry's favorite presents were all his Bruder trucks. He got a Bruder garbage truck for his birthday and he is OBSESSED with it. Being apart from it for 6 days for Christmas break was a struggle for him. I could just tell.

See what I mean? He was so unhappy.

Bonding with the tow truck from Aunt Ashie. Gram got him a cement mixer too. I think I can go ahead and pack away all his other toys now.

A rare moment of not trying to tackle his second cousin, Noah, at Gram's house for Christmas. Aww, look at the look of concern! "Are you sure your arm is not broken Noah? I didn't mean to crush it with my body weight that is equal to yours. Me being 2 and you being 5."

We visited Dad's office for some old-fashioned Christmas fun. Extreme drawing!

Visiting Santa. This is the best picture we got. He neither hated nor particularly enjoyed Santa. He was much more excited about the dum dum sucker we gave his afterwards.