Christmas!

Oh this year was a super good one :-)

Christmas Eve we did our thing; read the story, walked through it with the nativity, left cookies for santa (which Liam actually got to before Dallas did this year; we need to watch that kid better) and went to bed. Madalyn fell right asleep.

In the morning a small gasp escaped her lips as headed for the tree! She was a little torn between playing immediately and opening more gifts. She quickly brought out Jessie to meet Woody and Bullseye and wanted Daddy to bring the whole dollhouse out for her play with the new accessories. Liam was as happy as he always is. Dallas insisted on being in the middle of everything.

Call it sleep deprivation due to excitement or hormones, too much coffee or sugar, or possibly an accidental double dose of cough medicine, but I was definitely a fall liability by the time I had 3 inch heels on and we were on our way to church. By the end of the service Madalyn had fallen and stained both of our dresses with tears and candycanes (during Silent Night I rocked her in the hallway, it was sweet) and Georgia had mashed silly putty into the pew in front of us, which Jason successfully removed before her mother noticed.

Then home we go! Northrups arrive, Northrups eat, Northrups explode wrapping paper and happiness all over the living room, Northrups fall asleep and/or enter technology coma on the couch. Madalyn, Addy and I play :-)

Jason and I set up air mattresses, distribute (probably) clean towels, clean kitchen. I walk the dog and even jog a little, enjoying the cool, wet outdoor air.

Around 8pm Mamayagi confirms my suspicions that I really need to go to bed as I am failing to come up with a solution for half-made pancake mix (if you're thinking that doesn't sound like a problem, you're right; evidence I needed to go to bed). When Jason suggests I complete another task I play the 'mamayagi says I need to go to bed' card, and it wins everytime. Madalyn is sitting on her mattress in our bedroom in the dark reading the 'Psychotherapist Treatment Manual' to herself, which she retrieved from our bookshelf, while her lullaby cd plays. I cozy into bed thinking this is the best Christmas ever and the sweetest sounds ever to fall asleep to. I have a mild headache but expect to enter lala land quickly.

Not the case. And my adorable little bookworm eventually wanders out of the bedroom to be returned by Jason several times and gets threatened by me several times as well as she sneaks all over the bedroom making tugging on my blankets a sport, as well as removing several more items from the bookshelf. Eventually I believe I developed a full on migraine and treated myself to a generous dose of tylenol, after which I remember nothing :-)

The next day was also wonderful. I made impressive snowman and heart shaped pancakes and then ran off to Target with Deliahna, Michelle and Mamayagi. So much fun.

I returned home, ate leftovers and played dollhouse with Maddy and Addy.

And it's not even over yet! Home to Phoenix in two days. But I wrote down everything so far because I want to remember it all. What a sweet Christmas.