Christmas 2012

We had a wonderful couple of days celebrating Christmas with our families.  I am just so thankful to be able to be with the ones we love.  Nothing else matters!  We always spend Christmas Eve with my family and Christmas day with Chris' family.  Christmas Eve was always our big day growing up, so this arrangement works perfectly.

This year Grandma and Grandpa made it easier and came over on the night of the 23rd to give Reid his gifts since we travel to and from Gonzales on Christmas day.  I didn't get a picture of Reid with Grandma and Grandpa! :( 

Opening his first gift...

He was actually a little bit scared at first to open his presents!  He's a cautious one. :) 

 He LOVES his school bus!  He loves seeing school buses in real life too.  He YELLS "BaBa" (school bus) when he sees one!  

 sweetness

 He was also so excited about this little bike!  

We headed over to Mumsie and Popsie's house around 10 on Christmas Eve.  We spent the morning playing and having a delicious lunch.  

 Before Reid took a nap, we let him open a present.  My parents got him an adorable little horse jack-in-the- box.  He was so scared of it!  

 While Reid took a nap we decorated cookies.  This is a fun tradition we've had for a long time.  Next year I want Reid to do it with us! 

After Reid woke up from his nap, we got changed and headed to church.  Sweet Popsie spent the whole service outside (with the rest of the dads/grandpas and kids) letting Reid run around and play.  

 After church we came home and had appetizers/snacky foods for dinner and opened gifts.  Please excuse Reid's knee sock/diaper ensemble.

Auntie Alli got Reid some adorable Toms!  

 Reid giving Auntie Alli her present from us...

 Uncle Thomas got Reid his first T-ball set!  These baseball guys had fun showing Reid how it's done...

 Reid was so excited about his table and chairs from Mumsie and Popsie!  

 Mumsie and Popsie filled Reid's stocking with tons of animals!  He was sooo happy!  

After we got home and Reid was nestled all snug in his bed, Santa came! :) 

 It was fun to see his reaction in the morning.  I really don't think he quite knew what to think.  

Chris made our new traditional Christmas breakfast, monkey bread, and then took an "artsy" pic of Reid eating it. ;)

 After breakfast we gave Reid his gifts from us.  He loved the Little People farm!  

 We headed out of town to Gonzales mid-morning to spend the day with Chris' family.  I was horrible about taking pictures!  Here is the one I did take.  

We came back that night and were exhausted, but our hearts were full from two wonderful days spent with our families!

What did I do?

Warning:  This will be a very dramatic and self centered post.

So, I did something completely wild, crazy, and out of my box.  I didn't get a tattoo or go sky diving or anything cool like that, but for me, it was a gigantic move.  I got over 10 inches cut off of my hair.  AND I ABSOLUTELY HATE IT.  I have had the exact same hair for over 15 years (with the exception of the Chi entering my life...life changing for sure).  I did have shortish hair for a brief year or two in junior high, but that was also at least 80 pounds ago.  (I think I've always used my hair as somewhat of a security blanket because I feel like it disguises my weight or something.)

I have been toying with the idea of doing this for a few months.  I pretty much lived with my hair thrown up in a bun because it was just in my way.   I thought I could help someone else by donating my hair to Locks of Love (which I did do and that's the only reason I am really trying hard to be okay with this whole thing).  It's just hair.  Some people go through really, really hard things and lose their hair, so I should just be thankful that I have some.  

Luckily it can still go in a (tiny) ponytail and it can still be put in a (tiny) bun on top of my head, so if I have to do that every day for the next couple of months I will.  I am hoping it grows QUICKLY!!  I am just a long hair kind of girl and I miss it.  

I wasn't going to put any pictures in this post because I hate it, but I didn't think that would be very nice, so here they are...

My last "before" picture.  I want to cry.  

 I know this may gross some people out.  There it is.  The over 10 inches/small animal that was removed from my head.   

 The back after...

 The front after...

The front is a little longer than the back and I'm not sure if I like that, but I do NOT want her to touch it again for a long time.  

So there you have it.  

It's just hair...It's just hair...It's just hair...

Santa Pictures

I decided that I would probably be sad a few years from now if I didn't have a Santa picture of Reid from this year.  I was torn between putting him in Santa's lap and letting him scream (because those are kind of classic and pretty cute) or just holding him in the picture with Santa.  It's blurry and I wasn't exactly photo ready, but here's what we got...

 I decided to take a few additional pictures around Bass Pro Shop for good measure...

 It's really not Christmas without a traditional four wheeler picture... ;)

Oh well, maybe next year!

Tis the season!

This is going to be a random Christmas-y hodge podge post...

Here is our Christmas card this year!  I am not techy enough to figure out how to upload the proof that I got (hhdesignhouse.com), so I had to take a picture of our card with my camera.

Front...

 This family picture was on the back...

Reid loves the Christmas tree and has done very well with it overall.  His face lights up every morning when he sees it.  It's the sweetest thing. 

A tradition that I started last year is giving Reid new Christmas pajamas and a new Christmas book on December 1st.  This year he got That's Not My Reindeer!

 Another tradition that I started last year was making an ornament and also buying one for Reid that represented him that year somehow.  I saw these handprint Santa ornaments on Pinterest and knew I had to try to make them.  I intended to make some for the grandparents too, but that didn't happen.  You would have thought I was making Reid put his hand in fire the way he was SCREAMING when I placed it in the dough.  I think it turned out pretty cute though!  

The ornament I bought for him this year was a giraffe...his favorite animal!  

 These were last year's ornaments...

On Thursday we went with Mumsie, Popsie, and Auntie Alli to Zoo Lights at the Houston Zoo!  We had a great time!  Reid loved looking at the lights and we even got to see his favorite animal in the whole world...GIRAFFES!

 This one is not a real giraffe, but don't tell Reid. :) 

 Amazed at the giraffes!  

 Auntie Alli took him on the carousel and he got to ride on a giraffe!  

The jury is still out on whether or not we are taking Reid to see Santa this year.  Of course I want to take him for the sake of having a picture.  My friend's mom had a "Breakfast with Santa" a couple of weekends ago at her house and Reid was TERRIFIED of Santa there.  Like clinching onto me and screaming if I even brought him near Santa.  We didn't even come close to getting a picture.  I feel horrible taking him to see Santa when I know how scared he is going to be.  We'll see...

Tis the season!