Christmas wrap-up

We had a wonderful Christmas full of blessings!  This year was extra special because our sweet Rhett was with us.  I always try to soak up everything about the kids on Christmas because next year they will be an entire year older!  

Christmas Eve Eve:

The week before Christmas, Chris took the big kids separately to shop for a gift for each other.  He guided them in their choices, but it was still sweet to see what they chose! :) We let them open their sibling gifts on Christmas Eve Eve.  Georgia got Reid a Captain America action figure and Reid got Georgia an ice cream shop play-doh set.  They were so excited! 

Something we started a couple of years ago is making a birthday cake for Jesus.  They love to help me bake and they had fun decorating this gorgeous cake! ;)

We also took a family walk in the neighborhood to look at lights and I'm sad I didn't take a picture!  

Christmas Eve:

We spent the day at Mumsie and Popsie's house.  Alli and John were in Wisconsin and it was the first time they weren't with us on Christmas Eve.  They were missed, but we still had a great day!

We decorated cookies...

We had a photo shoot before church...

We sang Silent Night at the Christmas Eve service…

We were spoiled with gifts…

Mumsie got Georgia Kate her first ballet shoes and leotard/tutu!  We are planning to have her start dance in January and I can't wait! 

Rhett's very first Christmas gift...

It was a Paw Patrol Christmas for this boy!

Georgia Kate got a boy baby doll since she has a baby brother now!

Reid fell in this box when he tried to sit on it and we all had a good laugh!

My babies in their jammies… real life! :) 

When I was growing up we would always sleep on my parents' floor on Christmas Eve!  We carried on the tradition with our kids for the first time this year!  They were so excited about being in our room, sleeping by each other, and Santa coming.  They were giggling and talking and it was so cute to see!  Rhett was also in our room, so it was one big slumber party! :) 

Christmas Day:

Everyone was awake by 6:40 and ready to see if Santa came!  

He did!  

This girl was especially excited about what Santa brought her!  She kept saying, "Santa brought me a big girl bike!"  She was so determined to figure out how to ride it that she went back and forth to the front door for two solid hours.  She figured it out and was so proud.  We were so proud of her too!

We had cinnamon rolls for breakfast and opened some gifts from Mommy and Daddy.  

Later that morning Grandma and Grandpa, Sue, Christie and Seth came over for more Christmas fun!  

We are so thankful to be able to celebrate Christmas with both of our families!  

These pictures were taken a few days after Christmas, but they are too cute not to share! :)

Georgia Kate got pajamas to match her baby and she was so excited.

No words needed.  

I am looking forward to a few lazy, cozy family days before we kick off 2016!  

Harder and Easier

Overall, I would say going from one to two children was more challenging for me than going from two to three children.  The transition has been relatively smooth and as usual, I wasted way too much energy worrying about how we would all adjust.

These are probably obvious, but for me, here are the things that have been more challenging…

* Getting three children and myself ready, plus all of the STUFF required, plus loading everyone in the car has proven to be quite time consuming.

 *LAUNDRY.  It seems like the washer and dryer are constantly running and I am constantly folding.  That being said, I'm so thankful that we have a washer and dryer.  It's just amazing how adding one tiny person to the mix makes such a difference in the laundry situation.   On a similar note, it seems pretty much impossible to keep the house clean these days and I'm learning to be okay with it.

*"Mom Brain" - It is real and it gets worse with each child.  If I don't write something down the very second it pops into my head, I will forget. 

There have also been some things that have been easier this time…

*Reid and Georgia Kate can entertain each other.  When Georgia Kate was born, I was the only person available during the day for Reid to play with, so it was sometimes hard for him when I was busy with the baby.  Of course, with the playing comes some fighting, but for the most part, they seem to have grown closer since Rhett was born.   

*This time I was already used to taking care of newborn and another child.  When Georgia Kate was born, it was hard at first to figure out how to balance taking care of her and doing things like fixing Reid meals, etc.  Now I'm used to multi-tasking.

   

*Somehow I feel less tired this time around than I did the first two times.  I think with your first baby everything is just such a shock to your body and your life.  I remember being EXHAUSTED all the time when Reid was a newborn.  This time, I'm really tired first thing in the morning, but once the day gets going I'm usually good to go!  Once you become a parent, sleep is never the same, so I guess I'm just used to it now!

I am so thankful for my THREE babies and have loved all of the craziness, noise, and fun that comes from being a family of five! :)