My first Christmas with a 2 year old.

Random Christmas memories of 2007.


Merry Ch-i-mus! Merry Kiss-tus!

Instead of a cheery time decorating the tree, I was couched by a hungry infant, which left my husband defenseless against the tornado, also known as my son, Benjamin. My husband was losing his patience while fussing with the lights on the tree, twice having to remove them after half of the string wouldn't light. I poured him a glass of Bailey's.

Benji took the ornaments off of his little tree after I spent time helping him hang them all.

Hearing Jingle Bells (toddler version with extra stanzas) sung at the top of his lungs, "HEY!"

Going to our first Happy Birthday Jesus party (pictured above).

Learning to refer to the manger by Benji's preferred name, "Jesus' house"

Benji renamed Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus to, Mommy, Daddy and Amelia (our 7 week old).

Benji! Don't take the top off of the glitter glue!

Chasing a toddler as he fast-crawls up the isle at church during the candle light service (while my 7 week old baby is strapped to me in the sling).

Relighting my husband's candle several times during the Christmas Eve service after my son kept blowing it out.

Scraping the hardened wax off of his nose after he exuberantly blew out the candle for the last time. (Did I mention he very loudly exclaimed for the whole congregation to hear "Mommy! My nose!")

Finding handmade paper snowman and reindeer ornaments, cast aside under the table, their eyes having been mercilessly picked off. Poor blind snowman. Poor blind reindeer. Benji! Get that sticky eye off of your nose!

Laughing at the sheer joy little children experience while running around and squealing in any open space available. Upon leaving the Christmas Eve service at church, we saw several kids running around the lawn with no real sense of purpose. It was too much for Benji - he had to break away from his father's hand and join his peers in their celebration of life and youth on a crisp clear cold night.