Reflecting on Christmas with a 15 month old
I have forgotten what Christmas was like with a little one in the house. Those things we see and do are much different with a baby around. Adelynn reminded us of the wonder, the importance, the comfort of traditions. We enjoy decorating the house as do most families. There is just something spectacular about a festive home during Christmas that makes me smile. Each year we bring out those boxes and love placing those things around the house. Whereas our placement of those decorations vary every year the same things are there to remind us of our Christmas.
I wonder what Adelynn will remember. Next Christmas she will be 2 and I wonder what will be the thing that becomes close to her heart. What will speak to her? Will she remember how she loved to play with those ornaments? How fascinated she was with removing an ornament to replace it a branch lower on the tree. How those ornaments sounded when put inside a bucket and rattled around. Will she love to jingle the bells dangling from ribbon next year? I expect each year to bring new discoveries.
I am thinking of the things she might enjoy seeing again but I should be thinking of the what she did. Of the what she will do. I will fondly remember how she would scoot behind the Christmas tree settle into that corner and play. I'll laugh to think of the way pine needles were stuck to her clothes from being in her nook all morning. Her wooden toy bus with the little peg people being pushing under those low branches. A bell jingling as she moves around in her corner brushing against numerous branches. Piles of ornaments scattered around the tree. Some knocked off as she moved around playing others removed with the intention of being hung on a different branch only to be forgotten for some other fun thing to do.
I'll remember how she would wrap herself in those soft white lace curtains playing peek-a-boo with anyone within eyesight. Letting those curtains run through her fingers as she watches them float around. Hiding behind the curtains being invisible for a moment. The moment when she would just sit there, quiet, silently enjoying her little nook all to herself perfectly happy.
I'll never forget those adorable little grins as I caught her trying to peek in a present or two. She knew she was up to something. With tiny fingers delicately pulling back at the wrapping paper knowing that something fantastic was hidden beneath. And me being constantly impressed with her patience when she was told "Not now dear, these are for later" as she watch me mend those torn packages.
I'll remember that after breakfast it was time to put the Wise Men from the Little People nativity set in the school bus so that she could scoot them all over the house. I'll note seeing several stacking dolls being lined up on the edge of the coffee table. There will be a half eaten cookie laying on the floor next to her and both hands full of crayons as she is diligently scribbling in her drawing book.
After lunch she will remind me that she would like a bite of a peppermint patty knowing how wonderful they are to eat. And me waiting for her to exhale shortly after finishing that bite to release that pepperminty kick. Both of us giggling because we just shared a treat together.
As the sun has set and the end of supper closes in we'll all remember how Adelynn loved to blow out the Advent candles. From her high chair she would blow as hard as she could to get those candles snuffed out. As the days turned into weeks we simply allowed her to have a turn just like the big girls. I'll remember how in her tiny hand she was able to hold the candle snuffer with such control that we would pause and remark about how amazing this little baby is. She will clap her little hands pleased with her success knowing that she did a good job just like the big girls.
When the house is quiet the after supper time of relaxing sets in Adelynn will want to dance. She will want to sit next to the dancing Santa watching him jiggle around. She will remind me how cute and wonderful it was to join in by pumping her chubby arms up and down to the beat of Jingle Bell Rock. I will never tire of that song because it made that baby so happy to watch that silly Santa dance.
The little things she found amusing those are the decorations of Christmas.
I wonder what Adelynn will remember. Next Christmas she will be 2 and I wonder what will be the thing that becomes close to her heart. What will speak to her? Will she remember how she loved to play with those ornaments? How fascinated she was with removing an ornament to replace it a branch lower on the tree. How those ornaments sounded when put inside a bucket and rattled around. Will she love to jingle the bells dangling from ribbon next year? I expect each year to bring new discoveries.
I am thinking of the things she might enjoy seeing again but I should be thinking of the what she did. Of the what she will do. I will fondly remember how she would scoot behind the Christmas tree settle into that corner and play. I'll laugh to think of the way pine needles were stuck to her clothes from being in her nook all morning. Her wooden toy bus with the little peg people being pushing under those low branches. A bell jingling as she moves around in her corner brushing against numerous branches. Piles of ornaments scattered around the tree. Some knocked off as she moved around playing others removed with the intention of being hung on a different branch only to be forgotten for some other fun thing to do.
I'll remember how she would wrap herself in those soft white lace curtains playing peek-a-boo with anyone within eyesight. Letting those curtains run through her fingers as she watches them float around. Hiding behind the curtains being invisible for a moment. The moment when she would just sit there, quiet, silently enjoying her little nook all to herself perfectly happy.
I'll never forget those adorable little grins as I caught her trying to peek in a present or two. She knew she was up to something. With tiny fingers delicately pulling back at the wrapping paper knowing that something fantastic was hidden beneath. And me being constantly impressed with her patience when she was told "Not now dear, these are for later" as she watch me mend those torn packages.
I'll remember that after breakfast it was time to put the Wise Men from the Little People nativity set in the school bus so that she could scoot them all over the house. I'll note seeing several stacking dolls being lined up on the edge of the coffee table. There will be a half eaten cookie laying on the floor next to her and both hands full of crayons as she is diligently scribbling in her drawing book.
After lunch she will remind me that she would like a bite of a peppermint patty knowing how wonderful they are to eat. And me waiting for her to exhale shortly after finishing that bite to release that pepperminty kick. Both of us giggling because we just shared a treat together.
As the sun has set and the end of supper closes in we'll all remember how Adelynn loved to blow out the Advent candles. From her high chair she would blow as hard as she could to get those candles snuffed out. As the days turned into weeks we simply allowed her to have a turn just like the big girls. I'll remember how in her tiny hand she was able to hold the candle snuffer with such control that we would pause and remark about how amazing this little baby is. She will clap her little hands pleased with her success knowing that she did a good job just like the big girls.
When the house is quiet the after supper time of relaxing sets in Adelynn will want to dance. She will want to sit next to the dancing Santa watching him jiggle around. She will remind me how cute and wonderful it was to join in by pumping her chubby arms up and down to the beat of Jingle Bell Rock. I will never tire of that song because it made that baby so happy to watch that silly Santa dance.
The little things she found amusing those are the decorations of Christmas.
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