Celebrating Christmas

This year we did things a little differently. I had to work Christmas day so we took our annual holiday trip to northern Virginia early. My family moved Christmas all together to the weekend before. Christmas Eve was Saturday the 21st and Christmas Day was on the 22nd. It was so thoroughly moved that when I called my mom after work to say hi on actual Christmas (the 25th) we had a conversation that went something like this:
Me: "Hey, did you guys end up eating that thing tonight?" Mom: "No, we did that Christmas day." Me: "Today is Christmas day." Mom: "Oh yeah that's right. I meant our Christmas day."

Anyway, we decorated cookies on Christmas Eve, watched a Christmas movie, read Twas the Night Before Christmas, and all the standard stuff just a couple days early and though I was a little concerned it wouldn't really feel like Christmas, I was worried for nothing - it really did.

Reading Twas the Night Before Christmas

Playing her drum for Him...pa rum pa pum pum (she actually really likes that a capella version that's making its rounds these days)

Play time with Grandma and Shug

Sitting in a high chair built in the 1800s that has been passed down through the generations to find its way into my parents kitchen. The apron around her was made by my grandma in home ec.

Christmas morning

Sitting with Uncle Eric and playing with her favorite thing from Christmas - a crinkly piece of material in the shape of a giraffe.

On Sunday we headed to Chris' family's house to celebrate Christmas and they had a celebration with us the morning before theirs. Chris' mom made the same sausage bake (breakfast casserole) that she makes for Christmas morning, and Erika made some delicious breakfast buns (they are like cinnamon rolls except instead of cinnamon, it was cranberry and orange), which I think should totally become tradition - they were awesome. The entire family was able to get together for dinner the night before in Arlington at Ray's the Steaks (our favorite restaurant when we lived there). Even Eleanor came along and slept peaceably until we finished up.

Playing a game of Rummikub

Being serenaded by Auntie Erika and Uncle Jonathan

Opening a present to wear to dinner that night (the sweater in the picture below):

Us at dinner (there was a group picture taken but not sure where that ended up):

Going through old boxes from the basement of stuff to clear out. She is wearing her Uncle Robert's ears from Disney.

Christmas morning and posing on the stairs on her way down.

Naptime on the couch

Ashleigh and Jessie's friend Lance offered to come over and take a few pictures of Eleanor and came bearing hats. It was wonderful and he got some great pictures! The first is me and her, then Jessie and E, and then Ashleigh and E.

Uncle Rob and Auntie Joanna gave Eleanor a super cute hat for Christmas that she wore home to Williamsburg. About halfway through the drive I looked over the seat at her to make sure she was still doing okay and this is what I saw, hah:

Finally, for your entertainment, a snapchat from Uncle Jonathan:

Sacrificing my Christmas day to take care of patients in a hospital was not really something I was interested in doing, but to have our families make accommodations to still celebrate with us and make Eleanor's first Christmas special (even though she won't remember it) made it so much easier. Also, a quick thank you to Chick-fil-A on Mooretown Road in Williamsburg (even though they won't see this) - they sent over Christmas cards decorated by kids who came in to eat at their restaurant and all of my patients had at least one Christmas card wishing them a great day and hopes for them to get better. I love that restaurant. Every time I turn around they are doing something fantastic for someone else and it doesn't hurt that Chris and I love their food ;)