Merry Christmas!

My boys! :-)

Noah's second Christmas came and went...a bit faster I feel than last year.  Quite possibly due to the fact that we stayed home this year and did not drive to the west side to visit my family for the holiday.  We made this choice obviously because my C-section was scheduled so close and I don't know how comfortable I'd be doing a three hour drive on Christmas day only to be in the car again the next day followed with a large dose of stress getting the house prepared.  I'm happy to report that as of tonight (only about 36 hours from my C-section) the house has been cleaned top to bottom, laundry is in the dryer, two freezer meals were made, groceries have been bought, Christmas decorations are down, a baby swing is in the corner, and I feel as ready as I can be.  Nerves are starting to set in...not really regarding the actual C-section but really just to hear that our baby is healthy.  Those are the words I look forward to the most on Wednesday morning when I will be lying on the operating table...also if it's a boy or a girl!

Sleep deprivation is obviously NOT something I look forward to especially since Noah is on a great sleep/nap schedule that I too have adjusted to.  Nick and I were just discussing today how we're going to juggle both kids next week and are both a bit nervous how more difficult this will be with Noah in the picture.  I think it will just be getting through those first 2-4 weeks that will be crucial for us to find a new routine...and this quite honestly may be my last post for that amount of time!  Finding time for myself will be even more rare and taking advantage of any amount of sleep will take a priority I'm sure.

Trying to get a cute shot with my son...good luck!

But back to the reason for this post...Christmas highlights!  Noah (at almost 20 months) was far from interested in opening any of his multitude of presents unfortunately.  It didn't matter how much excitement and attention we gave to the wrapped gifts, he was more interested in playing with his old toys.  Perhaps next year will be a little more eventful and Nick and I will open less of Noah's gifts :-) Here are some pictures to highlight our Christmas 2011.



Nick and I usually open gifts between us on Christmas Eve morning since Christmas Day is filled with visits from his parents and usually visiting mine.  Here is an attempt at getting Noah to open a gift...


 

The best Christmas picture we could get this year...keeping still and smiling are not things we can do at the same time yet!  His little outfit was too precious along with that crazy hair from nap time :-)  I love this guy!!!



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Christmas day gifts included lots of Elmo memorabilia! He thought the slippers were a little strange :-)





 

Nick decided to pose for the camera...since Noah was MIA after opening that uneventful gift :-) Yes, he's looking a little scary here and overenthusiastic

Wooden blocks from his great-grandmother were a hit!





 Long story short, it was a quiet Christmas but perhaps that is just what we needed considering the next few weeks and months will be far from that welcoming a newborn.