Christmas with Mimi

How we were going to celebrate Christmas this year with my family had been stressing me out for awhile. Initially, I thought we could go to Hickory (since we didn't get to go for Thanksgiving) but I was assuming little man would come early. When he did not, the plan changed because it was just too much to travel with a newborn. So how were we going to celebrate the holidays with my family?

Turns out the way we celebrated with Mom was both impromptu and fun. The last night she was here with us, we decided to make a special Christmas dinner and open presents. Who cared that it was a couple weeks before Christmas? That only made it more of a treat!

The night started with a couple of meltdowns by all my children (not good), but then got better after some sugar cookie decorating. That will put anybody in a good mood. You have never seen so many sprinkles on a cookie. Then we had a delicious dinner and then the girls asked again and again, "Is it time?!?"

Yes, it was time to open the first presents of Christmas 2016, and I'm pretty sure they could not have waited one minute longer. 

Collins got a really beautiful gold bracelet with her birthstone on it from Baba, and a really cool Aqua Bead set from Mom. She loved them!

In perhaps the best-ever reaction to a gift, Addie received a ballerina doll from Baba and was literally jumping up and down and laughing hysterically. It was one of those special Christmas moments- the unabashed joy of a child opening up a present. So much fun to watch!

We tore through the presents and sugar cookies...

and even managed to get a decent Christmas picture with the whole family!

We definitely bucked tradition this year, but we still had a special night with Mom celebrating Christmas. We all are so grateful to her for spending a week with us- for keeping the house running smoothly, for keeping me sane (somewhat), and for spending some quality time with us all. Moms are truly the best!