Preggo Diaries: Christmas with the Robinsons!

Merry Christmas everyone! It's been a big year for us! About this time last year, I was pregnant and didn't know it and this year, Aaron and I get to celebrate with our beautiful baby boy Killian, who will soon be 4 big months old (January 8th)!

Killian's teacher at daycare got all of the babies in the room gifts for Christmas. I was lucky enough to get one too! Killian got a Tigger rattle and a bib that says "I don't have an inside voice." Aaron cackled at that. "It's like she knows your side of the family," he said. I didn't speak to him for 5 whole minutes after that (that's a lie; I can't keep quiet that long and he knows it). We got a card from Tanya and our gift was a foam snowflake deocrated with a picture of Killian in a Santa hat and, wait for it, SMILING while on his tummy! Here are some shots of Killian's room at daycare and how they decorated for the holiday. Also, one shot of Killian as he went to daycare on Friday for the holiday:

A fireplace with Christmas stockings. Killian's is the Santa one on the left and his best buddy Jake's is the Santa one on the right.

The Christmas tree. It's hard to see, but all of the infants' names are written on it.

Right by Killian and Jake's cribs!

The little Gingerman above Killian's bag hook.

The door to Killian's room, complete with all of the kiddos' names.

Cheesey baby! His onesie says "Mom and Dad say I'm Santa's favorite!"

"Momma, you'll pick me up soon, right? How can you resist me?"

So, what is Christmas like now that Killian has arrived? Well, to start, Aaron and I don't really celebrate. We don't really get one another gifts or put up a tree. Last year we baked Christmas goodies to plate up and give to people, but that was hard to do this year with a little one who likes to be the center of attention. If Aaron and I do get gifts, we usually decide to buy something together that we can both enjoy. With Killian here though, he's all the gift we need this year.

We will be receiving guests in the form of Grandma and Grandpa Lehs likely early in the week if Great Grandma Schabacker's health holds out. Then, on the 8th of January, we'll all travel north (weather permitting) to visit with the Johnson side of my family, most of whom I haven't seen since we got married over two years ago. It will be nice to only travel to one Christmas this year. For many years, I've felt like a virtual ping-pong ball, rushing from each celebration to the next, trying desperately not to miss any or hurt someone's feelings by arriving late or not at all. I'd celebrate with my Mom, then with Mom's side of the family, then with my Dad, then Dad's side of the family, then with Shelly's side of the family, then just Aaron and I. There were times that there were 1-2 more celebrations to attend, depending on how the family managed to arrange visits. It was A LOT of stress actually. I hate to say it, but Christmas was more of a stress factor than fun. Now that Killian is here, I've decided that we can travel to ONE Christmas each year and I refuse to feel guilty about missing the others. Easier said than done because it is killing me to not be opening gifts with Kira and Trey right now.

This Christmas Eve, baby boy went to sleep in new PJs last night at about 7:30. Unfortunately, he has stopped his "once nightly" feeding to opt for two lately, so Momma was up with him at 12:00 and 3:30, then again at his normal 5:30. At about 9:30 this morning, after his big breakfast, we opened a few gifts with him. Momma and Daddy bought him his PJs, a rattle that looks like a hammer, and some soft ABC blocks. His Great Aunt Julie and Great Uncle Gene sent him $20, so Aaron and I got him a couple of extra gifts from them: a little music player with lights, finger puppets, a sleepytime CD, and a cool rattle. I'm sure he'll get some goodies from his grandparents when they come to visit this week and perhaps a little something from Grandma and Grandpa Johnson, Aunt Kira, and Uncle Trey when we visit them on the 8th.

New Christmas PJs at bedtime.

Hi Mom!

Talking and preparing to munch on his hands/thumb. Not exactly the sleepy baby Momma was hoping for.

What are we thinking about traditions in the coming years? Well, Aaron and I have been giving a lot of thought to what Christmas with Lil K should be like. This year, we kind of get a freebie since he's little enough that he doesn't really get it, so still no tree, though I think we'll have one next year since he seems to like pretty colors and flashing lights (I've caught him staring at the TV far more than I'd like as of late). So, our traditions that we've decided are as follows:

Each year, he will get a Hallmark Christmas ornament. Grandma Lehs got him one this year.
Each year, we will get him a new pair of PJs (maybe us too). He will get to open these and wear them on Christmas Eve.
Each year, we will wrap up 24 Christmas/Holiday stories and open one each night in December. On the 24th, we will open up "The Night Before Christmas" and read it while we are all wrapped up in our jammies! Perhaps we'll all fall asleep to a holiday movie in front of the fire too.

We've started purchasing the books for next year and are up to about 12-13 so far. This will be a fun tradition because we can always change out some of the books because they are always writing new stories or new versions of the old classics.

On the 25th, we will open gifts in the morning. Santa may bring him a gift or two (we haven't decided on Mr. Claus yet), but Mommy and Daddy will likely only be getting him one or two things, not to exceed $100 ever and the remainder of the money not spent will go into savings while he is young and can always be but on a gift card for him to use when he is older.

Why such a plan? Well, I'm Type A, duh! Also, we want to avoid spoiling Killian too much. If it ends up that he's our only little angel, it would be easy to spoil him. Aaron and I were both only children and while I don't know that I'd call us spoiled, we both knew how to get what we wanted and often got more than was necessary. If we ever decide to have another baby, these traditions would be easy to keep and make for something fun while practical. I can see us sitting in our living room when Killian is 20, doing the exact same thing. I think I've found that as I've grown older, I crave tradition and stability. I desire for there to be a routine and some level of predictability. I want to know where we are going, what we are doing, and when it will happen. Maybe that makes me boring, but it's something that I want for Killian as he grows.

Here is baby boy Christmas morning!