Christmas 2013

We started our Holiday season with a live nativity.

It was fun for Mabin to see a "real" baby Jesus with Joseph and Mary. 

We have a Christmas book about Christ's birth (it's one of his favorites) and I like to think Mabin was able to make a connection between the live nativity and his book. 

The camel was a crowd favorite so this is the best photo I got. 

For one family home evening we drove around and looked at Christmas lights and sang along to Christmas music. 

Mabin said "oh wow, oh wow!" the entire time. 

We even let him sit in Daddy's lap while we drove around. 

Keizer has the best house Christmas lights display ever. 

It took us about 30 minutes to drive through the whole thing, it was amazing. 

One day after having Maël the doctor on call at the hospital let us go home on Christmas Eve. 

They usually keep you in the hospital for at least 3 days after a caesarean section so we were totally surprised.

Matching Christmas jammies for my babies. 

Mabin loves on his little sister all the time, sometimes it's pretty rough love, she'll be a tough girl. 

Santa knew Maël would be here in time for Christmas, she had her own stocking and even a few presents. 

Mabin was very spoiled this year, two year old boys are too fun to shop for. 

Thank goodness he won't remember this Christmas and expect as much in the future. 

He was such a joy to watch open presents. 

We were grateful that we got to open presents with just our little family, it made it extra special. 

(Keep in mind that I had Maël two days before, and it was 6 am.

 I'm not at my prime in these photos.) 

Who's more excited...Momma or Mabes?

My handsome boys. 

Mabin had candy for breakfast. 

After we opened presents and took Maël to a doctor's appointment (yes- on Christmas day) we headed to eastern Oregon so we could be with my family. All of my siblings were there this year except for Springe and her family. 

Kres even got to come from Virginia for a few days, sadly his wife and children couldn't.  

I just want to say, Mikey is my hero. 

He took care of all of us while we were at Mom and Dad's. 

I did nothing but cuddle my baby and relax. 

Poor Mabin had the stomach flu and was sick for two days while we were there, throwing up after he ate or drank anything.

It started on the car ride there so we thought it was a mixture of too much candy/not enough real food and carsickness but then he infected half the family.

Sorry folks! 

There were 6 babies born in our family between October 2012 and December 2013. 

Maël is the 27th grandbaby on my side. 

Oren, (Ellis- not pictured) Aliyah, Reyland, Mora and Maël. 

Mora and Maël are three months apart. 

Mabin is such a good sick boy.

Besides the throwing up and lack of energy you would never know he was sick. 

No fussing or whining or anything. 

I love watching Mikey and Mabin play together. 

So glad we were able to be with family. 

Mikey got to stay up into the wee hours playing boards games, I was able to chat and soak in all the Waiteness, Mabin played with his cousins to his heart's content and Maël ate and slept and ate and slept. 

Everything we wanted from this Holiday season.