nj: all is (sometimes) calm, all is (usually) bright.

29 December 2013

all is (sometimes) calm, all is (usually) bright.

i set very low expectations for christmas time this year. you know, with a new baby and all.

besides the morning when sage snuck downstairs while we were sleeping and emptied every pocket of the beautiful advent calendar my mom put up, there were lots of magical christmasy moments. sage's little dance recital was my first outing without pajamas on. progress!

our shy sagie was so brave to go sit on santa's lap, and then he handed her a coloring page as she walked away. wah wahhhh. no candy canes anymore? whatever.

S doesn't quite grasp the whole what-do-you-want-for-christmas idea and replied, "an orange" when santa asked her. my mama heart swelled with pride. i don't care that she doesn't understand the commercialism of christmas yet, and i love the way she explains what the wise men brought baby jesus..."go-owd, fwankincense, and moww." she's way more interested in the fact that baby jesus slept on hay and that there was a cow watching him from across the stable.

nate talked me into a real live tree this year. the nostalgic evergreen smell has been wafting through our little house, plus we finally put our ornament collection to use. we pick up a new ornament in every country we visit.

i love remembering the cold and vibrant frankfurt christmas market we waded through to find this one.

and the crazy crowds we pushed through in a shopping complex to find this filipino angel.

nate's siblings arrived in time for christmas eve, and this girl became the center of attention. the night was filled with bowls of tortilla soup, carols, scriptures, and too many hours spent building something wonderful for a lucky little girl. also, who invented the manuals for these play kitchens? we could have used an interpreter, or 100 less screws.

christmas jammies, as per tradition (thanks grandma!)

sage whipped up breakfast for all in her snazzy new kitchen.

sneaky sage ducked under the tape i put up at the top of the stairs and played with her kitchen early in the morning. it wasn't until she asked madi, who was sleeping on the couch, if she wanted some soup that sage was brought back upstairs. trickster!