December 24, 2011-Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve
Candlelight Service
Highlights from today: (Click here for pictures)
  • It was a pretty lazy morning for all of us.  The kids and I stayed in our pajamas until 2ish.  We did watch the Grinch, Charlie Brown, Reagan and Anderson watched some other movies, they played upstairs, cleaned up upstairs, made cookies for Santa and had "Doughnut Saturday" for breakfast and had lunch.
  • About lunch is when Graham started falling apart crying about his ear.  It was the other ear from the other day so we put drops in it and gave him some tylenol.  He was pretty pitiful so we let him skip lunch and tucked him into bed.  Campbell and he slept most of the afternoon long-until we came in to wake them up for baths.
  • Bathroom stories from today: Our downstairs bathroom must be the coldest room in the house because Robby and Reagan have both commented today about how cold the toilet seat is.  After baths today, Graham tooted a few times.  He then smiled and said so proudly "like Daddy!"
  • Around 2 we started scurrying around here-baths for Reagan and Anderson, then baths for Graham and Campbell and then another shower for Robby so he could wash Keaton off in the shower.  Thankfully, I had had a shower earlier and still had hot water.  One bath empties the hot water tank so imagine how chilly Robby's shower was (our hot water heater has to be smaller because of where it is placed in the house-when I win the lottery, I plan on replacing this one with a tankless hot water heater)
  • I knew Graham hadn't had lunch and when he asked for a snack in the midst of getting 7 people ready and in the car I told him that I would bring a snack for the ride.  When we were halfway there, Reagan asked about the snack-I had completely forgotten.  Thankfully, I had to run into the little grocery store to buy some oats for our reindeer food.  We were all out and I didn't want to use Nonna's last 2 packets of blueberry oatmeal.
  • Graham was so excited to sit in big church and they all were thrilled that they were missing Sunday school-I never told them that there wasn't Sunday school tonight.  Church was packed and my one observation is: you can sure tell the children that are used to sitting in church and those that are not.  They lit candles at the end and my kids couldn't have been more excited.  Reagan and Anderson did perfect and I held my hand over Graham's until he had had enough of that.  I then let him hold it by himself and he did pretty good-until wax dripped on him and he quickly passed it back to me. 
  • Papaw and Pops were already at Nonna's house when we arrived.  Jason was there too and soon we were all unloaded and the kids were clamoring to eat.  I think they were very aware that we were going to open presents after we ate.  Nonna had quite the spread and everything was delicious-even the turkey (usually, I am not a big turkey fan.  This one was incredibly moist-scrumptious)
  • Right before supper, Keaton turned all the way over from her back to her stomach.  This was her first time to do this and she spent the rest of supper rolling from one side to the other side.  She had been awake since before big church and seemed so content during her first Christmas eve celebration.
  • After supper, the other kids were all playing when Graham went into a long (incredibly long) explanation about how we were going to open presents.  Earlier in the car, he said he didn't want to open presents like we did at Grannymom's house (taking turns) and wanted to do it all (at the same time).  We told him that we would take turns so then at Nonna's he felt the need to explain the process to everyone.  He made it sound very complicated and throughout the evening, he was directing who would sit where, when we would open and even tried to throw away the big mound of trash twice before we were finished with the presents.  
  • Before supper, the kids put on their pajamas.  Most everyone has Christmas pajamas but Anderson.  He didn't even notice nor care, because he was wearing his new superhero pajamas.  He always likes to tell me that you can see superheros underwear.  Anyway, when I was putting Campbell's Christmas pajamas (which had not been worn this year) on, I noticed that they were size 2, I she was able to squeeze into them-just barely.
  • When Anderson would open a present no matter what it was, he would act like it was the best thing ever.  Reagan opened up a package of underwear and he had laughed saying she had gotten "pantyhose."  Anderson was not too pleased when he opened up his package of underwear and we told him that he had gotten "pantyhose" too.
  • During present opening, Anderson asked Graham had many presents he had left and Graham with all seriousness looked at Anderson and said "29" (G can't count) and Anderson's eyes were huge after that.  He must have thought he had been placed on the naughty list.
  • Campbell was a great present opener.  I would tell her to wait and she would say "wait?"  Then when it was her turn, she would asked "open?" before starting.  That baby is growing up.
  • After presents, we made our reindeer food and then headed home.  Reagan had been busy the whole evening working on her tooth.  She has one top one that was loose and when we mentioned that the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus might just come on the same night, she was pulling that baby as fast as she could.
  • At home, we worked on spreading the reindeer food out.  Robby tried to throw some on the house but ended up sprinkling himself.  We told the kids that we needed to really do this well tonight since we were in a new house and out in the country and it might be hard for Santa to find us.  I don't know if the reindeer will eat the food or if I might possibly have heard a leaf blower out back earlier.  
  • We did our do and then tucked everyone in bed as quickly as possible-we have a movie to watch tonight and then possibly a few other things to do tonight as well.  
  • Well, I would write more but as we were walking out of the kids room tonight, Anderson said "Dad, no computer time tonight."  I guess we should go on to sleep so the Tooth Fairy and Santa can come tonight.  It will be a busy night at the Dennie house.

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