New Tradition Started...and couple of Sad Moments

Today was the first day in many weeks that we had no where we had to be...so I busted out the Christmas PJ's for the kids and we had a fun pajama day. It started by me wanting to get some cute pictures of them together then Derick and I decided we are going to try and do it once a week until Christmas. The house has been decorated for a week and the weather is finally in the 60s (so nice and cool for us--actually turned the heat on) so it just feels so "cozy". Every year it seems the season just goes so fast...before we know it we are taking the tree down and trying to find space for new toys all the while wondering where the time has gone. Well NOT this year, for I am determined to truly enjoy it. All the shopping is done, gifts are wrapped, etc. All that is left is to do some baking and enjoy the time with our loved ones. The best way for us to do that is to have PJ day to just hang out together...no pressure to be somewhere or major chores for the day...just simply BE and ENJOY. For I know how time is so precious and I want to treasure these days with my kids, especially the excitement and wonder of all Christmas brings.

As we decorated the tree last week, I hung up ornaments with so many memories...my favorites include the ornaments I have collected on our travel adventures as well as the little picture frames of Derick each year. Wow hard to believe this is his fifth Christmas. Zoe being almost 9 months now loves to look at the ornaments on the tree (and eat what she can get ahold of)...Oh and how she loves to dance to the music...well more like bounce up and down, but oh so cute. So we are filled with so many happy moments when we relish our time and our blessings.

At one point today Derick started gathering all his puppets and stuffed animals. These were special to him and once upon a time he just couldn't sleep without. There were usually at least 6 of them and heaven forbid one would get lost in the middle of the night. He would sit up on his bed screaming at the top of his lungs. We would run it wondering what terrible thing would be wrong, only to have him tell us that he lost one of his baby giraffes. Well I asked Derick what he was doing with all of them. He informed me he didn't need them anymore so was going to take them to his Nama's house and give them to her. I know he hadn't actually slept with them in a couple months, but thought it was cute they were still all lined up on a table in the corner. I advised him that maybe sister would want them when she got bigger. Then without any further conversation he carried them all into her room and put them in her little canvas tote bin. That was that..at least for him. When he is done with something, time to move it out. Maybe it is a boy thing?? I, on the otherhand had an internal sigh of sadness wondering how he could let go of something so easily he once held so dear. [Sad Moment.] I then asked Derick if I could put a book on his head to keep him from growing so fast. He said, "No Mom. I have to get big so I can be a quarterback. You can't stop me from growing." Isn't that the cold, hard truth.

Then a couple hours later when Zoe awoke from her 2nd nap I found her standing up and leaning way too far over her crib. She often would sit up and pull herself to her knees, but hadn't really been standing up much. So no more holding on to the idea of her being so small either, as she is growing right before our eyes and time to face the music and lower the crib. [Sad Moment.]

Yet I am so thankful that my children are growing healthy each and every day and if I keep my intended tradition of PJ day once a week...I still have at least 4 more of them to look forward to :)