Christmas Snapshots 2015.

I hope your Christmas was wondrous, full of surprise and brimming with love.

We had an new set of experiences for Christmas this year, because we celebrated on our own in our new home! It was wonderful. However, in the week leading up to Christmas, Everett got a wicked case of pink eye (in both eyes!) and a virus that kept spiking his temperature super high. We were working around the clock to get him healthy, trying every remedy in the book (on top of antibiotics and fever-reducer) including lukewarm baths and tons of water with a little bit of juice thrown in for good taste and lotttttts of snuggles. And Elmo in pretty much every form - on TV, in books, in stuffed animal form, wherever we could find him, we would take him. Everett is in a hardcore Elmo phase right now. It's pretty cute. Anyways, we kept calling the doc (and went in twice - we are such first-time parents) and asking what else we could do for him, and they just said it had to run its course.

Babies should never ever get sick. It's just wrong.

Like the Christmas miracle that it was, Everett finally woke up from his second nap on Christmas Eve without a fever, the first in many days. We celebrated so big. There is truly nothing better than being in good health, especially when you've spent four days home bound with your sweet little boy. We were all feeling pretty stir-crazy, between being stuck in the house and all the torrential rain we've been getting (this weather! Why is it a steamy 75 degrees everyday in DECEMBER?!) But alas. All came together in perfect timing for Christmas day. And Everett was 24-hours fever-free before he saw any of his cousins the day after Christmas, which felt like a real win (not contagious!)

Is it funny that I'm here to tell you about Christmas and all I can do is talk about my kid? It was a bit harrowing for us. But Christmas is really all about kids! Am I right?!

Once we got to Christmas morning, Everett learned what those boxes under the tree were all about. He did such an adorable job, unwrapping each gift and gasping at what was inside. He is hilariously expressive. It was so fun to give him a few "boy" gifts, like toy cars and trucks (even one he could ride around in!) and a nerf football and even a little trike. He was in Heaven. We were in Heaven. Having a kid for Christmas is more magical than any presents you could open for yourself. And this is coming from a girl who is a former present hog. But it's just so true.

My parents and sister and her new hubby came over on Christmas Day, singing like carolers and armed with gifts and breakfast ingredients. My parents make a mean eggs benedict every Christmas, and because of Everett not feeling great, they brought Christmas (and breakfast!) to us this year. They are just the kindest. After Christmas with my parents, we headed over to my in-laws and did round 3 of Christmas with the cousins - whew! When I say I was overwhelmed by so much love (and good food! and gifts!) I mean it. When the three of us finally came home from all our Christmas shenanigans, we just sat out on the porch (in the tropical weather, thanks El Nino), and sat. In awe.

I am so grateful for this family of mine. I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record these days, but seriously, my favorite gift of the year was seeing the transformation from my sick baby boy back to his healthy self. No one's baby should ever be sick. It's an injustice. And they should definitely NEVER be sick on Christmas. I'm so thankful that he healed up and that we had our sweet family Christmas morning together.

I'm learning that life never looks quite how you planned, or imagined, or expected. I am learning how to be an adaptable one, learning to be flexible with the circumstances that come our way, and learning to find ways to be "good" with things that happen. Obviously, I wouldn't wish a sick baby on anyone, but instead of letting it be the absolute RUIN of our holiday, we just decided to make the most of our time in the house with Everett for the four days. While he napped and let his body heal itself, Stevie and I cozied up and binge-watched Madame Secretary on Netflix and made popcorn and didn't do all those last-minute Target runs I was sure we needed. And you know what? Christmas still happened, without all the items on my to-do list (ahem, expectations) getting met. And Christmas was really beautiful. These are the days, my friends. These are the good old days. Let's make sure to recognize it. xox.

Merry Christmas, from us.

Merry Christmas, friends. I hope you are spending the day with your loves.

I am so lucky, because this is the FIRST YEAR that Stevie and I are waking up in our own bed and doing our very own family Christmas in our very own home. Call us clingy homebodies, but we've spent the past 8 years doing Christmas our parents' way - at their homes, on their terms. Splitting the holidays right down the middle and giving them to the Spencers and Hales, respectively. This year, it feels so intimate and special to do things our own way with our own little boy in our own little warm home. In the previous years, I didn't feel like I was missing out on something by not doing our own Christmas. In fact, we've had such a crazy roller-coaster ride since we've been married - traveling home for most holidays, living in different cities every year, rushing through airports with suitcases stuffed full of wrapped gifts (thanks for making me unwrap so many for you, TSA), that coming home to our parents' just felt like a bit of comfort once we finally arrived. We never minded doing things their way. But this year, everything is shifting and its a really great, really healthy, really exciting time for us.

Don't worry, we are still seeing our families a ton over the next few days. Hello, that's why we moved back to our hometown! Crazy incessant family get-togethers for the win.

I can't wait to see Everett's face when he realizes those boxes under the tree actually have gifts inside. I can't wait to sit with Stevie in the quiet and have morning tea (our new thing!) and watch our tree sparkle. I can't wait for the Christmas traditions that will form over our lifetime together. I just can't wait!

No matter where you are today or who you are spending this holiday with, I hope you carry a little bit of home with you. Merry Christmas to you, dear hearts. XOX.