Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas, and got to spend the day with both of our families. My parents came to town and my brothers were here (my sister Katie was in California with Louis), and Bryan's whole family was here, including Kaleb, Jessie's fiance as of last week.

We let Chloë open her first Christmas present two nights before Christmas.



Christmas Pajamas! She was sort of interested in the process.

Christmas Eve we finished up some last-minute preparations, including a little bit of baking and taking some gifts to the neighbors. We had dinner with my family, and afterwards the rugby ball made an appearance. Chloë was all dressed up from the Christmas Eve service we attended, but her Uncle Samuel was in his comfortable lounge wear.



We loaded up the car and drove out to Bryan's parents' to spend the night. We unloaded dozens of presents, and arranged them under the tree in tetris-like fashion.

Chloë didn't quite understand what all of the excitement was about, but stayed up late with us, just to be sure not to miss out on anything.

Aunt Laura pushed her around on the big stuffed reindeer, which was, of course, so much fun.


Bedtime stories.

Christmas morning came bright and early (and for the first time in years, without snow). We cooked up a feast of a breakfast, and woke up the sleepy one-year-old to join us.



We opened our stockings, and Chloë eventually got into it.




After breakfast we went to church, and then went back to Blakeys.

(Bryan grabbed the camera and captured this ridiculously adorable moment. Not even posed. I can't believe how cute this girl is sometimes.)

Then we started opening presents. One at a time, trying to be fair with whose turn it is. Of course Chloë had lots of presents.



Her first present from Mama and Daddy: A "cell phone." My ears already regret it.

After an hour, it looked like we'd hardly made a dent in the pile under the tree.



Somehow I ended up with lots of pictures of Chloë opening presents, and very few pictures of anyone else.

After a couple of hours, we start to speed things up a little, and Chloë was having melt-downs about not wanting to open any more presents. What a trial.


The newly-engaged Kaleb and Jessie.



There were a few presents that she was interested once the paper was off.

We aimed to be done by 4 pm, so we could transfer to my parents' house. And at 3:58, we were finished with the pile under the tree.

We drove back into town, did some quick dinner preparations (my dear mother had been cooking and baking all afternoon and had quite a feast prepared), and sat down at my parents' house for a lovely Christmas dinner.


(My dad snapped this picture. I'm sad I didn't get a good group shot of the beautiful feast.)

Then it was next door to our house to open the presents under our tree. The boys waited patiently all day for us to join them.


Botkin family Christmas!




The jewelry from her parents was a big hit.


Brothers and their loot.


New teddy bear from her Great Grandma and Grandpa Moses.


Opening the Duplos from Uncle Samuel.


My mother and I share a moment.

We ended up opening stockings and presents from 8 am to 9 pm, with a break for breakfast and church, and again to switch locations and eat dinner. No wonder our poor child had had enough Christmas. I can certainly understand why celebrating for more than one day makes sense.


She even decided her bears had had enough for the day.

The next morning she lounged around in her new jammies from Bryan's parents, wearing her new necklace, and playing with her new toys.


Merry Christmas, 2011!