The Martin Family: Christmas 2010

Is Christmas really just over a week ago at this point? It seems like weeks have passed since all of these festivities, even though our tree is still illuminated downstairs as I'm typing this and we are never ones to let it stay up more than a few days into January. Well, it's been a bad week and a half at our house with Nate catching the flu just before Christmas, myself catching it by Christmas evening and the others in the house getting colds. Hello, year-end flexible spending account!

The last time I had the flu I was pregnant with Nate and remember it being very difficult to care for Ben, who was then less than 2. This time, it was near impossible to care for three young children when I couldn't even get out of bed myself, so luckily we were at my parents' house for part of the time, Andrew was off for part of the time and Ben can now help out with a fair share of chores around the house when needed. So, it was rough but I survived and am still recovering.

However, as I looked through my Christmas 2010 photos, I was at first saddened by the limited quantity of them this year. I know there were so many other moments that could have been captured, if sickness and therefore parenting duties hadn't been on the forefront. Poor little Nate is hardly in any photos at all, since he was napping/resting for a good portion of the day on the 23rd when G and CC visited, and then also on Christmas Eve and on Christmas day when we were in NJ at Pop and Nana's house, due to being so sick. We didn't get a family photograph this year, also because of Nate being sick and me not even thinking about taking photos as I was caring for him.

This reminds me so much of a Christmas in 1982 (?) when I was about four. My mom, brother and I all had a horrific case of the flu and there is one photograph I still remember of us all looking haggard, pale and ill in our robes on Christmas morning. However, my brother and myself were still smiling because he had just found a gigantic Pepsi truck underneath the tree with his name on it and I was just happy that it was finally the much-awaited Christmas morning, illness or not. So, my regret at not having captured more or better photographs this Christmas weekend with my own family is softened when I ask the now-healthy Nate if he had a good Christmas this year. Like the younger, smiley me in that photo, he says to me, "Of course, I did, Mommy! It was FUN!" No laments over fevers, headaches, chills, upset tummys. Only rose-colored glasses allowing him to see the true splendour of the day. Oh what we see through the eyes of a babe!

Below are our Christmas photographs. Despite all of the illness, we had a lovely Christmas season being together, seeing both sides of our family, several of them up from Florida to visit, and rejoicing in the news of our new cousin and niece or nephew, who will be with us in July and make my brother Mike and his wife Chang parents. What better way to spend Christmas!

I pray that you and your family had a joyous Christmas season that beheld that same wonder of the first Christmas so many years ago. I just pray that your plans involved a little less Theraflu and Kleenex than ours did :)

December 23: G and CC Visit:
G and CC were spending Christmas in New York and Pennsylvania this year so they came for a daytrip to celebrate Christmas with us on the 23rd. We had a great time visiting and the kids had so much fun seeing them.

Poor sick Nate didn't even want to open presents at fist but after some rest, he got a little energy to open some and take a photo.

Abby started taking her first unassisted steps this weekend but is still sort of unsure about it. She was doing about 4-7 steps alone by Saturday but does still prefer holding on to someone's hand for dear life! :)

December 24: Christmas Eve in NJ
We were in NJ at Pop and Nana's house for Christmas this year and spent Christmas Eve with Aunt Catherine, who visited from Florida as well, and Mike and Chang.

Abby in her Christmas Eve outift pretending to be an elf.

Auntie Chang just loves playing with Abby (and shopping for her - hee hee!)

Aunt Catherine came to visit us from Port Orange, FL and here poses with Ben, one of her favorite young men :)

Pop with Ben and Abby in their festive outfits. Again, poor Natey is feverish and asleep :(.

The Nana Pose - lol!

Step 1: Abby sits on Daddy's lap.

Step 2: Abby warms up and sneaks a piece off of his appetizer plate when his head is turned. "No, I didn't take anything!" Good thing for loose-fit dresses, this girl can EAT! :)

Step 3: Daddy gives in and shares his other food. Yum, mozzarella!

Nate finally awkens and feels a lot better after his fever has broken. In fact, I am kicking myself I didn't snap just one photo of him that morning in his Christmas sweater before he took his nap. I didn't, thinking he'd maybe feel better when he woke up instead, and he did, thankfully. However, he also sweated through his Christmas outfit during this whole fever breaking process and was just drenched when he finally did awaken. We were going to dry his outfit but instead opted to just let him wear sweats and a casual shirt and be comfortable. Poor little man :(. Here he is with his Uncle Mike, working on some Toy Story Legos together.

December 25: Christmas Day. Again, we were in NJ and today we saw my mom's family and also Aunt Catherine, who was staying with us at the house.

Abby with her new American Girl Bitty Baby!! We were so surprised that Pop, Nana and Aunt Catherine went into New York City to the American Girl Place to buy her for Abby, along with a few different outfits for the doll. Good thing the matching outfits don't start until a 2 or 3T or else Abby would have had several of those, too, I'm sure. Ha ha! We love her and Abby kisses her constantly and plays with her all day long. I cannot believe that we are American Girl owners! I can't wait to introduce her to the historical girls in a few years but for now the Bitty Baby is perfect.

Walking her around in her new doll umbrella stroller, which also came with a portable crib and a high chair. Super cute! Even at 14 months old and not walking on her own quite yet, Abby would push her and then peek her head around to make sure the baby was ok, sometimes patting her head. How cute!