It's a Hard Knock Life, For Us...Parents That Is...

Parenthood is hard. I know, the occasional few who spout things (typically on Facebook , where they make their lives appear near perfect) like "my kids are so easy!" or "I don't know why everyone said parenthood would be hard? It is a breeze."  I think those parents fall into one of three categories: they have abnormally well mannered children; they have only one child that is very young and hasn't gotten old enough to create true havoc; or three, they are flat out lying. But for the typical mom and dad, parenthood is tough, messy and, well, not for the faint of heart.

If you have ever read this blog, or my FB statuses, or well, just met me, you know I take the more honest approach to parenthood. I am pretty vocal about the goods, bads, highs, lows, challenges and meltdowns that are all common in parenthood.  When I hit a low, I usually wallow in my thoughts or take to my blog to get out my feelings.  I feel like I say most of what people experience or think but don't always vocalize, and probably certainly not in writing (much to my mom's dismay).  But it is the truth.

When I was pregnant with Ryder, I visualized a wonderful life as a mom, and I definitely have that, but what I didn't picture was meltdowns in restaurants, at parties, and most recently, ball fields. I didn't imagine fights over picking up toys, how exhausted I would feel when a day was through and how much damage my kids could do to my personal belongings.  I didn't picture how angry I would get at times or how frustrated I would occasionally feel. But what I have come to realize is that this is all normal. Sometimes I feel horrible for feeling overwhelmed or for being discouraged at times; I think about those who have lost children or who have children who are not healthy, and realize how truly blessed I am, but I am only human and sometimes feel like I am treading water to stay afloat.  But feeling less than thrilled about parenthood at times does not mean that I am not grateful for my amazingly beautiful, intelligent, healthy and happy family. It just means that I am real, a person and that sometimes, I need re-energized and need to vent.

My first lesson in how hard and scary parenting can be came, well, about 2 days after Ryder was born. I will never forget the panic I felt at taking care of newborn Ryder, panic which I was completely unprepared to experience. In those early days, I worried, fretted and felt like I had been hit hard by a MAC truck. It was far from the visual I had of myself sitting beautifully in a bed with a gorgeous baby and looking picturesque.  Instead, I was chunky, disheveled and prone to crying.  Motherhood involved being up all night, wearing maxi pads in my bra, and doing 888,000 loads of laundry.  My house, which I had always kept super tidy, became a baby toy breeding ground, and my once carefree life of being able to hop into a car and go as I pleased was replaced by having to spend four hours trying to get myself and baby ready, bathed, fed, and packed only to realize about the time that I was FINALLY ready to leave, it was baby's nap time and, if I wanted him to not be cranky, I had to wait for him to wake up, only to then need to be fed, changed and so on until it became either too hard or too late to go anywhere that wasn't utterly necessary.  Factor in my crazy hormones and breastfeeding, and I was crying before the day ended, partly because I hadn't expected it to be so hard and partly because I felt guilty that I even thought it was hard.  

As Ryder has gotten older, his needs have changed, my expectations have changed, but parenthood still remains challenging. Although the perks of parenthood are numerous and wonderful, the difficulties are also quite real. Also, because Ryder is an extremely hyperactive little boy who has a rather short attention span, I am faced with challenges that not all parents, especially those with children who are more even keel and calm,  do not always deal with, or at least not to the same degree. (And I know, many of you do deal with the same issues.)  Sometimes I win, a lot of times he wins and many times, I am left feeling, well, drained.

Add to this baby number two, Sawyer.  He was a dream baby who never caused any problems. (I felt this way probably because the second time around I wasn't so in the dark with what I would be facing as a new mom and prepared myself for the worst)   Then he hit toddlerhood.  Now he is following in the footsteps of so many two year olds before him with meltdowns, screams, and a general desire to do exactly the opposite of what I want him to do.  And he has become a partner in crime to his older brother.  This where I get back to the original point: parenthood is difficult, challenging and even worrisome.

As moms and dads, we worry about our kids, their behavior, the way we are raising them, the way they interact with others, the way they will turn out and even the way others perceive us and our parenting styles. The tiredness of parenthood isn't just from the crayons on the walls, the paint in the clothes, the play-doh in the carpet, the toy that is broken, the plea for just ten more minutes at bedtime, the poop on the floor or the battle over eating carrots.  No, it is much more than that.  Now, I also worry with how others view me when I deal with these situations.  This is madness, but it is such an honest fact.  Seriously, have you ever judged someone for his or parenting style or lack there of? I have.  Have you ever thought "What they need to do is discipline little Susie and she wouldn't act that way?" I have. I have also felt like I was on the receiving end of those harsh judgements.  I feel sometimes that I am judged if I yell, spank, don't yell, don't spank, take them out, leave them in, you name it. 

Many times I have been in public with my kids when a meltdown ensued, and I immediately felt like everyone was forming a negative opinion of how I was handling it.  The thing is, parenting is hard. Kids do not always act the way we want them to.  Sometimes, I am just trying to make it without crying or losing it. I don't need other parents making me feel more crappy about whatever it is I am facing.  And sure, sometimes I am positive I am overly sensitive to these situations.  Ryder had t-ball practice yesterday. It was a disaster. He cried over everything, laid in the dirt, threw his head back and wailed "WAHHHHH!" I was surrounded by moms I didn't know and 8 other kids, none of which were crying. I already felt tense.  And though not directed at me, one mom instructed her kid who was playing in the dirt with Ry to get out of it or they were going home. Though not stated specifically (and probably just a result of my own insecurity), I couldn't help feeling like there was probably judgment attached to how I was handling (or lack there of) Ryder who was also playing in the dirt.  Truth be told, I was just trying to make it through practice with an aggravated husband, a whiney and uniterested four year old, and a two year old who was coming apart because he couldn't get on the field. I have been in restaurants when my kids cried, yelled, got loud and I could feel the stares from people around.  There are always the blessed few who lean in and say "Mine were just like that; don't worry, they aren't bothering anybody," but there are just as many who give me and other parents the evil eye.  Heck, nowadays I even get the evil eye for pulling out the iPad so I can ensure peace in a restaurant, and often, it comes from other parents.  Don't believe me? Just read the comments under this article: "Gadgets at Restaurants Quiet Kids, But Not Critics."

As a mom, I worry if my kids don't fall in line with other kids, not because I want them to be followers or to simply be popular, but because I want them to be happy, feel a part of the group, be healthy and active and know they are loved.  Even in my most frustrated moments, I try to take deep breaths, remember I know I am trying with the best of my abilities to be the best parent I can be for them and try to encourage and praise them for all of the positives in their lives, to never tell them I am disappointed in them as a person, maybe in choices or actions, but not them, you know?  I also try to be honest about the way I feel because, if I am being honest, it is a defense mechanism for the sometimes slight embarrassment I feel about a meltdown they are having in public. But I also am honest so that other parents will know that it isn't just them feeling frustrated, flustered or worn out.  Sometimes, motherhood is like warfare and you have to get dirty and get in the trenches and know that those battles you face may indeed make you tired or feel like you are losing.  It won't always be fun or easy, but with great effort and strategy and the confidence in knowing you are not alone in the uncertainties of parenthood, you can come out on top.

I guess the point of this is that I think it is easy to look around when your kid seems to be doing well and minding and make a judgment about how other moms are handling or disciplining their kids, but just remember, parenthood isn't easy for anyone.  We all have those days when we give in, yell, or lose our cool.  Days when we don't respond the way we wished we would have or when we stoop to the level of bribery just for a little peace.  We also all experience times when our kid is being good, and we find it easy to pass judgment on others.  Just remember, that momma is probably doing the best she can, so simmer down and cut her a break and let's all try to have a little kid compassion.                 

Weapons of Mass Destruction

It has been a few months since I have posted. At my house, things are good, but busy as always.  We are fresh off of the heels of the holidays and done trying to stick it out for another New Year's resolution (which is the subject of another blog yet to be written).  My family (which includes the Markers) are all finally finished with the year of the great move. If you didn't know, we have all been in the process of house jumping since February of 2012.  Now that we are all mostly settled, life is simply trudging along at a normal pace.

My kids, which are usually front and center as the topic of these posts, are also moving at a face pace. Literally, the boys are growing so quickly and are clearly about as "All Boy" as they could possibly be.  I think in the new year, I will continue to watch them really develop their unique personalities.  Since Sawyer is close to turning two, I have been forced to start thinking about the possibility of having another child: this includes thinking about if I really DO want to try again for that elusive girl baby I have always wanted so desperately.  As my intelligent brother put it, "Mica, you have to think about what you will be more disappointed about: not having another baby and never knowing if you would have had a girl OR having the third baby and getting another boy, 'cause let's face it, that is probably what will happen." True. I know it is true, and I am starting to be OK with the idea that I honestly may never have that daughter to share all things girly with.  Honestly, I am not sure my nerves and or house can take another Mecham, at least not at this moment! Why? Because my kids are rambunctious, wild, loud, rough, and destructive little boys (I mean that lovingly. They are the very definition of what little boys are made of.) 

It's funny, as a kid, I pictured myself as mom to a sweet and perfect little girl. Instead, I am mom to two of the most adorable, but also most mischievous and spirited kids on the block (seriously, I have even been gifted the copy of the text Raising Your Spirited Child for Pete's sake!). They keep me laughing, or crying, or yelling, or sighing pretty much all of the time.  At the end of most days I am worn totally out, but when I stop to think about it, I so enjoy every laugh they provide, even if the laugh is due to them breaking something or saying something a little girl would probably never say.

When people say "How are your kids?" I almost instinctively reply, "Great, they tear everything I own up, but they are wonderful!" And it's true; they somehow manage to get into more messes and tear more stuff up than the average kid.  They are literally like atomic bombs running around my house (why do you think the bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945 was nicknamed "Little Boy?"  Probably whoever named it had all boys who also destroyed everything in that person's house.)  They are like adorable weapons of mass destruction sent to make sure every effort I put into keeping my house clean is futile. My mom used to say Ryder reminded her of Brad when he was a kid with his talkative and rambunctious personality, but now the general consensus is that Ryder has passed him by leaps and bounds. The other day my aunt Scarlett invited the entire family over for dinner and I, in all seriousness, asked if we were really invited. This is because I am aware that we are loud and destructive and know that we have become that family that others sometimes dread to see coming.

It must be genetic, when my mom was a kid, her family from Texas would visit.  Her uncle and aunt would bring their four rowdy sons to Alabama. For my mom as a young girl with only a sister, these visits were hugely anticipated.  She would get to experience the fun and roughness that I think only a boy can provide.  She has memories of things like trying to wring the neck of a chicken, only to have it half decapitated and running through my grandmother's freshly washed linens hanging on the line, spurting blood wildly everywhere.  My mom has confessed that she and Scarlett would hide away all of their most precious baby dolls when the Lankford boys came to ensure that nothing unfortunate happened to them.  When I was a kid, we would go to Texas to visit those same four boys, all grown up and fathers to their own sons.  One of my most vivid memories of visiting them was when one of my Texan cousins, who was all destructive boy, accidentally drove a go-cart into a pond.  That sounds like something I could see Ryder doing one day, though I sure hope he never does. Well, fast forward 18 years, and I am the mom of those "Lankford boys" and everyone we know is hiding their dolls when they think we are coming to visit.  Scarlett even posted on my FB page recently the following status: "Mica, You know You and Ryder and Sawyer and Shaun are always invited to our house... U know we love you all... Just Warn me first...lol, might need to put up the breakables.....hehehehe"  So, what type of chaos do they (and I am mostly focusing on Ryder because he is older and has had almost three years of a head start on Sawyer) cause around my house? Let me give you some examples:

1. BROKEN DRAWER: Sawyer is really coming along as quite the climber. He tends to fly under the radar, though, because he is so quiet.  But do not underestimate him. This is the second drawer he has broken in the new house.

 2. BLOODY NOSE: Quickly a day of fun can go south when the play is rough and tough like my boys.  This is the kind of play boys do best, even if someone does end up getting hurt. Don't worry, no major damage was done.

 3. BROKEN KEY: OK, this one was a mind stumper.  Ryder was holding my key; I turned around for a few minutes gathering my stuff as we were heading out the door to work and school. I turned back around and a stunned Ryder said something along the lines of "Uh oh, it broke."  This took all of 3 minutes.  Sigh...

4. BROKEN SALT SHAKER: Eating at Logan's Roadhouse a few weeks ago, it took Ryder all of two solid minutes before dropping and breaking the salt shaker.  Not only is he destructive, but he can do it in record time.

 5. CRAYON IN SHEETS: I was cleaning house and intending on changing the sheets. Good thing too because I discovered my mini Picasso had been hard at work creating a "masterpiece" for me. This is why I always buy washable crayons.

 6: DISASTER IN THE KITCHEN: This can be contributed to both boys.  I was trying to clean out my pantries when Ryder came barreling through and spilled pasta and my stacked throw-away boxes all over the floor, and at the same time, an excited Sawyer chucked his milk to the floor, where it opened and leaked everywhere. Huge mess. Obviously. What to do? Take a picture of course. 

 7. EXPO MARKER IN THE FLOOR: Well, I guess he needs zero access to writing tools, but he loves to draw.  In this case he found an Expo marker in my school bag and decided to tag my floor with a little graffiti work.

8: TORNADO TO THE ROOM: This is what happens when he is at home playing. Why he cannot just play and then put up whatever it is he has and then get something else out is a mystery to me.
    

 9: CEREAL MELTDOWN: This one happened on Chris's watch.  He was eating cereal, and I have know idea how, but somehow spilled the entire bowl on his head and everywhere else too.  The rug did not fare as well as Ryder. Sorry Nikki
*CORRECTION: (Chris wanted me to add that it was TWO bowls of cereal Ryder spilled, ON TOP OF HIS HEAD, and then, when Chris had to give him a bath, he (Ryder, not Chris) pooped in the tub. And Chris had to then clean that lovely mess up too.)

 10. WOODY MASSACRE: Poor Woody. He has lived a hard life at our house.  This is what was left of him after Ryder, Greyson and Jake all got together and played one night.  On a side note, I feel obligated to report that Buzz Lightyear is also missing his jet pack, both wings, his helmet and his right hand.  Gone, but never forgotten.

 11: INK PAD INCIDENT: One night, Ryder casually walked into the den and said "Mica, I have something on me." (He calls me Mica often). I looked up and saw, well, this.  He also had left bluish purple hand prints all over my white cabinets in my bathroom. I have no idea where he found the ink pad. 

 12. MARKER INCIDENT: I found Sawyer in Ryder's bathroom in the dark. This is what was revealed when the lights came on. He had eaten a Magic Marker. The tip was never found (though I am sure some poking around in a poop diaper hours later would have led to an answer, but I wasn't willing to look!)

 13: LIPSTICK INCIDENT: (I am seeing the trend with writing tools).  Ryder made some art on his belly. I was more unhappy that he ruined my expensive Lancome lipstick by bearing down so hard as he wrote.

 14: CURTAINS OFF THE WALL: I knew something was amiss when Ryder came flying out of his room grinning in a half guilty, half funny way and casually proclaimed that nothing was broken in his room.  This is what we found.  If you can't tell in the picture, Ryder is bawling and Shaun is completely pissed off.  Those curtains will never hang correctly again.














15: FISH IN THE WATER: I had to make this picture big or you couldn't see the fish.  Swimming at lake Guntersville last year with the Minton family was a day to remember.  Ryder spent his first day on the water and rode a boat for the first time.  Saying he loved it was an understatement. What was the best moment? When he reached in the water and grabbed a fish (I'll admit; it was gimpy and maybe even bleeding). We laughed so hard that day. Only a true little boy will grab a fish and stare it down, nose to gill. I also can recall Ryder doing some button pushing that I am pretty sure Cory could have lived without.


















16: BROKEN LAP TRAY:  This one was funny because Ryder actually broke this tray the night I wrote this blog but before I published it. Dad had picked the boys up from school, and mom said Ryder walked into her house, went straight to the tray, stood on it and it went SPLAT! She said Mike had not even made it in the house yet from parking the car. When Mike walked in, she said "LOOK! Ryder just broke this." And Ryder, in a get-off-my-back tone, quickly replied, "I SAID (emphasis on said) I am sorry," as he shrugged his shoulders.

17: CATCHING A CHIPMUNK:  Unfortunately, I have no picture of this.  One day after school, Ryder was in the yard.  He saw something move and, being all boy, lunged to grab it. Guess what? He caught it. Want to know what the "it" was? You guessed it. A chipmunk. Seriously. He started yelling "I caught a squirrel! I caught a squirrel!" And when we realized what he had, we started yelling "PUT IT DOWN! PUT IT DOWN!" There was no time to find a camera. That is unfortunate.

18:  BABY IN THE DRYER: If you know Sawyer, you know that recently he has become the Edmund Hillary of climbing in our house. You must beware. This one will climb onto or into anything.  I catch him on top of tables, pushing chairs to get on counters, climbing furniture, sitting on the top of the back of the couch, and recently, I caught him in the bathroom sink bowl with the lights out brushing his teeth. This is the last place I found him. Before you call Child Safety Services, know that I am aware this is dangerous; I do not intend to let him fluff and dry in the dryer, and I am being vigilant to keep the dryer door closed (it normally is but someone left it open this day.) But, I just couldn't help taking a picture before jerking him out and getting on to him.

19: FROG AT THE PARTY: What all American little boy doesn't love a frog?  Ryder loves gross animals and he was ecstatic to catch a frog at my sister in law's birthday party. He happily carried it around all night, only whining when he couldn't make it balance on a balloon.  The funniest party was after he came back into the party area after being outside with the bigger kids sans froggy. I asked him where it went, and he honestly and casually replied, "Oh, down the doggy's froat (throat)." Rest in Peace little frog.

Do I need to go on? I thought so. (But believe me, I could. There may be a part deux).

Moral of the story--I think boys are on the whole more rambunctious than girls.  I am aware that some girls fit into the rowdy and destructive category and that some boys are easy going and don't mess up anything. But in the grand comparison, most of the people I know with girls never have experienced all of the mess and broken stuff that my kids cause. If there is a drink out, they will spill it.  If there is a valuable around, they will break it.  Dad had a vase he really liked and Ryder promptly tried to sit in it and broke it into pieces.  I arrived to find an irritated Cathy shoving Ryder out the door, telling him to go home.  It's what they do, and everyone knows it.  The boys and I all ate dinner the other night at Scarlett and Gary's house (yes, we got invited back again), and Ryder was in the den making a ton of noise while Scarlett, mom, and Gary all stood around the bar.  Scarlett looked up and said "Gary, go check on them; I hear something rattling "  Without so much as skipping a breath, Gary dryly replied "Shit's been rattling since they got here!" And well, that pretty much sums us up.

I look at Ryder like he is Dennis the Menace.  As much as Dennis did to get into a mess, the outcome was almost so comical that Mr. Wilson simply couldn't stay mad at him.  As for Sawyer, he is a bit more ninja like in his mess making, doing it while sucking a pacifier and not making a sound.

I still would love to have a girl one day, but I am so very glad I was able to experience the fun of a boy.  God knew what he was doing when he gave me my perfect boys. It has done me a lot of good. I can roll with the punches better and as a bonus, worms don't seem nearly as gross as they used to before a boy.  All in all, as unlikely as it may have seemed, I love being a momma to a couple of rowdy boys.  Even if people dread to see us coming, I know that when we get there, we will probably have them laughing in no time flat (and we promise to buy anything we break.)

So, do you have a rambunctious boy (or girl for that matter)?

Christmas at the Mechams

This is late in coming, I know, but Christmas 2012 was a whirlwind of fun and family at our house this year.  Shaun was off for 17 days, and I was off for roughly a month.  Because I was scared the boys would get the Flu that was spreading like wildfire in the Bluff, I decided to keep them home as much as possible while I was off. This meant I lost some "Mica alone shopping and wrapping" time but gained tons of "fun kid loving and playing time"! All in all, Christmas was fabulous; it was however, very different from Christmas last year!

In 2011, Sawyer was a baby, 7 months old, and could not even crawl that well. 2012 was an ENTIRELY different story. He was literally like a monkey and was everywhere! I cannot keep that baby contained. He is 23 lbs of exploring, curious, smiling, pacifier-sucking mischievous toddler.  My big problem is keeping him from climbing on my dining room table, which is taller than most, and keeping him from dragging a stool or chair to the stove to climb up and mess with the oven knobs. I cannot take my eyes off of him. He will be on something, in something or behind something before I know it. One night I couldn't find him and looked everywhere before I discovered he had been locked in my kitchen pantry. He was smiling from ear to ear when I did find him, like it had been one fun game of hide and seek. He removed Christmas decorations from my tree on a daily basis and broke quite a few.  Basically, he was as much of a hassle as one would expect a 19 month old baby to be; add to this the rambunctious four year old who is often the subject of my posts and that makes for a lot of chasing during the month of December for this momma!

Ryder had an exceptionally great Christmas.  Because of his over the top gasps and "That's Awesome!" responses, buying presents for him is so much fun.  He can get a book, a toy or a shirt and he will always act like it is the most fabulous item he has ever seen.  Shaun says his audible gasps are inherited from Cathy Marker, and I think it is one of his most adorable behaviors.  He saw Santa at the Polar Express in Calera at the Railroad Museum and, though it was a hassle to tote him and Saw and all of the unnecessary crap we took with us, it was such an amazing experience. If you have never heard of this, Google it. We rode a real train and went to "the North Pole" and met, you guessed it, Santa and Mrs. Claus.  Ryder ate it up.  We were packed into our seats, but Ryder was buying every second of it. He sang and giggled and thought he had been to THE North Pole.  Sawyer was a wiggle worm and hard to hang on to but enjoyed it.  Ryder  also got to go on two field trips at school (days I actually sent them to school in December) to the Let It Snow exhibit at the Cultural Arts Center and to the Polar Express event held at HBES.  Ryder thought, again, he had visited the North Pole and possibly was confused by the very different locations of each of them; however, the 4 year old imagination prevailed and he totally bought it again. 

We had fun family get-togethers this year, and one huge difference this year from last was that this year, we celebrated in our new house in Southside. It was fabulous! We decorated and Shaun decked the house out in wreaths and Gwen Christmasfied (sp?) my mailbox (a bit overkill, but a lovely and sweet gesture).  And we hosted the Kelley/Mecham Christmas party and the Mecham/Minton/Marker Christmas party before Christmas.  We had a blast, the boys ran around like crazy and we all enjoyed the added space of our Buckhaven home! (Though I would be a liar if I didn't admit it felt weird not being in mom and dad's Tawannah house after 30 consecutive Christmases there.)

Christmas Eve and Day came quickly and we celebrated with Christine in the am and with Chris and Nikki that evening, who this year are now proud owners of the Tawannah Mountain Home, as I so affectionately call it! It was great to get to still go into my childhood home for a holiday party and feel so comfortable. I am so glad it stayed in our family.

Christmas Eve was chaotic, pulling out gifts and arranging them ever so tediously.  Now, if you saw my FB pics, you probably know I let myself get slightly (*cough, clear throat*) out of hand with our gifts. I totally admit it. But truthfully, I had no idea until we pulled it all out that I had done that. Clearly I underestimated the size of space to fill up in my new den. I had been buying since summer and really sort of forgot what I had.  That being said, I don't regret it.  I have no greater memories than walking into my den Christmas morning growing up and seeing the mountain of gifts brought by Santa. My parents were overkill Christmas buyers too (I learned from the best), and though the individual toys were fantastic, it was more of that feeling of walking into such an amazing, magical room filled with every child's desires that stands out to me. I wanted my boys to have those same associations with Christmas morning.  I guess I didn't think about how my four year old brain probably thought these Christmases were bigger than they really were, but I still, the memories are priceless.  So, that being said, it was over the top, but we had a fantastic day.  Ryder was thrilled when he entered the den and our family just relaxed and enjoyed each other and what wonderful blessings we had been given.  Randy and Gwen and mom and dad came and hung out and the day was picture perfect.

Of course, I cannot mention Christmas without saying how thankful my family is for all of our blessings.  We love the Christmas traditions we have, but recognize that the true reason for the season is the birth of the Christ child.  Without him, we would be eternally lost with no hope.  We talked to Ryder about the basic concept of Jesus and he was so funny when we asked him why we celebrated; he would respond accordingly, and then would want to know when Jesus' party was and were we going.

Despite the fact that Christmas ended officially on December 25, we didn't wrap it up until the 28th.  This is when we had our big family Christmas with the Markers/Markers/Mechams.  Brad and Allison came home and celebrated with our family on the 28th.  The presents were ridiculous and our family had such an amazing time.  The star of our Christmas party was the newest Marker, who had not been introduced to the family in person until then, Thatcher Bradley Marker.  I cannot even describe how cuddly, sweet and great it felt to hold that pudgy ball of baby.  He was precious, and I cannot wait until I see him again!  The bigger boys had a blast chasing and sword fighting and Sawyer thought he was just as big Ry, Grey and Jake! All the boys were excellent and had such a good time.  One big memorable moment came when Anna opened her special Christmas gift, along with Savannah, who also got the same thing: tickets to see Justin Bieber. I have never seen two more excited teenagers in my life. I am not going to lie: I am totally jealous and wanted to go. There. I said it.

And finally, my sweet hubby came through with the yearly tradition of making me find my Christmas gift via treasure hunt, but the surprise was that this year, I made him go on his own treasure hunt! In the end, he bought me some beautiful personalized jewelry, and I bought him a grill, both which we will get lots of use out of (well, okay, maybe he won't use my necklaces or bracelet, but I sure will enjoy the food he cooks on the grill!)

All in all, our first Christmas on Buckhaven Drive was so fabulous, and I can only hope our upcoming Christmases are just as amazing.

So, how was your Christmas?