The Schwartz's vs Schwartzmas Eve

Thanks to the genius rotation system, we celebrated Christmas with the Schwartz fam on New Years Eve.  And just like Disney was a whole different experience with Sarah, so was Schwartz Christmas.  It was nice to be able to take part in traditions that Adam and Melissa started years ago when they first started having kids.  They've always spent the night at Ma and Pa Schwartz's with the boys the evening before we celebrate Christmas there and watch movies.  Chris and I, not having kids, didn't feel like we were apart of that (not in that awww feel sad for us kind of way), so we'd go over for the movie, then head home and come back in the morning.  But this year, we packed up our overnight bags and headed over on Schwartz Christmas Eve for a wonderful lasagna dinner.  Then as a special treat we all loaded into the cars and drove through Starry Nights.  Sarah had fallen asleep, but we didn't want her to miss it so we woke her up and she loved it.  She flapped her arms and smiled real big.  We headed home, put Sarah to bed, and I cooked up a pot of homemade hot cocoa with homemade marshmallows.  We even took a suggestion from Real Simple magazine and put a scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream in it.  Chris and I thought it was yummy, though the boys probably disagree.

Anyway, after seeing the pictures from Florida Christmas I cheated and got up and showered before going downstairs for presents.

And tried to get a decent picture of Sarah under the tree to compare with last year.

Unfortunately, she didn't just sleep through it last year when she was only 3 days old.  And this time, I took her bowl of kix away and that really made her grumpy.  But she's still adorable!

The Schwartz's outdo themselves every year and we all got many wonderful gifts.  Every year Melissa and I get matching gifts from Ma and Pa Schwartz, and this year it was cute because the boys were apart of it too.  We got matching fur lined Crocs.  You know I love crocs, I don't care how ugly you they are.  And I've thought of buying myself some of the warm crocs and never have so this was exciting.  Chris got brown ones, and I got pink with brown lining.  Then Adam opened his and got camo ones, and when Melissa opened her crocs they were pink with real tree camo on them.  Too funny!  Sarah of course was spoiled for round two.  She got some more outfits in 12 month sizes (I guess it really is time to take all the 3-6 month clothes out of her drawers.)  And some pjs that will actually fit without me having to pack her in like a stuffed sausage.  But I think the gift she like most at this celebration was the Little People Airplane.  She clapped her hands she was so excited and kept going back to it wanting us to take it out of the box between me trying to get her to open other presents.

She also got the Little People House from Aunti Cam, Little People Wagon from Auntie Susan and Auntie Steffanie, and the Little People Zoo from Uncle Adam and Aunt Melissa.  Plus she hasn't even opened the Little People pink dump truck that we got her!  She LOVES little people.  She talks to them and has started even changing her pitch like she's doing voices for them like she sees me do.  It's adorable.  

Then the big boys busted out the new video game NHL slap shot, while the little boys got into their new Batman Bat Cave.  Sarah, of course, would not be left out and was right in the mix with the H's.  She loves those boys.  She loves to watch them and play with the same toys they're playing with. And they really are good to her.  They bring her toys and talk to her and help her open and close things.  It's sweet to see them playing together.

We lunched on a "sparse" offering (HA!) of 3 different kids of warm dips, veggie plate, meat and cheese plate, and later even made a couple batches of Christmas cookies and of course enjoyed another round of homemade hot cocoa.

 Were entertained and serenaded, courtesy of Sarah, by Ma Schwartz's collection of Hallmark Jingle Buddies.  Each of the kids have loved pressing the buttons and watching those things.  Now it's Sarah's turn.  She even showed us her awesome dance moves (see below).

Then we realized we'd been there for over 24 hours and had forgotten to feed Sophie extra before we left the house!  She was super angry when we got home.  I gave her a big bowl and sat there while I petted her and apologized over and over.

We had a great Christmas season and it will be difficult to top.  You only get baby's first Christmas once you know.  And we really went over board with a trip to FL and my whole family together and then celebrating with the Schwartz's truly being apart of those traditions.  But now that all the celebrations are over, I can say, that first Christmas with kids is going in my mom memory reel as one of the best.  I just hope we're always able to keep the focus on family and being together, not the stuff under the tree.