Holiday Open House
What a success! I had a holiday open house for friends and family to come and see my house and enjoy some Christmas goodies and drinks on Wed December 21st. Well, I should've known that when you offer out free choclate and booze, you'll always get a crowd :) There were 45 people who came! My little house didn't know what hit it and I was thrilled. Old friends, new friends, young and old, it was a wide range of great people. Susan, Alec, Leah and Gavin even made it over for a while, delighting all of those older ladies who love to get their hands on newborns. It was a great way to really get into the Christmas spirit and I'll be sure to make it an annual event!
(I didn't take any pictures that night, so I've just put in one of Leah cheesing for the camera on Christmas morning...)
(I didn't take any pictures that night, so I've just put in one of Leah cheesing for the camera on Christmas morning...)
Christmas Day
We spent Christmas Day at Mom and Dad's as usual. I slept at my own house but made my way over there by around 8:30/9 am since Santa had left me a stocking there (I guess he didn't realize I'd moved...). Susan, Alec and kids arrived for breakfast and gifts then we had a leisurely afternoon. Dad and I went in to see Grandma Lockhart, Alec and I took Leah to the Gilberts for our annual visit there and Mom tended the turkey and about a million other things in the kitchen to prep for the big meal.
The rest of the Rinn clan arrived around 4pm and with 5 little ones under 5 years old, it was certainly the loudest Christmas we'd had but also lots of fun. We had a great turkey dinner with all the fixings and the kids and Grandma opened lots of gifts. We Skyped with our Australian cousins who had already celebrated Christmas the previous day in 28'C weather! And once we were stuffed, spoiled and exhausted, we all headed home to bed.. I think I was one of the first to leave around 8:30pm... I was beat!
The rest of the Rinn clan arrived around 4pm and with 5 little ones under 5 years old, it was certainly the loudest Christmas we'd had but also lots of fun. We had a great turkey dinner with all the fixings and the kids and Grandma opened lots of gifts. We Skyped with our Australian cousins who had already celebrated Christmas the previous day in 28'C weather! And once we were stuffed, spoiled and exhausted, we all headed home to bed.. I think I was one of the first to leave around 8:30pm... I was beat!
Family Time
With the brand new baby and Alec straight back to work, I spent most of my holidays over with Susan and my little niece and nephew. Susan was not supposed to be lifting or doing anything really except caring for her new baby so I tried my best to take the role of housekeeper and caregiver to Leah. We had lots of fun and I have a much better understanding of A Day in the Life of a Mom. It's a little bit exhausting chasing after kids and keeping up with the household chores. I'm used to just me and I don't generate very much laundry or dirty dishes but kids sure do! It was great to have the time with Susan, Leah and Gavin though and I wouldn't have traded it for anything.
So the big question everyone has been asking is how Leah's enjoying being a big sister. I think for the most part, she's pretty good with having Gavin around. What she doesn't like though is that Mommy can't pick her up but can pick Gavin up and that Mommy isn't as available to play like she usually is. Aunt Kate wasn't always a good enough replacement but Leah and I had some great marching and jumping (her two latest tricks) sessions together, lots of colouring and some good long walks in the wagon. I watched enough Caillou episodes to last me the next 10 years and some Barney which brought back memories of my babysitting days. And most days when we got Leah down for her nap, Susan and I would play a rousing game of Scrabble :)
What a great holiday!
So the big question everyone has been asking is how Leah's enjoying being a big sister. I think for the most part, she's pretty good with having Gavin around. What she doesn't like though is that Mommy can't pick her up but can pick Gavin up and that Mommy isn't as available to play like she usually is. Aunt Kate wasn't always a good enough replacement but Leah and I had some great marching and jumping (her two latest tricks) sessions together, lots of colouring and some good long walks in the wagon. I watched enough Caillou episodes to last me the next 10 years and some Barney which brought back memories of my babysitting days. And most days when we got Leah down for her nap, Susan and I would play a rousing game of Scrabble :)
What a great holiday!