Christmas time?

We knew this last Christmas would be weird and weird it was. Not because the meaning of the holiday changed or anything, nope it was wrapping our head around the fact that it was christmas time. So weird to have Christmas in the middle of summer!

This is a rnadom pic that really has nothing to do with Christmas but it shows just how Erik is at this point in his life. Sometimes we wonder if we should just take his bed completely out of his room to give him more play space. We always put him to bed in it and we ALWAYS find him laying like this or on the floor. And if you ask him why he wont sleep in his bed....the response is one that will melt your heart. Grandma's are you ready for this little nougat of sweetness?

Erik's response is that he sleeps on the floor like Daddy. Now to most of you I realize that this doesn't sound oh so cute, but for those who have had the pleasure of Lindsay hanging out for a duration of time to watch a movie or when he is tired know that he always prefers the floor, no pillow, and sleeps best that way.....odd but true. Erik looks up to Lindsay sooooo much and wants to do everything exactly like him. When Lindsay is around he prefers daddy to do everything from change him, hold his hand, bath him, feed him, whatever he would need an adult help with...daddy it is. This is another way he feels like his daddy. And thus he prefers the floor to his mattress.

This partciular picture was after we went in one night to put him back into bed (we do every night when we go to bed), he often turns his lamp back on and plays for a bit and then falls asleep....noting the hand on his car.

 So back to Christmas.....since it was hot, sunny, and not seeming like Christmas at all, I put up Christmas decorations and things EARLY to have them around as reminders.

Below is an activity advent that we did. We werent great about doing it every single day but Erik loved picking out activities on the date and following through with them. Some were really simple like send out christmas mail to grandparents, picures with santa, watch a christmas movie, have a family sleepover, and we had a blast. We didn't have to think of 25 things either because one whole week we were going to be on holiday on the coast and so that made it more doable, next year hopefully we will be a bit better.

 WE also did a christmas book advent. I also didnt have 25 books but was completely fine with that, I will continue to gather a few each year. So in theory he should open a new christmas book each day to be read and enjoyed but since we had 8 I think, we opened one every few days which was great because then we could enjoy reading the new one for a while before the next one came along. It was a blast and so fun, Erik loves books and it was a fun way to continue to instill that reading can be fun. Sometimes people are amazed that Erik does so well at sleeping while we travel and I honestly think that part of it is because of books. Sounds strange, but I ALWAYS pack 2-3 books and we read them before nap and bed everyday and its a trigger for him and no it doesnt trigger him to sleep because books make him fall asleep, he often asks for more. But its something that is easy to pack and keep consistent through the chaos of traveling.

This was the night we had our family sleepover as our activity. We didnt actually end up sleeping out in the living room but we enjoyed popcorn, a movie, and some fun family time. Erik loves it when we pull out the hide-a-bed so he thought it was spectacular!

Other than that we talked a lot about christmas, we had the little people nativity set out on the coffee table to be played with at will and talk about the story of Christ. We went to a Christmas party at church and Lindsay played his guitar and sang, it was awesome! The one thing that found odd, other than not needing to dress in layers, and the ability to breath without seeing our breath, and all the winter smells (that was really odd) was that we noticed that we didnt hear as much christmas music as we would back home. The stores and shops usually played it as it got closer but we hardly if ever heard it on the radio and it was just weird.

But all in all our first christmas here in Oz was major success. I was worried about being really homesick but I was ok. The trip back in november was great for that and I was excited that since we wouldn't have lots of family things to attend that we got to make up our own agenda and start some new traditions. And while I wouldnt want to be alone every single year, it was good this year. Going back home I hope to find a new balance of things for our little nuclear family mixed in with all the family activities.

More December happenings coming soon!