After Years In The Making...We Have Our Miracle!: Christmas 2011

Christmas this year was just so wonderful! From start to finish. I was very excited for Christmas this year because I felt like Liam had a little bit of sense of what it was all about. We got to see Santa 2x's and he was able to recognize him. I don't think he makes the connection that Santa brings presents, but I know that will come with age. But just the fact that Liam loved the lights on the Christmas tree, could recognize Santa, would get excited at seeing lights outside people houses, etc., these all put smiles on mine and Gary's faces and truly it is reasons like this that we fought so hard for a baby. These are the moments I longed 6 long years for. I am so happy I am experiencing them. So happy!

Christmas Eve we had a our usual plans-- visit with family at my aunts. This is one of my most favorite parts of the Christmas season. I love Christmas Eve! I just truly love being with family. Late afternoon I went to church with my parents and sister (Gary and Liam stayed home- I don't think Liam can quite handle 1.5 hours in church yet). I kinda felt like a kid again... in church with my family. It was nice. After church we headed to my aunts for appetizers, chicken stew, lots of yummy drinks, laughs and presents. Liam had a great time. He was running around, jumping, getting lots of attention... who wouldnt love that?! He got lots of great presents from my family and is completely spoiled. I feel so blessed for the family I have and the amount of love we all have for each other. I am lucky. Liam is lucky. I love it!

We headed home around 9:30. Gary and I had some work to do. The train table my parents got for Liam is pretty big, so we knew it needed to be assembled where it was going to "live", so that meant we couldn't put it together until Christmas Eve. Liam was fast asleep when we got home and I was able to just lay him in his crib and he was out. Off to work went Gary. I was busy putting the other gifts under the tree and making our casserole for breakfast. Before I knew it, it was 1:30, Gary was still working on the train table (now actually working to set up the train set) and I was exhausted. We crawled into bed around 2am. Exhausted but so excited to see Liam's reaction in the morning.

He LOVED it!! He loved it so much... he wanted nothing to do with any of the other gifts. At one point, I think all 5 of us (my parents, me, Gary and Renee) were begging Liam to open another present. Nope. He was so focused on the train table- nothing else mattered. I think he averaged about 1 gift an hour, took all day and at the end of the day, we still had gifts that were wrapped. I've tucked them away for a rainy day!

Not only was Liam spoiled this Christmas...but I was too! I got so many great things- A spa package from Gary (massage, facial, mani and pedi), a Kindle Fire, a new coffee mug, some workout clothes, a beautiful necklace from my parents, a duster buster!, a safe, gift cards, a watch, and an awesome picture from my sister (like this but our last name). So many random thing this year, but so awesome!

We had a great day, just laying around, trying to convince Liam to open presents, eating too much, enjoying wine and mimosas and just relaxing. It was a GREAT day!

Here are some pictures of our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day: