A Different Kind of Christmas

Christmas looked a lot different for us this year, but keeping my mind focused on making it the best possible Christmas for Anna Claire helped make sure it was a good one.

I would be lying if I said there wasn't a moment my heart didn't ache, missing my dad and having Christmas at my parents' house, seeing my mom mobile and having my siblings and nieces around us. It is hard.

But having kids is such a blessing and such a wonderful, heart-warming distraction from myself. I put my whole heart into making Christmas the best I possibly could for my little girl. And for my mom, knowing that she would probably experience some inevitable depression spending her first Christmas away from her home of 50+ years and having few if any visitors.

I have to say, we had a great Christmas with Larry's family last night. Anna Claire loves her cousins on her daddy's side (and by cousins, I include Marie and Sean, for sure!) and we had such a special dinner and time together. It was needed and a welcome escape from what otherwise could easily have become a pity party of one, nostalgic for what Christmas used to be.

Christmas morning was something I've planned for and dreamed about for months, imagining the precious smile and reaction from Anna Claire with every present opened. I am sure, like many parents, I went overboard, but she is far from spoiled during the year. For Christmas, by golly, we spoil this child. If it was her heart's desire and Clarksville, TN didn't offer it, I was researching every night in search for "that" special item. My effort and care was rewarded this morning, with such sweet smiles and genuine excitement. My favorite moment was when she said, "This is the best Christmas ever!"

Santa came!

This was the #1 thing she asked Santa for: Gymnastics Dora :)

She racked up!

This was either the 4th or 5th wardrobe change of the morning...Santa brought AC a Disney princess costume trunk!

Today we didn't plan to do presents and have lunch with my sweet Momma, but that is exactly what we did. Anna Claire said this morning, "I wish Meme could be with us at our house for Christmas." Me too, I thought. So we headed to Signature and let Anna Claire open some Santa presents there for Momma to see. It was the best thing we could have done. She loved, as we did, seeing Anna Claire's genuine excitement and joy with each package she opened.

Larry also went down to dietary to see if we could have lunch with her, and they fed us for free in the fine dining room. The food was amazing, and beautifully decorated for Christmas with holiday linens on the tables and holiday place settings and glasses. It felt really special.