christmas stories

Holiday frenzy is in full swing around here! Here's a few stories about what we've been up to lately.

We haven’t emphasized Santa Clause yet, we’re not not talking about it, we just haven’t gone all out telling stories or anything so far. So, one day the TV was on and Liam walked by and paused when he saw Santa on a show. “Do you know who that is?” I asked. He paused, then shouted “Hey!” and ran to grab the Santa hat we have sitting on the rocking horse in the front room. “That guy same hat as horsie!”

We have two nativity scenes from Africa that remind Phil of his childhood. Those ones are off limits for Liam. Fortunately my cousin Monika gave him his own plastic nativity set and he loves to play with it all season long. We act out the Christmas story and he is starting to get it. “Mary Mommy, Joseph Daddy” he says. They he makes them kiss and yell at baby Jesus “you take a nap now baby Jesus! You need a nap!” Then he takes Joseph away and says “He’s driving to work. Bye bye Daddy Joseph” Hmm, I guess that’s his idea of family life. 

At church a couple of weeks ago Liam’s class made birthday hats during craft time and talked about how Christmas is Jesus’ birthday. Since then he’s been going around singing happy birthday to Jesus. Last week, the day before my sister-in-law’s birthday, he started singing so I joined in “Happy Birthday to Jesus…” when he interrupted me, “No Mommy, Happy Birthday Auntie Anne first.”

Speaking of singing, Liam is quite the singer. I have know this for a long time. Even last Christmas when he was barely talking yet he would try to sing along to Christmas songs with us. Now he is singing songs I didn’t even know he knew! There is the usual “ABC”, “Twinkle Twinkle”, “Wheels on the Bus”, etc. But he is especially into the holiday songs we have been listening to on the radio. After hearing John Denver’s version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” he now walks around repeating “…next year all my troubles be miles away…” Because a two-year-old has so many troubles right? I’m also amazed at how he can identify instruments that he hears. He likes to point out when certain songs contain drums, piano, guitar, or horns.

This Christmas is going to be a lot of fun because it is the first time Liam will actually be interested in it. I’m proud of him for not opening any presents yet. In fact, he seems more excited about giving the gifts he picked out for others that he is about his own gifts. He keeps trying to get me to open mine from him. I think the thing he is most excited about is his cousins Eli and Jack coming to visit from Asia. He’s only met them once but they talk on Skype often. Every day he reminds me that soon “Eli Jack come to Liam’s house we go play in snow!” We’re taking them to Leavenworth to sled for a few days. It’s going to be a fun week!