Preparing for Christmas

The other kids heard how much Ronan loved the Christmas tree at the hospital and they insisted we have our tree up and decorated before he came home on Friday.  On Thursday night with help from Grandma they set it up and decorated it.

Inara even had fun and it was her very first time decorating the Christmas tree.  She thought it was just as fun to take ornaments off as it was to put them on.

She was fond of the bulbs and became frustrated when the older kids kept taking them away from her to put back on the tree.  I finally talked them into letting her hold onto a red one and she seemed happy with that compromise.  

 There was plenty of laughter and a few mishaps.  The tree even toppled over at one point but was rescued by Grandma who engineered a way to keep it upright.  

 Watching Inara decorate the tree made me think about how this will be the first Christmas she will really be able to enjoy.  I'm looking forward to seeing her open her presents as she has an immense enthusiasm for life and all its elements.

I also enjoyed seeing Xander's tinsel dance and Jadzia's Drummer "girl" rendition.  Landon took charge and tried to arrange the ornaments in the best possible way, a job he has determined is the obligation of the eldest child.

 They accomplished their goal and the tree was beautiful for Ronan's arrival.  Ronan appreciated their effort and enthusiastically clapped and laughed upon first seeing the tree lit up.  Inara did a little happy dance when she saw Ronan's reaction it was almost as if she too had been hoping the tree would make Ronan happy.  I wish now I'd captured that moment on film but such is life.

 The kids further enjoyed the Christmas festivities by building a gingerbread house which met its demise in a sudden unfixable collapse.  Fortunately the collapse was met with roaring laughter and not tears of disappointment.  

 It's hard to believe Christmas 2011 is about to be upon us.

I had to add Xander lost his second tooth yesterday.  With his tooth fairy money he got two things: A spiderman umbrella and fake abominable snowman teeth.  You have to know Xander to realize how absolutely awesome abominable snowman teeth are.  He has been calling them his dentures all day.  The boy loses two teeth and sees dentures as a necessity.