Merry Christmas

Well, it is actually boxing day but I was kind of busy yesterday and getting to the computer to write the article was just not going to happen. I must say that yesterday was one of the best Christmas' I have ever had. Yes, this holiday season was not what I have been accustomed to, but I did get to spend it with my son Parker, my wife and her parents. We even made a quick trip over to my parents so that everyone there could see the little guy through the window of the car.

Of course my wife got up nice and early on Christmas morning so that we could begin the festivities before the sun came up. Parker was the next to wake and the three of us plotted into the guestroom where Parker's Nana and Granddad had spend the night. "Merry Christmas", she said with Parker in her arms. "Wake Up, so you can come downstairs, Santa is coming."

We had been given a suit from a friend that we could use since Parker was unable to go to the mall to have a picture taken with Santa Claus. So, when everyone had finally made it downstairs I bearded and gowned up and went downstairs to let Parker know what a good boy he has been this year. We took some pictures and some video as Parker stared at his daddy in a white beard. He smiled and pulled at the beard thinking this may just be some particular version of peek-a-boo. Soon after, Santa gave Parker and Mrs Claus a kiss and made his way back upstairs when Parker's daddy finally returned to the main floor where we began to distribute gifts.

This year, and the many to come are primarily about Parker and that is where the focus was during the gift giving. Parker had quite a few gifts under the tree from mommy and daddy, his aunts and uncles, grandparents, as well as friends and one large one from Santa. It was quite funny watching Parker open his gifts. I guess it is the perfect age for your first Christmas because he is almost a year old and although he does not understand what is going on he is old enough to help pull at the paper and smile at the bright objects that exist beneath the plastic packaging once unwrapped. Parker sat in mommy's lap while the two of them tore back the wrapping paper from his gifts. The funny thing was that for the most part, Parker was most intertested in playing with the paper in which his mommy and him had just accumulated.

Parker got quite a few different things for Christmas. He now has the complete Little People Farm from Fisher Price as well as his own piano. He loves every single gift that he got and is very thankful for them. It took a while but daddy finally got all of the toys out of the box (untwisting each piece from the box is quite time consuming), put on every sticker, inserted every battery, and finally snapped together all the pieces. Parker's playroom upstairs is now complete.

What did Santa bring Parker? Santa brought him a Little Tike's train that he could ride on, complete with a track. This way daddy does not have to cart Parker around the main floor on his Pooh-mobile. The only trouble is that Parker has not figured out yet that he must press down on the peddle with his foot so that the train moves ahead. So, instead of daddy pulling Parker around upstairs he walks beside him as Parker sits on his train applying pressure to his foot.

Of course, what would Christmas be without a Christmas dinner. The four of us had a wonderful prime rib roast, with mashed potatoes, green beans, and Parmesan cheese pop-overs. Topped off with a bacon and mushroom sauce. It was definitely delicious and a great way to end a a wonderful Christmas with Parker. I have decided to use the leftovers to make a prime rib and mashed potato pie for dinner. I am not one for wasting food.

I know that not everyone was able to have such a wonderful Christmas this year, so I am extremely thankful that I was and I am extremely appreciative of all our family and friends who were a large part of our first Christmas with Parker.