Mrs. Clause...

That's me. Really, this was my first time...and I was a little nervous. I have this little person that hangs with me all the time, and now it's up to me to make Christmas so fun, so exciting, so magical for her. This year, I wondered if she'd be old enough to "get it"...

So we tried her out with a couple new traditions... "Elf On The Shelf"...and a special Advent Calendar tradition that Rich always did growing up. Honestly, I doubted she'd really be able to understand either...but she QUICKLY figured out that every night when Daddy got home from work (in his "GUCK" might I add! :)) he would get down the little Advent tree...pick the drawer for the day it was...and in it there was always a special treat to eat! Ok, that one didn't take her long! Every day she would ask me no less than 15 times...
"Daddy?"
"He's at work..."
"Guck?"
"Yes...he drove his truck..."
"Appen?"
"Yes, he'll do the Advent Calendar with you when he gets home...."
...and then a big shout of glee.
When she heard his "guck" pull in at night, she would run to the kitchen, stand beneath the counter where the "appen" was...squeal as long as it took him to change his clothes...and then as he came into the kitchen with her she would run, run, run straight to the couch to open it....


Then we went and picked out our special Elf friend...named him Abe...and read the book the first night. I was super surprised and super happy the next morning when I heard a little voice call from the other room in the wee hours of morning..."EFFFFF???" What? Did she remember? I asked her, "Who?" ...."Ayyyy-B!"
The month of December was one of earlier than usual mornings, that same tiny voice each day...and an eager set of feet that hardly hit the floor as she ran to find her "effff."
Yes. Needless to say, she "gets it". She was so fun for this Mrs. Clause. A dream come true for this over-grown kiddo... Something I have always wondered about...What would it be like to have a child to create magic and sparkle for? Now I know...

We spent our Christmas Eve at home watching this classic...

...It's A Wonderful Life, which Rich had NEVER seen!!!!!!! It just me and my three favorite peeps...one tucked snuggly in my belly... one tucked snuggly beside me...

...and one, my handsome Mr. Clause, wrapping gift after gift, living this "dream" together...



This night was the magical part of Christmas, for us.

We taught our Jadeybug about Santa (AKA: "Thanti")...and his reindeer (AKA: "Meinee")...and put out snacks for both...


...and then Santa came to visit...and our living room was picture-perfect...if we do say so ourselves. I imagine every Mrs. Clause thinks the tree in her living room must be the most beautiful thing in the world at about midnight on Christmas Eve...


And then, the next morning...same little voice..."Effff!" No elf. "Appen?"
"No...they went back to Santa. But go check out our TREE!!!!"
...!!!








Oh it was magical for us all. A long morning (because she's still young enough to enjoy each gift!) of excitment and opening and special gifts that made us all happy. It was what one little girl will wait for all year...and what I have waited for all my life. It was the BEST Christmas EVER!