There are two things we do every year at Grana and Poppy's. 1.) We always watch "White Christmas" with Bing Crosby. I LOVE Bing Crosby and we LOVE that movie. 2.) We always expect a special visit from Santa Claus. For whatever reason, ever since the girls were born, Santa has made it a point to make a special visit to the Wolfe house just before heading out to deliver toys to the children of the world. Cadie and Maddie are very special. This year was no different; we observed both traditions, though to mixed results.
We started the evening with the traditional meal of fried chicken (YUM), creamed potatoes and gravy, veggies, and biscuits. We are all very realistic about how many turkey dinners we have ahead of us, so why not enjoy something different on Christmas Eve. The girls certainly don't complain.
Next, we go straight to the presents. No beating around the bush or filling time with small talk. This year, the girls didn't need any help. They knew exactly what they were doing and even helped pass the presents out. Cadie received what I think was her favorite gift of the entire season from Grana and Poppy: her very own kid tough MP3 player shaped like a music box. She toted that thing around the rest of the evening, jamming to the preloaded tunes. What made her gift even better? Her eyes lighted up when I told her we could load some of her very own favorites to the player. Favorites like "Mamma Mia", the "Walking on Sunshine/Halo" mash-up from Glee, and her new seasonal favorite, "Feliz Navidad". She heard that tune for the first time at Jeff's business partner, Drew's, family Christmas party earlier in the month and has been smitten with the song since. Maddie's equivalent to Cadie's music machine was her very own kid tough digital camera. We've already seen some of her handiwork, and she wasn't wasting any time breaking her new "toy" in. They also got a sandwich making play food kit from Keke and Lolo, along with an "Old MacDonald's" cashterator (seriously, that's what they both called it...holds a close resemblance to another word that should not come out of a three-year-old's mouth). In reality, it's a McDonald's themed cash register. Among other things, they each also got a new miniature tea set, lip gloss and fingernail sets, some videos, and a new puzzle. When Cadie opened the "Wiggles" DVD she turned to me and said with great surprise, "Mommy! It's really the Wiggles!" I guess she's already figured out that Grana is no stranger to generic and imitation DVD's!
After gifts, as the snow flakes fell and the wind gusts picked up, it seemed only appropriate that Santa pay a visit. Poppy disappeared to the bathroom with a pesky stomach bug, while Jeff and I distracted the girls in the kids' room. We searched for sleigh lights and listened for jingle bells, until suddenly there was the beeping alarm of an outside door opening, and our ears were greeted with a familiar "Ho, ho, ho!" With the amount of enthusiasm and excitement the girls have shown for Santa this year, I just knew they would be beside themselves. Instead, Maddie clung to me like I was attempting to hurl her over a cliff, and Cadie's bottom lip trembled like never before. I was shocked; I had actually been concerned that they would too clever for their own good and realize they were being tricked. Turns out, that was the least of my worries. There were tears, shrieks of complaint when I got too close, and all and out drama. Cadie finally built up enough courage to spend some time on Santa's lap, spouting off item after item that she would like for him to bring her. Unfortunately, Maddie wasn't budging. The closest I could get her to sitting on Santa's lap involved me as a buffer. Oh well. There's always next year, and we'll always remember this year's visit. We took advantage of a few more photo ops before Santa had to take off. He had a night's worth of present delivering ahead of him after all. Jeff, the girls, and I ran to the front door expecting to see Santa take off, but before we made it, he'd already escaped up the chimney and magically gone on his way. Keke saw him go up the chimney, though, and he said it was amazing.
Lo & Santa
Cadie & Santa
Maddie's reaction to being asked to sit
on Santa's lap.
The Jolly Man himself
Maddie, "sitting on Santa's lap"
Cadie, Lo, Santa, Me, and Maddie
The excitement of Santa behind us, it was time for one more family tradition, a family picture. With the assistance of a tripod, we've attempted a few Christmastime pictures in the past. They're always interesting to say the list. This year produced a gem of an image, though. It pretty much speaks for itself. It was the last of the pictures we would take. Just seconds before the shutter clicked, Poppy started to sit down in the rocker, but caught the pocket of his pajama pants on the arm of the chair, followed by an enormous rip. We were supposed to be making funny faces, but instead, all began cracking up hysterically. The following picture is the result.
Wolfe Family Portrait - 2009
After the picture debacle, it seemed all to clear that it was time to wind down and watch the movie. We all cuddled up on the floor and started the flick. Who knows how many times we've seen this film, but it's been enough that some of us (Dad, Lo, and I) oftentimes find ourselves quoting lines if not entire scenes. Normally, that drives me nuts, but with this movie, I just can't help myself. A mere thirty minutes in it was obvious that the girls were exhausted and that the weather wasn't getting any better. Maddie had woken up feeling a little crummy, so Jeff and I made the decision to head home prematurely. Thankfully, we opted for 4-wheel drive when we bought our Tahoe, even though the odds of needing it in Tulsa, Oklahoma weren't high, so we had no problem getting home. The girls were asleep in mere seconds, so we just took our time. It wasn't long before they were both curled up safe and warm in bed, the cookies, milk, and carrots for Santa and his reindeer placed safely on the hearth by Mom and Dad. I'm not sure if visions of sugar plums were dancing in their heads, but I know the excitement and anticipation of Christmas morning were floating through mine.
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