The kids were going crazy on Christmas Eve. They were just so excited...and Mom and Dad were busy in the morning doing this, that, and the other. Finally, at lunchtime official family time began.
After stopping for some lunch, we made our annual trip to Olbrich Botanical Gardens to see their holiday train display. It's really the plants that are the stars of the show, and this year was no exception. The poinsettias were amazing. The past two years the display has had a forest/birdhouse theme. This year they went with a tropical island theme. I missed the birdhouses, but I have to admit that it was a stunning and festive display, with all of the tropical plants. (And did I mention the gorgeous poinsettias?)
David and Mary LOVED the trains. They watched them for ages. (By the way, in the past we have gone first thing in the morning...which is always with the toddler crowd. This time we went during toddler naptime, and we just about had the place to ourselves. Much more fun.)
After watching the trains, we headed over to the conservatory. It is so warm and humid in there--such a nice contrast to the bitter Wisconsin winter outside.
Mary loved exploring the paths through the tropical forest.
And David took a keen interest in learning about the different plants.
It was a good time. We will miss this little Madison tradition we've created for Christmas Eve.
Back at home, we got to work on our Christmas Eve feast. Mary helped with the table. With her mad sewing, tying, and writing skills, she was a huge help! Look at what a great job she did.
Then we ate. Yum!
After dinner I read the kids Christmas books while Greg did the dishes. Then we acted out the Nativity (picture here). Next David and Mary exchanged gifts with one another. They were ecstatic! David gave Mary some Super Flubber (whatever that is), and she thought it was the greatest thing ever.
(He also gave her a Lego Friends set, which she opened on Christmas Day. Very cool.)
Mary was determined to get David a Bionicle--which are now Hero Factory guys. She picked one out all by herself--and David LOVED it. He went crazy with excitement and gratitude!
Our kids do a really good job of picking out gifts for each other. They just know better than Greg and I. I guess because they are both kids and both in the kid frame of mind, and they do spend a lot of time together. Over time I am realizing it's better not to try to influence them in their choices--they do a great job on their own. Better than their parents can. It's good to have a sibling!
After new pajamas we lit our candles and sang lots of Christmas songs. Mary is quite the singer. You can tell she really enjoys singing, and I'm amazed at how fast she learned a lot of carols this year.
All day the kids had been checking on Santa's progress thanks to Norad. Mary is totally freaked out by Santa, and she was getting more and more nervous the closer he got. Apparently Spain was too close for comfort because by that point she was begging to go to bed for fear of accidentally seeing him. (We should probably tell her he is not real. The problem is that David wants to believe. David loves believing--and I feel like he should be allowed to, at least for a little while longer. So I guess Mary will just have to deal--and probably go to therapy when she's older.)
We put Mary to bed very early. Then Greg read to David for a long time. Long enough for Mary to fall deep asleep. Then I sneaked outside David's window with the sleigh bells and rang them. He was in bed with his lights off in no time! This was the first year I rang the bells. I'm glad Greg got a chance to see how seriously David takes the bells--and how excited he is! And, I have to admit, I had a good time ringing the bells.
Then, as any parent knows, with the kids asleep, the real work began!
I love Christmas Eve.
(If you want, you can take a peak at past Wisconsin Christmas Eves here and here. No wonder I love Christmas Eve!)
