Sunday, December 29, 2013

Christmas Eve 2013

I LOVE Christmas Eve, probably more than Christmas Day! Growing up, we had some Christmas Eve Traditions that I love continuing with my family! There's something so magical about the night before Christmas. The excitement and wonder and innocence in the eyes of my children is a pretty amazing thing! Since I took 4 billion pictures, I've compiled them into collages for your viewing pleasure :) And because it would take 100 hours for all of them to upload individually ;) Poor Sofia had a rough time with all the company and change in routine, so I don't have as many pictures of her....the only smiling ones I have of her from Christmas Eve were from earlier in the day. She's going through a little "stage??" (I hope) where she is very uncomfortable/anxious around most people other than us (you can see her binky made a return for our busy, out-of-routine holiday week because it really brings her comfort!)

Christmas Eve Day....some silly and excited girls! 

New Christmas PJs for everyone except the dog! She looks sad, I will try to remember this next year HAHA! 

One of our NEW family traditions is opening new PJs, a board game, and a snack. Zoya loved Candy Land...lots of fun, love, and snuggles with Mama, Daddy, Uncle Bub and Papa and Gigi! 

And my favorite Christmas Eve Tradition....reading "'Twas the Night Before Christmas." Every year, growing up, my dad read this story. He read it in a way nobody else could. He was able to read the story to our girls this Christmas Eve and hearing him read it took me right back to my childhood! We set out cookies for Santa...you can see Zoya and Mila tried to get in on the cookie action too ;) I remember Zoya's first Christmas home, we put all the cookies out, and she pulled out the chair and sat down and tried to eat them. When I told her they were for Santa and not her, she nearly cried! We had spent time so precisely picking out each cookie for the plate that year...little did I know that whole time Zoya thought we were picking out all the cookies for HER to eat. I made sure this year I was much clearer in explaining what we were doing ;) 


Mila was so intrigued by the fire in the fireplace...I loved watching the wonder in her eyes....watching the light in her face was such a beautiful thing!


Christmas Pictures to come! 

1 comment:

  1. Sounds like a magical Christmas--so glad you guys had a wonderful one! Sarah, you sure brought back memories! When I was a very little girl in New Jersey (before we moved to Maine which happened just after I turned 7), my mom used to read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" to me every year! I LOVED that book--and to this day if that topic comes up around the holidays, my mom will proudly tell people that she'd read it so often that before long I'd had it memorized and could recite it back to her! Opening new jammies on Christmas Eve is a family tradition my sis has had for her kids ever since they were little too. You guys are making precious memories that will last you a lifetime!

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