It was a happy, healthy Christmas. We spent the day opening gifts, talking to family, cooking, eating, laughing, smiling, and playing. So thankful for these two and the gift of sharing holidays with them.
Christmas 2021
Month: December 2021
“MOM”
Christmas Snuggles
She loves her daddy so much. She gave him cuddles while he opened his first gift from us.
Wonderment
You only get one fifth Christmas, so it’s important to make sure it’s filled with magic. I think we accomplished that today.
She slept past nine and it nearly killed us. Dave and I spent an hour going back and forth about whether we should wake her. I’m so glad we didn’t. She called for us and then ran to our room so excited for Christmas. We snuggled for a nanosecond and then it was off to the races.
“YAY!”
Christmas Cookies!
Normally, this is a three-day process: one day to (acquire and) mix the ingredients and refrigerate the dough, one day to cut and bake the cookies, and on the final day, we decorate. But not in 2021 — this year we did it all in one single day, and probably the busiest day of the year, Christmas Eve. Fortunately, Gigi’s sweet daddy was happy to jump in and assist. We used the same recipe we use every year, but this year I added a teaspoon of vanilla extract. They turned out beautifully and were so delicious!
She loves wearing her “Mrs. Claus dress,” a Santa-inspired nightgown, when we bake. She couldn’t find it, so she decided to wear the closest and next best thing… her flamenco dress. It’s red and festive, so I follow her logic. I also felt the backwards hat gave it some added flair. 10/10.
While stirring the cookie dough, Gigi turned to me and, very seriously, asked if I thought she would be a good mama when she grew up. I of course told her she was an amazing person and would be amazing at anything she tried, and if she wanted to be a mama, she’d be the best one. In my heart, though, it felt like a compliment and maybe even an expression of gratitude in disguise. To be clear, I don’t need either of those things from her. But it is reassuring to have some hint that Georgia Grace feels the love I work so hard to provide her. Then again, I’m probably just overthinking it. 🙂
I love seeing her decorating abilities improve over time. Unfortunately, I didn’t snap a picture until after Santa had already gotten into them.
Letters to Santa
She REALLY hoped Santa would leave the note behind (Gigi doesn’t like throwing anything away, especially things that are of any sentimental value at all whatsoever.) We’re so glad he obliged!
Christmas Eve Church Service
Two straight years of attending the Christmas service via livestream, and, while we prefer the in-person version, we are learning to appreciate the perks. No one wore shoes, we snuggled pretty much the entire time, and six minutes after church, Dave and Gigi were back to cookie decorating and I was able to get dinner underway. (For dinner, I mad coq au vin — it was delicious and I was so proud of my hard work! I’m so annoyed that I didn’t get a single picture. I’d say next year, but with any luck, perhaps we’ll be enjoying Christmas Eve dinner at Balthazar in 2022.)
They closed the service with “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” — Gigi’s jam! It’s her all-time favorite song and she insists that we sing it at bedtime several times each week. She was thrilled. We were thrilled. And she sang her lungs out!
How much longer?
How much longer will my sweet girl do this? She gets so into whatever she is playing that she will lay down on the floor to get eye level with her toys. I could watch her play forever.
Peppermint Bark
Making peppermint bark is one of our favorite traditions that helps make the holiday season feel magical and happy. Pre-Covid, we made it for our neighbors, friends, and family. Given we are still in a pandemic, we decided to just make a small batch for our little crew for the second year running.
Christmas Puzzle
We do at least one or two Christmas puzzles the week of Christmas. This year, Gigi REALLY wanted to participate. So, we went with a smaller size (500 pieces) and I let her choose the puzzle — she went with a cat theme… naturally! She did so well and really was a help in putting the puzzle together.
The Show Must Go On
We really thought we were going to be able to attend The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center this year: Gigi and I both had been vaccinated, the NYCB had stringent rules in place, and we secured our tickets the day they went on sale. But Omicron — the latest Covid variant— had other plans. The night before our scheduled performance, we received an email indicating that the show had been cancelled. I hated to deliver the news to Gigi, but we both agreed that a tradition is a tradition, and so we designated our situation a champagne problem and made the most of it. We downloaded the New York City Ballet’s 2019 performance and got dressed up for an at-home showing.
Gigi wore her new emerald green Nutcracker dress and black patent Mary Jane’s, and I let her wear one of my purses. She couldn’t decide between two (a black Chanel and a maribou feather Loeffler Randall) and begged me to let her carry two. After some discussion, she put the Chanel on her shoulder and I grabbed the other. She chose my heels, which were also black patent leather so we could “match.”
Our usher was warm and the perfect gentleman; he took our tickets and our refreshment orders. Not the type to break tradition, we went with our Nutcracker standby: champagne and M&Ms. It wasn’t the same, but it was perfect and still so magical. We clapped during our favorite parts and Gigi hopped up to dance along when her favorite dancer — Lauren King — appeared on stage as Marzipan.
“I’ve got the present-wrapping skills.”
Dave went outside to exercise, so Gigi and I decided to take the opportunity to sneak his gifts and wrap them. As we tiptoed back to my closet to get them, Gigi whispered to me, “I’ve got the present-wrapping skills.” I tried to recreate the moment, but she was on to me.
Christmas in CT!
We had such a fun day celebrating Christmas with our family in Connecticut. We exchanged gifts, Gigi and Ben played, the adults played inappropriate card games, and G, Grandmother, and Aunt Amey finished the party by decorating a gingerbread house (Gigi was WAY into it — Ben got over it pretty quickly!).
Most importantly, we got to meet G’s new cousin and our nephew and godson, Parker! He was tiny and precious and absolutely perfect.
Holiday Hello
We cancelled most of our holiday plans thanks to Covid, but we were able to safely visit with a few friends at our neighbors’ apartment in the building. Everyone was vaccinated, and our thoughtful hosts sent us all antigen Covid tests to take right beforehand (so that we could enjoy a cup of holiday cheer with minimal anxiety). We even asked Gigi’s sweet sitter to take a test for us when she arrived. Goodness — what a time to be alive. I’m grateful for just a small visit to celebrate with friends and also for this beautiful and happy family photo.
Gigi Makes Three 