I always knew having CJ would change everything, but I didn't know how awesome it would be. He brings so much joy to our lives that I never understood existed before he became part of our family. Looking back over the last six months, I thought he would kill me from sleep depravation, but we made it through and we only get up once a night now. Happy baby, happy mama, happy days and nights too. :)
The Christmas season took on a new meaning too. I joked that whoever wrote Silent Night had obviously never been around a newborn, but thinking about that night from a mom's perspective forever changed how I think about that night. What did Mary think when she looked at that beautiful face and those little hands? I know when I look at CJ's perfect features and his little hands reach up to me, my heart melts. When Mary looked at Jesus, knowing he was the Son of God, how did that change what she felt about him? I love when people tell me how handsome CJ is, but when shepherds came to worship her newborn son, what was Mary thinking? And what I can't even begin to imagine is, did she know how he would suffer? I look at CJ and I never want anything to hurt him. If Mary had even a hint of an idea of what Jesus would endure for MY sake, what did that do to her heart?
This Christmas I also have a new appreciation for God's love for me as well. I love my family and friends, but there is NO ONE that I love enough to let CJ suffer for. There is definitely no one I would let CJ die for. The sacrifice our Heavenly Father made for us, and specifically for me, knowing how much I don't deserve it, is unfathomable.
This Christmas was also a lot of fun. I have always loved Christmas, but CJ brought an extra special measure of joy. CJ and I left Arizona on the 12th and spent 10 days in Tennessee with my family. When he got to his room, he had his own personalized tree. How many little ones get their own personal tree? I guess only grandchildren of mothers with only one child do...
CJ also got to meet Santa. When I handed him to Santa, my mom and I wondered if he would cry, but he loved Santa. He talked to him and even pulled his beard, twice. It was funny, and Santa was so patient with him. Doesn't he look like such a little man sitting there all big?
My mom also had a tree in her office that was decorated with eggs my Nanny decorated by hand. He loved it and wanted to touch it.
The foyer in the church where mom works had these beautiful poinsettia trees. After pictures with Santa, we went to take pictures there as well. CJ thought it was great at first. Lots of smiles for the camera...
And he practiced crawling...There is no forward motion yet, but there is lots of rocking back and forth...
And he even weathered a clothing change with no fussing. Isn't the outfit my mom made for him adorable? I think he looks like a doll in it...
But after almost 200 pictures, he was done, and let us know it...
When we got home, we took a few more pictures in front of the tree at home. He was distracted by the presents for long enough for us to get a few more cute shots.
And later, he got to do his favorite thing...open presents! I love this picture because we are all looking at him with total happiness.
One of the funniest things was CJ's love of wrapping paper and boxes. There were times he didn't even care about the toys because he wanted the box. This is a box that mom gave him and he played with it for hours. Look at all the toys around him, but what does he want...the box. Too funny...
And finally, Christmas at our house. We got home late on the evening of the 22nd, so decorating was minimal. We bought a tree on the 23rd, and Scott put it up that evening. It didn't have any decorations, but CJ still loved it. I think he has a career on the Home Shopping Network...look at the way he is showing off the features of the tree in the next two pictures...
And here is CJ with his favorite toy of the Christmas season. He got his first tooth on Christmas Eve morning, so he LOVED chewing on this nubby ball. You couldn't pry it away from him.
And lest you think we have forgotten about our first baby, Connor had a great Christmas too. She loves being back at her house, and she had fun opening her packages as well.
