So, last night we decorated the tree.  And let me go on the record: Jon, and sweet Leslie, did an awesome job of finding and cutting and hauling that tree home! It’s a beauty, perfect!

But first, before we decorated (heck just before dinner, because I’m a genius like that), just to ramp up the crazy anticipation of it all, I made gingersnaps and let the kids decorate to their messy hearts content with white icing.  While they were cooking Gabe followed me around the house, literally, asking me at least 45 times, “When are the cookies going to be done? Are they ready now?”  So we set the stage with messy but yummy white snowflake, {snowdrift} ginger snaps .

No, we can't keep shirts on him, I don't know why.

The tree part? Well, it was the fastest, wildest, LOUDEST, trimming of any tree anywhere, ever.  It had to have been, I think there must be  a trophy for that somewhere.  Why, you ask? Well….you might guess that it was due to the evening hour.  You might guess it was due to pressing social engagements for the big kids.  

You might guess that it was because we are kind of expert at the process by now.  You’d be right, to a point, on all of those tries.  But, I will say that our tree trimming was the wildest ever due almost exclusively to the completely over the top wild excited crazy loud grabbing jumping frenzy that overcame little Gabey.  

It was a peak four-almost-five-year-old moment of Christmas anticipation/insanity and “It‘s so exciting I can’t contain myself for even a second” event.  So, while we did have Christmas carols playing to set the stage…really the soundtrack of the event was more like “Gabe! Wait! Don’t grab! Sssh, yes, you’re next.  No that one is Jon’s, THIS one is for you. Yes!  Tigger is  yours, hang him up, find a spot!” And while Tigger wasn’t officially his, before…well, I think that particular little old ornament MUST be now.  Because last night, our Gabey, he WAS Tigger!   

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not fussing about it.  I think if we had had a slow really mindful tree trimming I might have start to leak a bit.  Pulling out those kid ornaments with the faces from years ago…you know those ones…

…the best ones….well, I had to pass the ones of our Chris over quickly to a big kid.  Or else I would’a started blinking fast.  

And one moment time started to slow, just a little tiny bit.  I handed a picture one of him to Hannah and said, “Hang this one more toward the back or side,” (because I had already had one hung in front of him and I didn’t want to overload in front) Well, she stopped and said, “What? No!“, she might have stomped her foot even, I don’t know.  But she marched over and said, “I won’t, it goes here.” And she hung that goofy ornament with his sweet face right up high center front.  

Touchy bits, this  year, here and there.  We all feel it this year, but only maybe more when it slows a bit or on those really peak tradition moments in this clan.  

Yeah, blinking fast here...aw

So, this year, Gabey’s wildness was a pure gift.  A loud gift, to be sure.  But, even so, a grace I’d say.  

Our gift of Tigger, in  his own wild bouncy bouncy loud self.  “Whoo-hoo-hoo!”

O Tannenbaum!

Christmas is SO exciting when  you’re almost five.