Rewind to Christmas

Frankie GOT Christmas this year.  He started understanding Santa...and his reindeer...and his elves...the magic of the season...presents...and most importantly, that Christmas is Jesus's birthday.  We introduced Elf on the Shelf (we named our's Elfred) and he understood that he couldn't touch him and looked for him first thing each morning.  There was even an incident where Uncle Jon accidentally touched Elfred and Frankie whispered to me with a very concerned look on his face, "Mommy, he will loose his magic".  He may not really understand what magic is, but he's got the concept down.

Here's a quick run down on our December:

• We cut down our Christmas tree with Aunt Laura & Uncle Jon.  Frankie was amazed that we brought a tree into the house.  "That is a Christmas tree."  "Christmas tree is in the house."  With assistance from Aunt Laura & Uncle Jon, he even got to place the star on top of the tree.

Frankie had a blast helping us look for the perfect tree

Frankie (and Daddy) supervised the chopping down of our tree and Frankie even carried his own Christmas tree back to the car

• Frankie sat on Santa's lap and was enthralled by the big guy!  He also LOVED getting a 'treat' from Santa: a candy cane.  Whenever we asked him what Santa was going to bring him for Christmas, his reply was "a candy cane treat" (which meant we could have gotten off the hook really easily this year ;) ).

• We had breakfast with Santa where Frankie got to meet him again AND scored another candy cane treat!

He was so excited waiting for Santa to enter the room

• We walked through the Clearbrook Lights - Frankie LOVES Christmas lights.  "I see Christmas lights" while we're driving down the road.  (Which really sounds like "I see Kissmas lights".)  And those blow up things on people's front lawn - He can't get enough of them.  And when Christmas lights are put to music, this is what we get...

(I can't figure out how to rotate the video, so you'll have to enjoy his dancing moves sideways.)

• We enjoyed the first snow of the season - where Frankie discovered his love of...shoveling.  Hmmmm...We also made a snowman, which he wasn't that impressed with.  

• We celebrated Santa's arrival to Winchester at the Christmas Parade...where Frankie got yet another "candy cane treat".  And got to see Frosty, who he is obsessed with!  

• Frankie & I made our first gingerbread house.  Really, I had never made one of these things.  Are you actually supposed to eat it after it's made?  We did not - but someone enjoyed the candy and frosting while we were making it.  We also decorated Christmas cookies together.  Don't worry - I warned everyone that the cookies with white frosting were made with "double dipped frosting".  Both activities turned out much less disastrous than I imagined.  

• We celebrated mass on Christmas Eve...barely.  We only arrived about 20 minutes before mass which got us standing room in the entrance.  Frankie was a trooper!  After mass, we headed to mom's.  Frankie left cookies and 'milt' for Santa - and carrots for the reindeer.  He's still waking up in the picture below where he discovered Santa's cookie crumbs - along with some of his beard stuck to his cup!  And he really got a kick out of the carrot crumbs on the front step.  Frankie definitely enjoyed opening presents this year - although it took FOREVER.  He, of course, wanted to open each one and play with it.  He had a blast - and so did we!  

Merry Christmas & Happy New from the DeMarco's!  We hope your season was as magical and special as our's!