Belated Happy Christmas Wishes
There is something magical about a little one at Christmas. Dommie, Hayden and I have spent most of the month together in Ireland celebrating it. It's been a lot of fun because Ireland already has this magical air about it, and when you add Christmas to it... it's just incredible. Dommie's old enough this year to really appreciate it too, and that's made it all the more fun. Last year he was only coming up on two, so had fun with all the twinkling lights and the crinkle of the wrapping paper, but not much more. This year Hayden and I took him out a couple days after getting here to get him a snow suit. A hazard of living the whole of your life in LA - no warm clothes. So we took him out and he turned himself into a rainbow marshmallow. It's the most adorable thing in the world. I love taking him out for clothes because I let him pick whatever he wants. At nearly three it doesn't matter how badly you clash, but it's fun to see his sense of style starting to emerge a little. In any case the three of us got him suited up in a new suit with a few new sweaters to wear under it. Afterwards we wandered off into a department store to pick him out a car seat, and Hayden got him a body pillow to snuggle up with; he's taken to Aragorn quite well, so this way he has an alternative to snuggle when Aragorn wants to get away a while. We stopped in a toy store after so that I could get more ideas for gifts for him. I love toy stores. Forget children a minute, I just love toy stores. And then put two of them free inside of it and watch them go and it's incredible fun. I didn't let either of them get anything, though they teamed up and made wet pleading eyes. I was actually quite proud of that, because I'm always the soft one giving in to everything. It gave me the opportunity to re-explain Christmas to Dommie, and he quickly put away the little kitten he'd found once he understood, though I still had to tug Hayden away from his find. Once I'd dealt with the pouts and washed them all away we set up the car seat and were off again, only this time to find trees. It's been years and years since I've had a real Christmas tree. It was hard to figure who was most excited of the three of us, though once we had the trees picked out Dommie was out so we made our way home.
Next came the decorations, with Dommie and I helping wherever we could. I was allowed to put up the lights on the lowest roof outside, which made me all sorts of proud, both because I conquered height to do it and just that masculine, domestic desire to do all that tougher stuff. Some sort of traditional streak in me. There were four trees in all, and we each got to top one. Dommie the tallest of them, lifted in Hayden's arms so that he could set the star on the very tip-top.
We did all the Christmasy things leading up to the big day. There's still a giant snow man out in the front yard we all built together. Coldo. And a giant tunneling fort. I'm even sure that our coats are still dripping in the closet from all the snow fights we've had. There are dozens and dozens of home backed cookies left, and chocolate treats. We sat in front of a warm fire almost every night with mugs of hot chocolate, or apple cider, or milky tea. Hayden and I got a couple nights to ourselves, one of which I took him out for dinner, because we hadn't done that before. It was brilliant all around, and before I knew it it was Christmas Eve.
For my birthday Hayden gave me a ring. When he asked me to marry him in Florida he didn't have one, and while I never expected one later, I find myself incredibly proud to wear it now. On Christmas Eve my family always engages in a one gift exchange because it's the night the Christkind comes. He gave us all pajamas while Dommie gave him a frog for his collection and I gave him a ring. I wanted to share that pride with him, but also because if he hadn't asked me already, I would have asked him to marry me. So instead I asked him to wear my ring, and he did and that pride swelled up in my chest anew.
Christmas morning came too soon and not soon enough as it always does, no matter how old you get. Hayden played Santa, which Dommie has taken to calling him since, and gave out gifts. It was so beautiful to watch them. Dommie tearing into his gifts with exuberant joy and excitement, unable ever to stop moving from it all, trembling in place as he waited for us to finish with ours before the next set was distributed. And Hayden, with more controlled excitement but of the same intensity, and just as joyful about it all. The excitement thrumming through me as well, as much to see what each brightly wrapped gift gave way to, but also to see each expression as it took over their faces. There were many wonderful gifts exchanged and it would turn this novel into a series if I listed them all.
The best expressions came when they followed the card upstairs to another room. Christmas Eve Hayden came home with a ride on train we had discussed for Dommie while I spent the day collecting up the item Hayden had so much trouble leaving behind in the toy store. Once we were all snuggled away in our beds, and I was certain Hayden was deep into his sleep, I slipped free and began creating a world. I turned carpet to grass and tucked away all the things I could that were normally in the room. I made a towering pile of mountains, and set up a winding trail of the train tracks. I turned it into a fantasy village with houses and toy people and fire trucks and police cars. There was even a helicopter but Dommie didn't discover that until the next day he was so enthralled with the train. I set up the huge dragon plush on the mountains and littered crystals all around it for Hayden. Changed the light bulbs to purple and made sure to plug everything into the socket that is activated by the switch so that as soon as they walked in and turned it on, the world came to life. It was incredible to see them. So, so incredible. Magical. It was exactly what I hoped to get out of them. That expression of wonder you can only truly capture on Christmas.
Now we're all settled back enjoying our gifts. Dommie is ever creating with his blocks and crafts, the animals are into their treats, and Hayden and I are enjoying our own gifts to one another. Our Christmas was wonderful, magical, and filled with love. The absolute best of all I've ever had. I hope your own were as wonderful.
Next came the decorations, with Dommie and I helping wherever we could. I was allowed to put up the lights on the lowest roof outside, which made me all sorts of proud, both because I conquered height to do it and just that masculine, domestic desire to do all that tougher stuff. Some sort of traditional streak in me. There were four trees in all, and we each got to top one. Dommie the tallest of them, lifted in Hayden's arms so that he could set the star on the very tip-top.
We did all the Christmasy things leading up to the big day. There's still a giant snow man out in the front yard we all built together. Coldo. And a giant tunneling fort. I'm even sure that our coats are still dripping in the closet from all the snow fights we've had. There are dozens and dozens of home backed cookies left, and chocolate treats. We sat in front of a warm fire almost every night with mugs of hot chocolate, or apple cider, or milky tea. Hayden and I got a couple nights to ourselves, one of which I took him out for dinner, because we hadn't done that before. It was brilliant all around, and before I knew it it was Christmas Eve.
For my birthday Hayden gave me a ring. When he asked me to marry him in Florida he didn't have one, and while I never expected one later, I find myself incredibly proud to wear it now. On Christmas Eve my family always engages in a one gift exchange because it's the night the Christkind comes. He gave us all pajamas while Dommie gave him a frog for his collection and I gave him a ring. I wanted to share that pride with him, but also because if he hadn't asked me already, I would have asked him to marry me. So instead I asked him to wear my ring, and he did and that pride swelled up in my chest anew.
Christmas morning came too soon and not soon enough as it always does, no matter how old you get. Hayden played Santa, which Dommie has taken to calling him since, and gave out gifts. It was so beautiful to watch them. Dommie tearing into his gifts with exuberant joy and excitement, unable ever to stop moving from it all, trembling in place as he waited for us to finish with ours before the next set was distributed. And Hayden, with more controlled excitement but of the same intensity, and just as joyful about it all. The excitement thrumming through me as well, as much to see what each brightly wrapped gift gave way to, but also to see each expression as it took over their faces. There were many wonderful gifts exchanged and it would turn this novel into a series if I listed them all.
The best expressions came when they followed the card upstairs to another room. Christmas Eve Hayden came home with a ride on train we had discussed for Dommie while I spent the day collecting up the item Hayden had so much trouble leaving behind in the toy store. Once we were all snuggled away in our beds, and I was certain Hayden was deep into his sleep, I slipped free and began creating a world. I turned carpet to grass and tucked away all the things I could that were normally in the room. I made a towering pile of mountains, and set up a winding trail of the train tracks. I turned it into a fantasy village with houses and toy people and fire trucks and police cars. There was even a helicopter but Dommie didn't discover that until the next day he was so enthralled with the train. I set up the huge dragon plush on the mountains and littered crystals all around it for Hayden. Changed the light bulbs to purple and made sure to plug everything into the socket that is activated by the switch so that as soon as they walked in and turned it on, the world came to life. It was incredible to see them. So, so incredible. Magical. It was exactly what I hoped to get out of them. That expression of wonder you can only truly capture on Christmas.
Now we're all settled back enjoying our gifts. Dommie is ever creating with his blocks and crafts, the animals are into their treats, and Hayden and I are enjoying our own gifts to one another. Our Christmas was wonderful, magical, and filled with love. The absolute best of all I've ever had. I hope your own were as wonderful.