The 12 minutes of Christmas

It started at 11:30pm on Thanksgiving and didn't end until 2:30am on Christmas morning -- 699 hours (yes, I did the math) preparing for 12 minutes of Christmas joy!  Somewhere between "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" and "Oh Holy Night", the days from Thanksgiving to Christmas have become an enormous to-do list: Halls decked with boughs of holly (aka "decorating the house")? Check.
Christmas tree cut down? Check.

 4 new ornaments for each child to hang on the Christmas tree? Check.

 4 new pairs of pj's for the Christmas elves to deliver on Christmas Eve? Check.

Candy Canes bought for "Santa" to put on the tree? Check.
Cookie dough cut out, baked and decorated? Check, check and check.

Teacher gifts wrapped? Check.
Christmas Cards mailed? Check (albeit a bit late this year).

Festive outfits to wear for church and school concerts? Check.

 Christmas shopping done?  Yep, the list was checked once, then twice!

A visit with the man himself? Check.

Ugly Sweater contest won? Check!

Preschool, elementary school and middle school concerts attended? Check.
Christmas Eve church service attended? Check.

Hannah was a lector at the service

Olivia was an "angel" in the Christmas Eve play

Table set for Christmas Eve dinner with the family? Check.

Presents wrapped? Check.
Stockings hung by the chimney with care? Check.

Cookies and Milk set out for Santa? Check.

Last minute notes for the big guy in red? Check.

Presents under the tree? Check.

Presents opened in 12 minutes flat? Check!

 Christmas Joy achieved? Check (for 12 minutes anyway!)

Christmas miracle? Check.

Ready to do it all again next year? Hmmmmm ...

Happy Birthday dear Charlie

Today, my baby turns five.

He was loved before we even met him.

3 days till eviction!!

He began life as the very best kind of Christmas present -- we brought him home from the hospital, all shiny and new, on Christmas Eve 2006.

 He was my grandmother's last great grandchild.

He made Olivia a big sister, gave Ethan a life-long best friend, and helped Hannah become a little Mommy:

Happy New Year 2007!!

Charlie has had quite an exciting life in his few short years on this earth.  He has had many unique opportunities and experiences.  As a baby, Charlie and I were part of a National Breastfeeding Campaign:

His next claim to fame was at 14 months old, when the democratic presidential hopeful, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, held him during a campaign stop at the Forum while the Lieutenant Governor, Catherine Baker Knoll applauded.  He was featured in many national newspapers and was on the local news.

After that, life didn't settle down for Charlie, who was on an airplane to Disney World when he was only one.

Charlie's first haircut

At two years old, Charlie traveled to Washington DC because we were invited to the White House Easter Egg Roll:

Charlie was back in DC for the historic National Equality Across America march where his family and friends were hoping to achieve equal protection for LGBTQ families in all matters governed by civil law in the 50 states.

Charlie has also traveled to (or through) over 15 states, vacationing in South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas with his family:

 

Charlie was the ring bearer in one of my best friends' weddings:

He is a self professed "woo-woo and choo-choo man"

I can not wait to see what adventures the next five years, and the next five years, and the next five years ... will bring .  I believe that Charlie is destined for greatness and I am honored to be his mother and excited to be a part of his journey!

Happy, happy birthday to my little man!