Holiday Traditions!!

When I was young Christmas was always a big deal.  My mom, a interior decorator, would deck out the house in all the holiday fare and my dad would drive down early in the morning to put together our Christmas gifts.  My parents, though separated and not always on each others good sides, put on a untied front for Christmas.  It was that happy moment where everything seemed perfect.  When my mother passed away and my grandparents (her parents) soon after her, Christmas became a three person event.  Every year my dad would haul out my mom's Christmas decorations and help me put them up in our new, smaller home....things were a little crapped after the decorations were out.  He made Thanksgiving dinner all over again on Christmas day, which I loved and three of us would celebrate Christmas relatively quietly.  In those years when it was just my brother, my dad and I, I longed for a big family Christmas celebration.

Becoming a Bradshaw afforded me the big Christmas celebration.  And the Bradshaws know how to do Christmas up right, including all the decorations, traditions, cheer and well on occasion drama.  What kind of family event would it be without a little bit of drama every once and awhile?  Right?  This year was Costner's First Christmas, I was so excited to start some wonderful traditions with him.   As we all know it is not just Christmas Eve and Christmas, there are parties and get-togethers for a week before and the week after.  Costner, Justin and I had something going on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.  I try not to be one of those moms that keeps their child to a strict schedule and I knew with the holidays we were going to have to lenient with bedtimes.  But most moms will agree that schedules help contribute to a happier, well-rested baby and lets not talk about how much happier the moms are when their children are well-rested.  Keeping Costner up until 9pm the first night is okay...it doesn't seem to phase him but come the third night (Christmas) he's a fussy, overtired mess.  Which as we all know leads to a stressed, tired mom.  I'll be honest, by the middle of the day Sunday I was ready for Christmas to be over.  So much so that while Costner napped I de-Christmastized our house.  On Christmas day!!  My mother-in-law was shocked but I was done.  I was ready to have things get back to normal.

There in lies my personal dichotomy with Christmas.  Part of me wants the big family Christmas with Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Grandparents, etc. and part of me wants the quiet three person Christmas with the Christmas-Thanksgiving dinner.  As the years go on I am sure I will find a way to blend both of those desires into one of our own Justin, Costner and Whitney Christmas traditions.

The toy was for Ducati but not anymore!

Costner's First Bike!! 

Costner loves his cousin Allie