Ripping and tearing: Getting into the Christmas spirit....

Around this house, we've been decorating with snowflakes and lights.  Well, I am decorating and G is "helping" by tearing paper to shreds and trying to "pet" our tree.  We decided to buy a living tree which we have affectionately named Northrup.  He is pretty high maintenance, requiring quarterly turns each week, and 2x daily spritzes, but Jordan, who loves all living things (he's a bleeding heart), insists that I jump on the bandwagon.  So far, this being our fourth Norfolk pine, Northrup is thriving.  I'm sure it's Jordan's dedication.  Unfortunately, we won't be able to take him when we leave eventually.  So I am sure that Margaret next door will adopt him.

We are putting together Christmas cards which will inevitably arrive late.  No matter how early we start!  Soon wrapping will start and the baking of some form of chocolate Christmas cookies.  But after our trip to Texas (see here), where the trees were all enormous and most extravagantly decorated, I realized Christmas is almost here!

The Texans sure do Christmas big with elaborate trees and big wooden soldiers, little electric trains, and a huge Ice Show at the Gaylord Texas in Dallas.  I even stopped into a little gingerbread decorating store and wished I had Gabriel.  I would have let him get icing all over the table and then crumble the cookie all through his hair.

I have to say that having a baby puts a whole new joy in Christmas.  I look forward to seeing his reactions to any lights, music and toys.  And he is by far the most fun to buy for, even if he is way more interested in ripping the paper to pieces and then dragging it around the house until there is nothing left but confetti sized-pieces.  I think he would love nothing more than tupperware and a roll of toilet paper.  And maybe some mummums.