Waiting For Kai: A Very Thomas Christmas

Christmas was wonderful this year as we were able to celebrate the engagement of my brother and his girlfriend Patti!! Welcome to the family Patti!!! I am so happy to have another sister!

Kai really enjoyed the Christmas season this year and loved seeing all the decorations in the neighborhood. He had lots of fun pointing out every wreath, snowman, candy cane and picture of Santa he saw. He understood the concept of Santa Claus, but not really enough to experience the true joy and anticipation of Christmas morning. I think next year will be truly magical for him.

Christmas week started off with the festive and hilarious holiday performance at Kai's school. Each class got up to "sing" some holiday songs. It was very entertaining! One of the songs performed by Kai's toddler class was Mr. Snowman, during which each child got to put one item on a big felt snowman picture. Kai got to place the carrot nose on the snowman's face and he did a great job. Mommy was very proud! I made him wear this sweater vest to school that day, so he looked extra cute:

We did some other fun things together during the days leading up to Christmas, like making snowman cookies and putting together our gingerbread train.  On Christmas Eve day, Mark & Kai stopped by some neighbors' houses to pass out cards and cookies, and later in the afternoon we all went to church. Then we headed home for our traditional lobster and pizza Italian-style Christmas Eve dinner with Joe and Patti. Break out the Strega and cannoli!! It was a lot of fun, especially since Joe and Patti had just gotten engaged a day earlier. After dinner, we exchanged gifts and The Thomas Christmas began. Uncle Joe and Aunt Patti gave Kai two of his favorite Thomas characters: Hiro and Spencer. And they also gave him a really cool Thomas pillow. Needless to say Kai went to bed happy on Christmas Eve!

On Christmas morning, we went downstairs to discover that Santa had brought Kai a brand new Thomas train table, new wooden track, and many of his favorite Thomas characters!! Wow, thank you Santa!!! Kai enjoyed opening all of his gifts and got some great toys and books, but the Thomas stuff reigned supreme. In addition to the train table, track and "really useful engines" that Santa brought him, he also got a Thomas DVD, Thomas throw blanket, Thomas stickers, Thomas expansion track set, and Harold the Helicopter from his wonderful and generous grandparents. Bubbe, Grandpop, Grams and Maw-Maw, you made Kai a very happy little boy, as if you didn't know! Thank you!!! Later we celebrated the day with Grandpop, Bubbe, Aunt Kate, Uncle Mike, Cousin Lily, Uncle Joe and Aunt Patti.

We are very blessed in many ways and thankful for so much this Christmas. I miss the family and friends that are no longer with us, especially those that we have lost in the last couple of years because their absence still brings sadness to me. I particularly missed my Dad and my best kitty friend Alex this year. Celebrating Christmas with them was always extra special and happy. But this year was a terrific Christmas, and very memorable for many different reasons.  We had so much to celebrate. Very happy memories were made and will be tucked away for a lifetime.

Happy Christmas and New Year!