'Twas the Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, everyone was stirring, even a girl our grampa called "Mouse."

We went to the living room to wait with cheer.  "The Man in the Red Jacket" soon would be here.

We were doing what VanDusen do best, cuddling, taking pictures and having a feast, one man in a plaid vest.

When what to our wondering eyes should appear, but our very own Santa (minus the reindeer).

Thomas was so lively and quick, he grabbed on to Erica, so we figured it was another year of fearing St. Nick.

"Ho, ho, ho," he came.  He knew everyone by name.  First Laura, then Erica, then Nana and Drew.  Then Mama and Dad and Thomas too.  *the old guy nearly forgot Papa.
 
Festive headbands abound, and then the real treat, ice skates for the McCollums all around!

That peddler of candy canes had dear Thomas in wonder.   One, two , now three!  He got down on one knee and little Thomas said, "I like this guy," with glee.

When the candy canes were gone, he sprang to his sleigh.  To his team (Dianne), he gave a whistle.  And away they flew, like the down of a thistle. 

But I heard his claim as they drove out of sight, "Happy Christmas is a child who believes; it is truly a good night."

My Favorite Things

I don't know who actually lists raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens as a few of their favorite things.  Our favorite things are more centered around two little boys. 

Growing up, one of my favorite things was decorating cookies with our friends, the Fairs.  We got together with their family and had a blast frosting and decorating cutout cookies.  This year, we shared this tradition with our friends from West Point, the Ahlers.  Bronwen and Thomas had fun frosting and eating cookies.  Mama Ahlers and I also devoured more than our fair share of cookies.  Hopefully, this will be something that Thomas lists one day as a fond memory and one of his favorite things too.

Careful and deliberate

Bronwen also loves frosting

This year, our schedule didn't really work for decorating cookies at Nana's house.  Erica sated our creative needs by bring home make-your-own-reindeer ornaments.

Erica lists this sweater as one of her favorite things!

Finished products.  Can you tell who made which one?

As Ryan approaches five months, he really has few favorite things, but among them, I would list solid foods.  He's tried a handful of fruits and rice cereal with great success.  We've got him on the fast track now and started feeding him whole apples.

One would assume that gifts would be on a three year old's list of favorite things.  Strangely, and gratefully, Thomas is much more focused on the people than the things of Christmas.  We talked about giving a gift to Ms. Laura and Ms. Neyda, his pre school teachers.  He was more enamored with the balloons and singing than the gift, which has become one of my favorite things about him.

Thomas, front and center, in red sweater

I don't remember my mom reading me books before bed, but hopefully Thomas will.  It's an instrumental part of our bedtime routine.  When time allows and the stars align, Thomas invites Ryan to read with us.

What I do remember is my mom singing to me when I was in bed.  This has become one of Thomas' favorite things.  Current favorites on his playlist are "Little Bunny Fu Fu" and an original Kristen McCollum piece, "The Window."

Aunt Erica and I list plaid as one of our perennial favorites and it happens to be in style this year.  I am working on convincing Ryan at an early age that it should be one of his favorite things too.

The year Thomas turned two, Aunt Erica made a name for herself wrestling on Nana's bed.  For a three year old, Thomas has a long memory.  One of his favorite things is wrestling with Erica on the bed.  Pretty sure it's not on her list of favorite things, but she's a great aunt and obliges most of the time.

 NOT on the list of anyone's favorite are two sick boys.  Poor Thomas came down with a cold and had a quick bout of stomach virus.  Ryan is also suffering from a stuffy, yet runny nose and a cough.  They are champs though, these boys, and find the resolve and energy to party and do our favorite thing, be with family.

Checking out Nan's ornaments

Christmas Love

 

Life is Good

The year that Mike and I started dating, I gave him this mug for Christmas:

That was in 2005.  Since then, we've redefined what "good" means (a few times) and added bottles and nipples to that cups cupboard (twice).

Life certainly isn't fair, and truth be told, it isn't always good, but I am a firm believer that life does have a way of setting itself straight.  Because of one twist of fortune about six months ago, the McCollums weren't able to come up to New York for Ryan's birth, despite our best-laid plans.  Strangely, given my health issues directly before and directly after Ryan's birth, this worked out fine because the best pinch hitter in the world, my mom, came to my (our) rescue.  But it was because of the marked absence of Nana Honey and Papa Bear that we all completely treasured our recent trip to The Villages.  It redefined good and we can't wait to go back.

Nana Honey was smitten with this little one as was he with her.  They bonded from the minute we touched down in Orlando.  Nana was Ryan's escort at the farm we visited.

She helped him endure the hayride

Scoping out the rabbits

Thomas tells everyone that asks about his trip to Florida that he played golf, swam and went to a farm.  Life doesn't get any better as far as he's concerned.

Thomas got "real" clubs.  It didn't take him long to master them!

"Oh. My. Goodness!"

Took Mama a little longer...

Thomas is becoming much more comfortable in the water.  This is a good thing since I am hell-bent on making sure the kids learn how to swim.

Jumping from "wicked high"

Ryan supervising the pool activity from his stroller

 Uncle Donald's Farm was so good that it could have it's own separate post.

Feeding a very hungry baby goat

Feeding a hungry humongous goat

Pony ride: tough sell

Pony ride: warming up to it

Much more stable than a pony.

Despite constant loving and badgering from his big brother, life is really good for Ryan.  He continues to thrive at four months, weighing in at 18 pounds, 6 ounces and 26 & 1/2 inches tall.  This keeps him pretty high on the percentile chart and has him at a little more than a pound heavier than Thomas was at four months.  Clearly you can see why he thrives.

Loving from both nanas...

Perhaps feeding him Rice Krispies Treats isn't the best way to watch his waistline, Dad.

Looks like he's bottling up all this "love" for future retaliation.

Hay, Mama.

Last night when we were watching a golf tournament and Zach Johnson stunned the World and Thomas.  How he stunned the world was on an outstanding and lucky shot after hitting his ball into the water on the 18th hole.  How he stunned Thomas was that he could hit a ball into the water and the ducks lazing on the pond wouldn't eat it.  Life is not just good, it's often endearing and hysterical.

"Just a couple of men" watching the 18th hole

Unfazed by the excitement

 

As we are in the full throes of holiday shopping and eating and partying and gearing up for the Army-Navy game, it's good to pause and think about life and how good it is (even when you have to drag a whiny three year old out of the toy section of Wal-Mart or when you are awakened at 4:00am by a hungry baby).  Life was good in 2005 and in spite of the bumps and bruises from 2013, life continues to surprise us with how good it really is.