A Peach Family Christmas

Mama Cowgirl blogged about her Christmas Traditions, which got me thinking. I've been seeing lots of Pinterest pins on fun (new to us) traditions from Elf on the Shelf to decorating the kids doors with streamers. With H being so little, it is sort of a bonus year - we can try things out and see what we want to keep. We are headed out of town for the actual Christmas Day, so Sunday we will be having a "Peach Family Christmas."

Here is a look at a few things we tried  this year as a family of three.

Visiting Santa & his Reindeer. Our first attempt to see Santa at Small Town Christmas in Monument, Co  did not go well. Little Peach was overtired and we didn't even get close. We are going to try again this weekend at the Zoo. We have had two great visits with reindeer. The first was at the Festival of the Trees in  Erie, PA and the second was at Small Town Christmas in Monument. The boys (Daddy Peach, Little Peach and a few of our friends' husbands) met Dancer and Prancer, while the ladies peaked in a few of the shops.  What can I say? Our little man loves animals.

Cutting down our own tree in Pike National Forest. (Information on Permits and can be found on the  US Forest Service Webpage.)

Tree Trunk Ornament to commemorate cutting down our own tree.
(Easiest craft ever - mostly because Daddy Peach did all the work. Directions can be found here.)

Salt Dough Ornaments. I may use a different dough recipe next year that is heartier. I did love pressing little Peach's hand into the dough. We also did a print of our key. Here is the recipe I used this year.







Our Travel Ornament Collection. As I posed on Mama Cowgirls post, it is so fun to decorate the tree and remember all the fun trips we have taken over the years. Here are just a few of our favorite ornaments.

We are Texas residents!  

Cable Car from a Christmas Spent in San Francisco and the Sydney Opera House from our Honeymoon. 

I lobster Maine- from a combo wedding -Acadia National Park Trip. 

One of my favorite things about Christmas is going to peoples homes and seeing all the ornaments on peoples trees. A few of  you commented that you also have ornament collections. I would love to see pictures!

Christmas Traditions

Well, we sent off a care package for our little guy; it included a stuffed lion and a stuffed frog and several clothing items.  As usual, it was a bittersweet moment, trying to be included in his life right now, with the understanding that we really aren’t. He is simply too young to understand the process and planning swirling around him.  

             The conversations of late has been what family traditions to pass along…which traditions from each of our families should we keep and which should we let go by the wayside and what new ones should we create? 
                So far, the only one we have figured out was probably accidental.  We have traditionally put up our Christmas tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving, (except for our first Christmas, when we were in the middle of a move to our current location).  While my husband and I have exchanged a few gifts each Christmas, we prefer to spend a majority of our resources on adventures…from hiking, to snow shoeing, to sea kayaking, etc.  We want to create memories and experiences with each other and want to pass that concept along to our little guy.  Last weekend, we even went shopping for a kid carrier/backpack so that he could go with us.   Certainly, we are looking forward to giving him gifts and enjoying Christmas through his eyes, but we are really looking forward to the traditions of family adventures.  We are also hoping that we never achieve the National Lampoon’s family vacation status.   

                I’m curious, how have you combined family traditions and/or made new ones?  What kinds of traditions were important for you to pass along, which ones weren’t?  

The Four Gift Rule: Want, Need, Wear & Read (Gift Ideas)

I've been seeing this all over Pinterest lately. I really love the sentiment, although I can't really promise that I'll be sticking to just four gifts for the little one. I do think that it makes a nice way to think about gift giving and organizing things.

Gift suggestions for a baby's first or second Christmas has been a hot topic with my mom friends. I want to do something to satisfy my need to have our first holiday as a family and family members love giving gifts to baby... but I also know that he has no idea what is going on. In general  I try to limit the amount of "crap" that comes into this house. That being said here are 10 gift ideas (based on nothing but my own thoughts.)

1. Citrus Lane - We have been getting one of these monthly packages since little peach came into this world and it is one of my favorite little splurges. These monthly packages are tailored to your child age and are delivered to your door. (Pictured above is the August "Back to School" box from the Citrus Lane webpage.) They have introduced us to so many wonderful products. This is now my go to baby shower gift.

2. HABA Toys - We were lucky enough to get a few of the baby toys at a shower and they have been some of  our favorite. Haba is a German company and the toys are on the expensive end, but my (wiser and more experienced  mom friends ensure me that they last forever. The Magica Rattle has been one of Little Peach's favorites, but I have my eyes on some blocks that can grow with my little one. Haba also makes a few pull toys that Little Peach really enjoyed at  the children's museum.

3. Jellycat Books - My mom purchased "If I Were a Cow" for Little Peach and he is obsessed. I mean he carries it around by the tail and giggles when we read it at night. There is a whole collection of these books. Given his current obsession with dogs "If I Were a Puppy" will be making an appearance in his stocking.

4. Little People Nativity - How can you not find these short little people adorable. I know this breaks my plastic toy rule, but I can't resist. Nativities are my Christmas Decoration of Choice.. so of course we needed a child friendly one. (As a note, Haba also makes one that is wooden and gorgeous, but seems pricey for a baby.)  If the Nativity is not your thing you can't go wrong with any of the Little People set.

5. CitiBlocks  - These little flat blocks are also popular at children's museums. They were also very popular with the two boys of the mom I learned it all from, so of course they make my list. CitiBlocks are the complete opposite of the Haba blocks I love, everyone one is exactly the same and they don't come in a variety of colors. They are great though because little hands can grasp them and you can build almost anything with them. Check out the Gallery for examples.

6.  That's not my... Books - Much like the Jellycat Books these come in a variety of options. We received "That's Not My Plane."  As with other touch books, our little one loves the interaction he gets when we read it to him. It also makes a nice travel companion since it is both a toy and a book. It is a bed time favorite in our house.

7. Hardware Board or Melissa and Doug Latch Puzzle - My husband made the most amazing Hardware Board for Little Peach. Its in our Playroom (which you can see more about here). This is such a simple project - buy a piece of wood, buy some things at the hardware store and attach to board. As early as 6 months, Little Peach would play with this on the floor. Now that he is standing, we have attached it to the wall and he loves it... its usually where I find him when he crawls away. The Melissa and Dough Latch Puzzle is also great - we ran into it at the Erie Children's Museum. It is way too complicated for Little Peach to open any of the latches, but he enjoyed trying.

8. B Fun Keys - These pretend keys took my Stroller Strides group by storm! (And for a good reason.) I have a few sets of "keys" for my little one to play with, but just recently he has realized that these are not real keys. That is where the B Fun Keys really surpass all the other key toys - they look real, without you having to worry about your  keys.

9. Kid-O Boats, Planes & Trucks - Again, I was lucky enough to get one of these as a gift early on. Turns out ... they are amazing. They are cute and Little Peach can grab and manipulate them. I know they are a toy that will last because my husband is also quite taken by them! I can't resist the little floating ducks!

10. I'm reserving number 10 for a big ticket item. There are just so many things out there that your kid may love - hopefully you have a friend who has one so you can try it out first. So this spot is for the the jump-a-roo, exersaucer, walking toy, water table, wagon or kid chair that will take up way too much floor space, but you will love. (We inherited  both a jump-a-roo and an exersaucer and it is like watching a baby go to the amusement park.)

This is also the place I should mention that a very dear "auntie" sent Little Peach a sled - that we have every intention on pulling him around on during the next snow. If that snow should come on Sunday, we will be opening that package early!

Christmas time!

The Christmas season is a little different with a one-year old still living with his foster family across the ocean.  This year has already (hopefully) had a list of “lasts.”  The last time we set up the tree with the ornament s somewhat evenly spaced, probably the last time without some fresh home-made glittery, popsicle-stick kind of ornaments, the last time we can set out certain decorations within arm’s reach, the last time for toyless Christmases, the last time we don’t have to worry about finding a babysitter for a Christmas party and probably the last time for a while that we will sleep in on Christmas day. 

Don’t get me wrong, my husband and I are enjoying this season, but with a heavier heart than usual; we are missing a vital person in our celebrations.   We are sending our little guy a Christmas box in care of his foster family. I’ll include a blanket, some clothes and maybe a toy.  Each set of grandparents is sending us a gift for his room. This year, he doesn’t know who we are—let alone probably get the concept of gifts but we want to be able to tell him that his whole family planned for him for a long time.  The band Third Day has a song that strikes a chord with us…they sing about missing a child who was still in China for Christmas “It is Christmastime again but you’re not home, your family is here but you are somewhere else alone”…it is a bittersweet song. That song brings tears to my eyes each time I hear it, yet I know there will be a day he will be home with us.

What has been fun this year is I have purchased several snowmen families—each family has a dad, mom and a kiddo.  We have been purchasing ornaments and decorations that have a family focus vs. a couple focus.  This year, when we take our traditional picture in front of the Christmas tree we will be holding a picture of our little guy. 

I would love to hear how you’ve celebrated Christmas with a kiddo not yet home. 

First Holidays: Gift Giving & Managing Expectations

When I found out I was pregnant, Christmas was one of the things I was most excited about. I had all these plans for Christmas as a new little family. I now realize that Baby Peach has not a clue what is going on. However, if we are having fun, Baby Peach is having fun.

With this in mind, I've lowered my expectations for Baby peach, but plowed ahead with holiday plans. Here is what is on our Holiday agenda.

Meeting Santa at our town's "Small Town Christmas" - tears and all together fear completely expected.

Cutting Our Tree From The National Forest - the Best Man from our wedding lives just north of us. (Interestingly. His wife and I share a name and profession!) They did this last year with their daughter so they are going to show us the ropes

House & Tree Decorating - I assume Baby Peach will enjoy pulling ornaments off the low hanging branches

Presents Galore - I can't help it! I'm sure H will enjoy the boxes more than the gifts, but I'm still excited about giving H a few things. I've even hidden his wrapped gifts, fully aware he could play with them everyday and have no idea.

That leads me to this question - What Holiday activities are you planning to do with your little one? What will they be getting this year?