Oliver's First Christmas

Yes, this post is named after one of my new favorite Christmas books.. It is seriously so cute and we are now the proud owners of 2 copies, it's that good!!! What a lucky boy to have his own special collection of books with his name in the title! I honestly think we have been gifted over 20 different books with either "Oliver" or "Ollie" in the title! Never did I know! (Fun fact of the day…) So, on to Christmas!

Ok, so Christmas this year..!!! I will start by saying that we couldn't wait!!! We spent days putting up decorations, shopping for those perfect little gifts, and cleaning every nook and cranny in the house! We had anxiously awaited the arrival of our loved ones since after Thanksgiving. Yes, get the point? We were excited! I have always dreamed of the day that we would celebrate Christmas with kids of our own! I mean, that's what makes Christmas so special and magical and brings back some of the best memories of childhood! We decided that we wouldn't be going anywhere this year for Christmas because per our pediatrician, he didn't want us traveling during flu/RSV season.  Understandable and totally ok with us! So, we told everyone that they are welcome to hop across the pond to Scottsdale. The Oliver family flew in from Seattle and Kansas about a week before Christmas and the Barnsley's came on the 23rd from Albuquerque.  We have never hosted anything at our house, because we've never had space.  So this year, we were pumped! It was so special to us and we were beyond grateful that so many family members were able and willing to travel and spend Oliver's first Christmas with us here.  How fortunate and blessed we are to have been surrounded with so much love and Christmas cheer!

Thanks to the Barnsley family, we enjoyed a New Mexican style Christmas Eve with Posole, Tamales, Red Chili and Tortillas! So super yummy and even though the heat was packed in.. We all were in Heaven and definitely chugging our water! Thank you Debbie and Grandma for perfecting the art of Posole so we could all fill our bellies with warm goodness! What a treat and special tradition! (Ok, so Oliver was SO NOT A FAN the next morning.. Sorry bud..Never again!)

This year I lived my dream of playing Santa for the first time! I was up WAY too late Christmas Eve filling stockings and bringing down presents galore! I can not wait until this Santa team has to be really sneaky and super sly someday! My heart palpitates even faster just thinking about the excitement to come in the future of a Barnsley Christmas!

As long as I can remember, my family has always entertained the tradition of opening Christmas jammies on Christmas Eve.  So, before everyone left, my Mom and I passed out everyone's threads that she and my Dad had gotten.  Each person was strictly ordered to wear their jammies on Christmas morning.  I do recall a certain silly Grandma of ours refusing to do so.. But somehow I have these pictures of her and she did indeed follow her orders! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for being such great sports.. Even though you had to truck through the hotel wearing them… heheh

Christmas morning we made a yummy breakfast and then spent about 30 minutes pondering how we could conquer the tower of presents under the tree for Oliver.  We opened our stockings and then began the madness! I decided to pass around Oliver's presents for everyone to open and what fun it was! What I love the most is how the Christmas magic and spirit never grows old! The smiles on everyone's faces and the ripping of wrapping paper reminds me just how blessed and fortunate we are to be able to give to each other so generously.  If I am certain of one thing, it is this… Oliver Reid Barnsley is one lucky and loved boy.  Ok.. and spoiled rotten.. Yes, you CAN SPOIL A BABY! I don't care who says you can't! This Christmas, it was proven and I have pictures to show for it! As of today I was STILL putting toys away and figuring out where to store everything..Oliver's eyes just light up when we show him something new! It's like Christmas is still "Christmasing"or something like that! Too many toys… Not enough time, what's a boy to do????!

After all the presents, my parents baked a delicious ham and turkey with all the trimmings for our Christmas Linner (Lunch/Dinner).  I also learned this… I seriously miss my Mom's cooking… That's one of the many reasons why I am trying to recruit them to move here.  She always brings her recipes with her and treats us to so many of her delicious home cooked meals.  Which means, when they leave, Jesse looks at me like, "So what's for dinner tonight babe???" Ummm.. Thanks Mom…. Big shoes to fill there!

Even though Oliver was 5 months old for his first Christmas and probably will never remember a thing about it, it was a Christmas to never forget.  With every new ornament we hung, wonderful memories we made, and quality time spent together, nothing can beat that!  Our families are precious to us and just the gift of being together is enough.  Since everyone has left, Oliver has been wondering why it is so quiet around here and why he isn't in someone's arms AT ALL TIMES… Thank you to everyone who made our first Christmas with Ollie so special!

Get Ready for the biggest picture overload of your life! Sorry… Too many to choose from! 

Nana and Papa 

Proud Papa

Our Santa Baby

If this doesn't warm your heart, I don't know what will! 

He has found my hair.. And yes.. he likes to pull it.

Get outta town...

Grandma or GiGi was the baby whisperer!

He couldn't get enough of GiGi's singing and stories! 

Yup.. men in the kitchen? We trained them well Mom! 

Dan impressing the ladies.. oh Dan

Grandpa is just the cutest EVER

gosh i love my sissies

Oliver's loot

pure happiness

uh huh! My hubs is soooo cute

Abbs loved her light up necklace! And so did I.

Winston loves his Abbey snugs

the things I make him do.

hey guys! i made out like a bandit! 

awwww 

Christmas jams with Pandora baby

Gam Gam is soo silly! 

Trophy cupcakes all the way from Seattle

the stockings were hung with care.
(My precious Mama hand made Jesse and Oliver's stockings and
my Oma made mine! I treasure these so much!)

oh you know… just with my Papa

Holy Cuteness

Out for a date night.. 

Aunt Bee is in LOVE

and so is Ollie

Mama doin' what she does

Family pic! 

one of my very most favorites. EVER

gettin' our sugar on

this is them. at all times.

Betty Crockers 

Mom? 

My Twin. My Nortney

Cookie Monsters

Snuggle Time with Gam Gam! 

Christmas Card pic

Aunt Kelly from the NICU!

First trip to see Santa! 

Santa visited Shea Hospital to see all his little
NICU graduates! 

Papo and Gam Gam lovin

another of my very most favorites

His Santa Suit

Oliver loved the Christmas lights

priceless! Jesse and his Dad

Can't wait to start writing letters to Santa!

you better believe i had my Christmas candles ready to light

i love our advent calendar and can't wait
to tuck little treats and surprises inside the pockets

random but I just want to say.. Thank you In and Out Burger
for not being afraid of saying, "MERRY CHRISTMAS." Good for you! 

Aunt Les came for a visit to meet Oli boy! 

Well… it was bedtime for someone, but this was our first fire in our house..
Don't judge, we know we live in Arizona.. 

Warming her tootsies

One of his most favorite places to be! 

can't handle the sweetness..

Christmas Eve service and Oliver's first trip to church! 

We had so many stockings, we had to improvise

Finally had a mantel to decorate

we all consumed MANY cups of coffee

love this pic my Dad took! 

Christmas morning babes

love this girl. so much.

and again.. at it again. 

Daddy's baby girl ;) Can't you tell? 

oh hello!

must be nice to be surrounded by all those women buddy

Ollie loves his Nana

And Aunt Coco too! 

yes. go ahead. you can laugh. i get it.  

oh how i love these girls! and my sweet boy of course

xoxo

please excuse the awesome jammies under Oliver 's overalls! 

my guys

i love you. i love you. i love you

helping me wake up :) so sweet

i mean, c'mon? how adorable is Gramps? 

and how adorable is Grandma? 

so awesome and so chaotic

so much love. 

we have no idea how, but Oliver had wrapping paper taped to his foot..

yes. pure madness! Even Brixie was pooped

family photo 2013

the babysitter did his job well! 

Gam Gam and Ollie looking at our hummingbirds

be still my heart. 

precious. 

thanks Aunt Jasmine for this ridiculously cute outfit! 

Daddy insisted his pants be tucked into his socks….???

Love. 

the dog whisperer

we did a little shopping of course.. but how cute is she?
Seriously? 

Farmer Joe