Ryan's second Christmas

I have to admit, there is a HUGE difference between celebrating Christmas with a 4 week old, and celebrating Christmas with a one year old.  Some of my friends whose December babies were born early, like Ryan, lamented over that "missed," first Christmas.  Ryan spent his first Christmas in his bouncy chair, parked under the Christmas tree.  I was trying to get his attention with the lights on the tree.  He could have cared less.  Ryan still wasn't too sure of us that first Christmas, and his world involved eating, pooping, sleeping, and cuddling.
This year, Christmas was a completely new experience for Ryan.  Of course, I'm pretty sure that next Christmas will also be a completely new experience for Ryan, he'll understand a lot more next year.

Ryan's first Christmas was really for us.  Although we were in that sleep haze, we had this perfect, tiny human being, it was like the most amazing, yet totally surreal Christmas ever.

Ryan's second Christmas though was totally for Ryan.  He gulped in everything. The sights, the sounds, the smells, the tastes.  It was the year to see it all through his eyes.  Christmas this year to Ryan was not about the presents, or the prep, or even the dinner.

Christmas for Ryan meant meeting a man with a fluffy white beard dressed in a furry red suit.  And then, Mommy and Daddy left him with this man for a minute.

Christmas was sitting down in Grandpa's car, and waking up in a really large city.  Mommy and Daddy kept saying "you're in New York."  Being all snuggled up in a  teddy bear suit, and seeing a huge tree with lots of people ice skating in front of it.

Christmas was having Mommy dress up Ryan in a silly outfit to go on a "Santa Hunt."

 Only to find Santa had left his hat on Pooki:

 But, it made Christmas fuzzy and exciting.

Christmas was lights and a giant tree in the middle of Ryan's living room

Christmas for Ryan was playing with Onkel Marcel

And a very fun visit with Aunt Mandy and Uncle Doug

Christmas was going to Oma and Opa's house on Christmas Eve (or Christmas in Germany.)  Where Ryan had his first taste of Würstchen und Spezial Salat, or a sausage and potato salad.  And a visit from the Christkind.

Christmas meant new pajamas, with a green, sparkly guy on them.  Who is this man on my jammies?

And waking up to find the mantle filled with hanging socks for everyone

And gifts under the Christmas tree

Christmas was warm and cuddly

But also crinkly and rippy

And new

Christmas was putting on fancy clothes,

sitting at a fancy table

and trying new, big boy, food, like twice baked mashed potatoes.

It was so exciting and amazing to experience Christmas through Ryan's eyes.  I love Christmas, but for adults, it usually becomes a holiday of hustle and bustle, stress, and exhaustion.  For Ryan, it was a feast for the senses, a time of discovery and love.  I feel so lucky to have such a wonderful little boy to help me see the world in a completely different light.