Countdown to Christmas!

Christmas is in full swing all around the Cross house. We are decorated, our shopping is done (well, I can't speak for daddy), Christmas holiday photos are taken, the cards have been sent, the stockings hung, and we are awaiting our jolly visitor and his 8 friends (who will find our house by the glitter in the yard and munch on some oatmeal while Santa delivers goodies). This year, we have been thrown a sort of curve ball. The week of Thanksgiving my parents called to tell us we would be going to Milwaukee for 5 days before Christmas, returning on the 23rd at 10pm. This has meant that all our holiday preparations have had to be done early. Lennox talks every day about our trip in the "hairplane" to see snow. This has also meant some clothes shopping. Our Florida wear will not work in 20 degree weather.  But we are all so incredibly excited to have a little bit of a white Christmas, see our family, and do some shopping in Chicago. And Lennox is excited about jumping on the bed in the hotel :-)

Mommy is doing a December Daily journal/scrapbook this year. Each day I am taking a picture to document our adventures in December. There is always so much to remember. Like this:

The pure wonder of Christmas for a little boy who finally realizes what this holiday is all about. 

And this:

Our annual visit to Kuhn flowers to see the Holiday display. Lennox refers to it as Santa's Workshop. 

He was very upset it was not open at night and begged for daddy's keys to try to open the door.

And then there are the little holiday goodies around our house. We picked this up at Hallmark to help us count down the days until Christmas. Lennox also has a candy filled Advent calendar. Each night we have to remind him we only get one piece of candy each day when we open a little window :-) 

Mark's parents had an extra Christmas tree this year and when they heard us talking about how we were going to get Lennox a small tree of his own for his room, they gave us their little 4ft tree. Last Thursday we put it up. Lennox helped with the ornaments and the hooks. It is now his new nightlight and he goes to sleep with it on every evening. Santa may even visit that tree too with some Christmas morning goodies for Lennox :-) 

On Friday we went to see Santa. Every year we go to Regency Mall to see Santa. It is the same Santa every year. It is so cool to have a picture of Lennox each year with the same Santa. This year, Lennox was crazy excited to see him. There were no fights or tears or "I scared" comments coming from Lennox. He went straight to him and climbed right up in his lap. Lennox had only two requests for Santa: a Geotrax and an Iron Man. Santa has this covered ;-) But Santa's helper did have to make a special trip to Gran's to trade some gifts since she had already bought Lennox the Geotrax :-) 

This was the scene today. Wrapping paper strewn across our living room floor, some Christmas decorations that are fun to play with, and little Lennox in the middle of it all, playing with his Thomas the Train set. 

Along with all of this, there has also been a lot of watching Alvin and the Chipmunks and singing the Christmas song from the movie. Lennox and mommy and daddy have been enjoying many viewings of the Polar Express too. Lennox says it is is "magic." I love sitting with him while he watches this movie, because for him it really is magic and I can only imagine what is going on his little head, and I wish everyone was as pure in thought as he is right now. I cry at the end of it each and every time and I told Lennox there will be a Santa bell for him on Christmas morning too :-)

Tonight we built a gingerbread train together. I will post some pics later. We are really trying to make the most of each day leading up to Christmas, while trying to prepare for our trip. This weekend daddy and I are taking a break for our 6 year wedding anniversary and going back to our honeymoon spot. We are looking forward to some quiet before the storm of Christmas starts.