December 18, 2011-Dennie Family Christmas

Highlights from today: (Click here for pictures)

• I don't know how long this post will be but at least scroll to the end.  I have a pretty good Campbell story.  (If I don't forget it).
• So when I left you last  night, it was 10ish and I was hoping that we had a good night and thankfully, we all slept well.  We never woke up until Anderson climbed in our bed at 5 and then we all slept until 7ish.  Keaton even slept all night long (woo hoo).  At 5, Anderson wanted milk and I made him wait.  At 6, Anderson wanted milk and I gave him some water.  At 7, Anderson wanted milk and let him have it.  
• He seemed much better this morning and started playing pretty early.  Maybe just a bit sluggish but not too bad.    He even had some breakfast but didn't eat too much (though we deviated from our new normal of Sunday donuts and had cinnamon rolls-and Anderson doesn't like too much change).  Robby said he would stay home with Anderson so the rest of us started getting ready.  
• Campbell still has her horrible cough (it was bad, gotten lots better and now very bad again).  So we decided that she could stay at home as well.  They all had a pretty uneventful morning-including doing some laundry, reading a book, playing with toys and Campbell busied herself pulling out all of the markers.
• Keaton, Graham and Reagan and I headed to church.  I guess that I will dress Anderson and Campbell (well, and everyone else as well) up in their dressy Christmas clothes on Christmas Eve for church since two didn't get chances to wear them.  Though, the three big ones have the exact same Christmas clothes as last year, Campbell would have worn an old Christmas dress of Reagan's and Keaton's little outfit was being worn for at least the 4th Christmas.  I love that-how nice it was not to worry about Christmas clothes!!  Speaking of clothes-Keaton had on the cutest little white bow today and I so wanted a pictures.  We will next time but she was adorable and I really don't like bows so that is saying alot.
• I got all of the teacher goodie bags delivered along with Keaton and Graham to their classes and then Reagan and I went to big church.  Grannymom and Grandpa had room by them so we squeezed beside them.  Reagan busied herself drawing pictures for the entire Dennie family that would be at the Christmas Circle later in the day.  
• After church, I took Reagan to class and then wondered around the halls since I didn't have nursery duty.  There are lots of people to chat with in the halls and I stayed pretty busy until it was time to pick up everyone (I did pick them up a bit early).
• Graham was so worried about Anderson-no, not that he wasn't feeling great but that he might miss his presents at Grannymom's house.  As we had pulled out of the driveway this morning, he hollered toward the house that he would bring the presents home (though one year a few kids ago, Robby did have to miss Christmas Circle due to the stomach bug and we did have to bring his presents home.  That was the year that all of his presents had light timers in them.)  I tried to explain to Graham that they would meet us at Grannymom's house but it didn't sink in because on the way there, he was still talking about getting the presents to Anderson.
• Actually, Reagan and Graham were worried about Anderson being sickly.  Last night, during his event they had gotten out of the bed and were watching it all happen in the bathroom floor.  I don't know how they knew to come running.  They actually probably heard me and Robby repeat over and over "it's okay, it's okay" and really, whenever we tell the kids "it's okay" repeatedly, it usually really isn't okay at all.  The first words out of Reagan's mouth this morning were asking about Anderson.
• We arrived at Grannymom's just a few minutes before Robby, Anderson and Campbell.  We all had lunch (BBQ) and the kids (all 9 of them-Jenna doesn't count as a kid anymore) were very anxious to open presents.  They did play for a few minutes and even sang a few Christmas carols while the grown ups were finishing eating.  
• We started opening presents.  The youngest always goes first.  We all did get a good laugh because the first few of the kids gifts didn't really excite them.  Anderson pulled out a robe (which he needs and will love since his rear end shows with his robe it is so small).  Graham got a steering wheel for the tree house and didn't really understand what it was.  Reagan opened up a gift card which excited her but really is that fun (right now).  The gifts were all perfect and just what we had asked for.  
• Here is a run down of gifts (the ones I can remember): Keaton-diapers, phone toy, swing for the yard (actually a gift for all the Dennie kids), state map to mark off the states she will travel to and passport stamp book for her future visits to national parks. 
• Campbell-doll house pieces, a unicorn pillow pet, socks, a building fish toy, a set of horses and a birthday gift of a Dora doll
• Graham-a steering wheel for the tree house, train, a book, motorcycles, a penguin happy napper and socks
• Anderson-a robe, telescope for the tree house, socks, a dragon happy napper, army men and a birthday gift of Nerf guns.
• Reagan-American Girl gift card, money for American girl, American girl outfit and a make your own quilt kit
• Robby-remote weather station, rake, t shirts, safety glasses, propane gauge
• Tara-Target gift card, Ikea money, Ikea gift card, art calendar and labels for my label maker 
• We all did leave with quite a haul and I laid the kids gifts out in the school room for them to see/play with tomorrow.  Reagan is ready to make her quilt in the morning and I am pretty excited about that too.  After we finished opening presents, all of the kids started ripping into things and playing with their toys-we played yahtzee, operation, headbandz, along with probably all of the other toys.  We had a group picture outside and the boys and Campbell all played ball outside. 
• Soon it was time to open birthday presents.  Anderson and Campbell each had one and Les had a few for his birthday on Christmas day.  Shelley's birthday was today and then we all celebrated birthday's with a few pieces of pie (or at least I did)
• They all played hard all evening and soon it was time for us to head home.  Robby had a Kroger to do so he left a few minutes early.  We loaded up (Robby had already loaded up one car load) and we headed off.  The kids couldn't stop talking about the day.  I truly hope that they realize (and I know they will eventually) that Christmas is not about the presents but about spending time with family.  All the cousins really enjoyed playing together today. It was just a great day-love days like today.
• Campbell was sound asleep by the time we made it home.  But getting her out of the car woke her up so she had a shower.  We were hoping the steam would help her cough and hopefully it did.  While she was showering, Keaton was snoozing and Graham and Reagan were running around the house with their happy nappers.  Poor Anderson had hit a wall and fell sound asleep on the couch.  Later we walked in and he had moved to the floor.  We have just left him there-we are sitting on the couch with our feet on the coffee table and he is laying under our legs between the couch and coffee table.  He is just probably exhausted from last nights bug and the busy day.  Who isn't?
• So, I guess you stuck around for the Campbell story.  Campbell will be 2 on Wednesday but she is unlike any of our other kids when they were this little in that she can get her clothes on all by herself.  She will change clothes during the day, put anyone's clothes on that she can find and is constantly changing her shoes and socks.  So at Grannymom's house after lunch, Campbell had a wet diaper and I took her in the bedroom to change.  I laid her on the bed, changed her diapers and when I was pulling her dress down I noticed something....she had on a grey and black striped dress but this was something white and grey around her waist.  I lifted up her dress to inspect and what did I see....a pair of my panties around her waist.  Remember I told you that they had worked on the laundry earlier in the day.  Well, I guess she thought she needed some ladies underwear on-thank goodness   she didn't go to church like that and her Sunday school teachers discover my underwear around her waist.  We would have had to change churches.  I can not believe that my 1 year old wore a pair of my underwear most of the day long!  When we say Campbell is a mess, people really don't believe us.  But trust me, we mean it-the child is a mess!