Morgan Kate

I have been thinking of one word to describe our Christmas. So far, I've come up with eventful. Eventful in so many, many good and awesome ways, but eventful in some not so good ways too.

Up until about 4pm Christmas Eve things were going great. We traveled to my parent's house late Wednesday afternoon. My mom and I finished up some last minute shopping and we spent the remainder of the time just hanging out and relaxing. Mostly we just sat back and watched the excitement in Morgan Kate's eyes. She was so excited. Around 4pm on Christmas Eve I began to get ready for the festivites that night - the candlelight service at church and our annual Christmas Eve dinner at Mammie's. Around the same time I was heading upstairs to shower and I heard Morgan Kate crying. I figured she was up from her nap and went in to pick her up. Much to my surprise, I found a baby girl covered in throw up. Ugh.

And all of that fun stuff continued for the next three hours. Needless to say, Travis and I didn't attend the candlelight service or the dinner at Mammie's. Instead we stayed at my parent's nursing our girl back to health. Of course my heart was broken for Morgan Kate. She was so sick and just so miserable. Throwing up scared her to death and at times she would just cover her little mouth and try to keep it all in. I felt so bad for her and there was nothing I could do except hold her. I was also heart broken because we wouldn't be attending Mammie's dinner. I know it sounds silly, but every year our family changes so much and you never know who's going to be at the next Christmas Eve dinner and who won't be. I hate to miss it because it's such a tradition, one I am very fond of, and one we wait for all year. And I also happen to be the biggest kid when it comes to Christmas. It is my absolute most favorite time of the year and I don't like for anything about the holiday to change or be different. Although we didn't make it to Mammie's, Travis did his best to make it special for Morgan Kate and I. He made a huge pallet on my parent's living room floor and built a big fire in the fireplace. All three of us sat by the fire playing, talking, watching A Christmas Story and of course occassionally cleaning up MK's throw up. Thankfully around 7:30 or so the throwing up subsided and my dad and uncle even left my grandmother's to bring us a plate of food.

I just knew we were on our way to a "normal" Christmas. Until around 4am.

That's when the bug hit Travis.

Christmas Day Travis was confined to the bedroom upstairs while all the Christmas activities continued downstairs. Morgan Kate was feeling so much better and was so excited to see all that Santa had left. She loved opening presents and couldn't decide which toy to play with first. We all continued with our normal plans while Travis lay in bed dying from the stomach bug. Of course I checked in on him frequently, but didn't ever stay for too long for fear of catching it myself. (I know. Wishful thinking, right?) Morgan Kate and I, along with my parents, ventured to Mammie's to open gifts and have lunch. And then that night we went to Mama Jean's for Christmas with that side of the family. Not only did we have some yummy food, but we particpated in a Chinese gift exchange and then played this other awesome, fun game which resulted in the winner winning a Target gift card. Unfortunately, I was not the winner.

Around 10 or so Christmas night Travis was feeling better. He got up, ate and he and I sat by the Christmas tree watching TV until around midnight. We had been robbed of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but things were beginning to look up. Until around 3am, when the bug hit me. Are you beginning to see a trend now? I was confined to the bed upstairs for the entire day after Christmas. Later that night, Owens got it and then we passed it to Tommy, Chad and Corrisa in the days following. It was awful. And gross. And painful.

Christmas was indeed eventful. We had some really awesome times like waiting on Santa with my parents, awakening Christmas morning to see what Santa had left behind, spending time with family, eating so much yummy food, playing some really fun games (that I hope will become a tradition) and most of all just watching Morgan Kate and seeing Christmas through her eyes. But then there were the yucky stomach bug moments that we are so thankful are behind us now. Not exactly how we expected to spend Christmas, but we definitely made the most of the situation. And of course, I am already looking forward to next year.

A few Christmas moments I don't want to forget:

1. Hearing and seeing MK point to nativity sets and say "Bebe Gee-sus"
2. Watching the excitement in Morgan Kate's eyes
3. Spending time with my nephew Hunter who is just the most precious little thing
4. Spending time with my entire family - Christmas Day felt so good because at one moment everyone was here -my parents, Mama Jean, Owens, Trenholm, Kyle, Tabitha and Hunter - it made my heart so happy
5. Just watching MK play with all her new things
6. Spending time at "home"
7. Christmas Day lunch at Mammie's
8. Christmas dinner at Mama Jean's house - again, a moment that made my heart so happy
9. Seeing my parents with their grandchildren

Pictures to come. I'm a little behind - just in case you didn't notice. Ha!