Christmas Weekend

Christmas weekend started Thursday night. We went out to grab a bite and some drinks at a new bar in Monona called Off Broadway. It's a cool place with good food and great service. When our waiter brought us our dinner he offered to hold Max while we ate. He walked Max around resteraunt, introduced him to the other tables, and to the other staff members. This was really funny, and it was nice to be able to both eat at the same time without having to juggle a little wiggle worm at the same time.

Friday morning we hung out at home and Max started crawling for the first time. He can really move. That afternoon we took Max downtown to see the tree at the Capital. It's a 36 foot tall tree decorated with lights and ornaments made by Wisconsin school students. Max was mesmerized by the tree and even more by the model train going around the base of the tree. Friday night we went over to our neighbors, Matt & Tabitha's, for dinner and drinks. Max got to play with their 1 1/2 year old, Sophia.

Christmas Eve morning we made the trip down to Janesville to Nana and Papa's. Uncle Ryan and his girlfriend Dana, along with Dana's girls Lainy and Sadie came over. We opened some gifts and watched the Packers get a big victory over the Vikings. After the game we went to Christmas Eve mass at St. Tom's. Max was great. He was a chatterbox, but didn't cry at all. There was a really funny moment, after the first song the congregation got really quiet and Max let out a huge burp that turned every head in a 20 pew radius. His timing couldn't have been anymore spot on. After mass we went back to Nana and Papas for some good food and some of Great Grandma Anne's famous Tom & Jerry cocktails. Max got a really neat gift from Great Grandma Anne and Great Grandpa Larry. It's the Night Before Christmas book that they recorded their voices into, so as you turn the page you hear them reading along. It's a very beautiful gift that Max will treasure. Max fought bedtime later than usual on Christmas Eve. I'm sure this is a tradition that will continue the next several years.

Christmas morning we woke up and opened gifts. Santa came and was very good to Max. He got lots of great toys and clothes from Santa, and Nana and Papa. That afternoon we went over to Great Grandma Marian and Great Grandpa Vic's house. We were joined there by Kelsey's cousin Lindsey, her husband Corey and their kids Lola, Carson, and Ruby. We had a big delicious breakfast, opened gifts, and played games. After that we went to Max's great aunt Justine's house and hung out for a bit. Justine and Dale have a really neat new home on the Rock River. After that we headed home to Monona.

We had a great Christmas season with loved ones. The most wonderful time of the year is made all the more special being that it was Max's first Christmas. It adds new meaning and whole new level of appreciation for to the holiday.