Hewes' First Christmas

FLASHBACK

After coming home from the hospital on December 14th, we were pretty much homebound for the next two weeks.  St. Louis was FREEEEEZING this winter and we all happily hunkered down and slept our lives away.  Christmas Eve we finally headed off to church and then to the Van Slyke's for the annual Christmas Eve feast.

10 days old at the Van Slyke's on Christas Eve

Christmas Morning jammers

We spent Christmas morning at our house as a family of three.  Presents weren't really exchanged because... well because we had a baby who took up all of my time and energy *AND MONEY.  Heaven forbid I bring a child into the world without the perfect neutral rug for the nursery.  Survival in such conditions would be questionable at best!

Mid morning we headed to grandma and grandpa's house to hang out with Ben and Molly and exchange some gifts.  Again, I used my child not only as an excuse for no gifts, but actually as the gift.  It worked like a charm.

snuggles with Aunt Molly

Then Christmas night rolled around and the whole Holley family came over for dessert and hangout time.  Hewes was a delight (a sleepy delight) and got to meet the rest of the cousins.  Although it looks like I have my act together, in fact my furry sweater is buttoned incorrectly and in every other shot I look like a dissheveled mess.  Busted.  

It was by far our most Merry Christmas of all.  Very few gifts other than our precious guy.  It put the true meaning of Christmas in perspective.  As I was worried about when to get my epidural and how I would withstand between my cheeseburger and my post-delivery meal, I thought about Mary.  Teenage Mary - sitting on a donkey - bent over with contractions; ready to not only give birth, but to be mommy to Jesus Christ.  How confusing would it be amidst the pain to wonder why God wouldn't even open the door for a comfortable place to deliver his Son into the world?  And what pure joy she must have felt, like every mother, to see the face of her little boy.  What a gift.

Merry first Christmas Hewes