Ten Weeks

Dearest Joshua David~

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Today you are 10 weeks old .... 40 weeks gestation! Today is your due date, so you're officially a newborn! ;-)

It's windy and rainy outside. You got to see the rain through the windows.

Daddy and I gave you a bath this morning, and put you in a Christmas outfit (your gigi gave it to you). It says "Santa's Favorite." :-)

This morning, daddy's side of the family came over. You got to see your mimi, grandpa Mike, Uncle Brennan, Aunt Katie, and your (Great) Uncle Ned! Uncle Brennan got to hold you for the first time. You fell asleep in his arms. It was so cute. :-)

You got lots of gifts .... mostly clothes, which is good! We're putting all the new clothes together in a pile so that we can wash them all. We've started to move you more into "newborn" size clothes, so this weekend I'll go through your dresser and update your outfits.

This evening, your grandpa Jim came to watch you for about 2 hours as daddy and I went over to gigi's to see mommy's side of the family. We have a few traditions in our family. I told you about the Secret Santa game that we play. We also do a "gag gift" exchange. The first year we did this (many, many years ago), your (Great) Aunt Beth bought a big can of peas and carrots. She wanted your gigi to get it, since she hates peas. But, your (Great) Uncle David ended up with the can. Well, the very next year he brought back the can and we've been passing it around ever since! This year, your gigi got stuck with them.

The crafts this year turned out really good! We were to make, or decorate, a stocking to represent your Secret Santa person. You had your (Great) Uncle Laurence, so you made a stocking with material depicting the Marines!

We all voted on which stocking we liked the best. Your daddy won! He handmade a stocking to look like a bowling shoe to represent my cousin Chris! The prize was a Mickey Mouse mug that plays music. The mug was my Nana's (mommy's mommy's mom!). She was the one that created this tradition of making crafts at Christmas. When she passed away in 2001, we continued the tradition for her and made the prize something "Mickey" related that belonged to her. My Nana loved Mickey!

I read a quote the other day:

"It is good to be children sometimes, and never better than Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child Himself" .... Charles Dickens

How precious that you're our little Christmas gift .... a sweet baby at Christmas .... when our Lord and Savior was born and a baby Himself! Between visitors, daddy and I talked to you as you fell asleep and told you that we loved you!

Sleep tight .... Merry 1st Christmas! :-)

I love you .... my little Christmas gift!

~Mommy