A Tale of Two Papas...

...and Christmas 2007.

For those who speak Army, today is the end of max/block leave, and for us, the end of "Christmastime". It's been an amazing season around our house. I can't believe the difference it makes, living this season alongside a child. C's catch phrase has been "I likey Christmas." It's so cute.

Our house seemed to have a revolving door. The Wong grandparents arrived on the 23rd, my sister on the 24th, and my parents early Christmas morning. C was so excited to see each and every one of them. One of the most priceless moments was after my parents arrived for the morning, and C was playing with Papa and Grammy Lippert and then Richard and Anita came over from their hotel. Casssie looked at my dad and pointed, saying, "Papa," turned to Richard and pointed at him and said, "Papa." She looked again at my dad, pointed with a "Papa," and back to Richard again. She repeated one more time, getting more excited with each "Papa." Finally, she exclaimed, "Two Papas!" This discovery thrilled her to no end.

Perhaps my favorite moment was the one I did not expect. Every time a package arrived, or she saw a present-type package, C has wanted to open it. We'd tell her she had to wait until Christmas. Then, we put the package in the storage room, where we kept all the Christmas gifts until we were ready to open on Christmas morn. I expected C to clamor to open each one as it came downstairs, so I took her aside while F and Rachel brought the gifts for everyone to the living room. I fully expected a wide-eyed, eager reaction to the pile of gifts, perhaps with a run to them. My expectations were unfulfilled. It was beautiful. When I brought her into the room, and put her down, she ran first for her grandparents, exclaiming Papa! (even for her grandmas...it took a bit for her to figure all the people out) and hugging each of them, over and over. F and I actually had to pick her up and put her in front of the gifts and encourage her to open them. It was beautiful.

The day after Christmas was so much fun! F's aunties drove up from Southern California to see all of us, since Richard and Anita were here. F cooked a tasty steak lunch and we played some games while C napped. We laughed so hard! However, Auntie Jennie strongly objected to the use of gestures while playing "Catch Phrase." We're thinking she needs a coach's challenge flag.