Our first Christmas

Sorry for the delay in posting but blogger has been giving us issues again.

Jeremiah's first Christmas was great fun! We spent time with numerous family members, saw some friends and enjoyed some relaxing times.

He traveled well on Friday, eating one bottle during the trip. Our Christmas started with the immediate Schnitzler family, where Jeremiah got a wagon, some Cardinals apparel and packages of diapers and wipes (the perfect gift for a 2 month old). He went down very easy that night at 8:30 - apparently all that stimulation was a bit much because he cried for about 45 minutes before he nursed and went to sleep. However, he slept great that night and the next. On Saturday night he went down around 9 and slept until almost 5. This made us wonder what is so different at Grandma's house that makes him sleep like that. On Saturday, he hung out with Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Sandra, Daddy and the cousins while I went to get my hair done. Then, we just hung out at Grandma and Grandpa Schnitzler's house for the rest of the day.

Sunday brought Christmas with the big Schnitzler clan. It was there that he proved that sometimes he just prefers to be left alone. He was fussing for Grandpa Schnitzler so we thought perhaps he just wanted to be put down and we were right. He spent over an hour, just laying on a table looking around, flailing his arms and legs and making faces.

He must have known just what to do at Grandma Todd's house. He was awake for a while, but just as we sat down to dinner he decided to take a snooze. After that, we were off to Church in Derinda - the church I grew up in. Apparently it was time to eat, just as church started. I sneaked back to the nursery and fed him but he got very fussy and I couldn't get him to quiet. It seemed like gas but he WOULD NOT burp. I was worried that everyone in the church was being disturbed so I decided I better take him on down to the basement. Stepping down the stairs must have jossled him just enough because he let out to master burps - loud enough that Grandpa Schnitzler who is hard of hearing could hear them where he stood at the top of the stairs. We returned to our pew just in time to sing Silent Night and he was great through the rest of church. He even smiled during Joy to the World.

Christmas morning was spent with the Todd family. Santa brought another wagon and some great stocking stuffers. Grandma and Grandpa Todd gave him the start of a college fund. He got clothes, books and some other things. We gave him a Gund stuffed animal - somewhat of a Schnitzler cousin tradition. Then, we relaxed and played for the rest of the afternoon. He was a bit rough going down that night - or maybe mom and dad were just tired. : ) Oh, there's other great news from Christmas Day. We got a digital camera so there will be many more photos available to share easily.

On Tuesday we met our friends Claire and Jeremy in Monroe, WI so they could meet Jeremiah and we could catch up a bit. They are expecting in May and Jeremiah is so excited to have another little girlfriend. Then, we made Jeremiah's first trip to Brennan's, where we purchase some good Wisconsin cheese, microbrews and a few Blumer's sodas.

We also made a quick stop at Great-Grandma Z's house to take a picture with her. Then, it was time to head home. Jeremiah slept the whole way home! He didn't even wake to eat until we pulled in the driveway.

That's the word on our Christmas. I never realized how different having him would make all of it feel. I've never stared into a child's face while I cried my way through Silent Night.