A photo collage of my kids visiting Santa Claus through the years. (The "centerpiece" is Meagan when she was three.)I remember Meagan's second Christmas, just days after her first birthday. That was the year her Grandpa Florian (Greg's dad) thought she should have her first tricycle. Meagan agreed, and demonstrated that she knew how to use it by climbing up and standing on the seat -- without even wobbling!
I remember the Christmas she had just turned three...she was sick and ran a fever all day. But she was the first grandchild; I don't think anyone even considered calling off the trip Grandma and Grandpa's!
She looked adorable in her red dress with the candy-cane striped pinafore. She was a little trooper, demonstrating how much she loved the wicker table and chairs from her aunts by sitting in each of the chairs. But you can tell from the photos that her heart wasn't in Christmas that year; those big brown eyes had no sparkle.
...Until later in the evening, when we dressed her in her new red flannel pajamas before heading home. Apparently she had undergone some sort of a miraculous cure, or perhaps her fever had simply run its course. Whatever it was, we were all delighted to see her suddenly running around in circles like a puppy, climbing up and leaping into the air from Grandpa's footstool...You can tell from the center picture above that she was finally enjoying Christmas!
Photos from subsequent years show Meagan posing in front of our tree with her current Favorite Gift. One of my all time favorites is the one where she's wearing her Wonder Woman utility belt, tiara and cuffs over her pajams, looking like she truly had the power! (Actually, she does that every year -- We just don't take pictures of it anymore.)
Meagan made this "self-ornament" in Brownies when she was about nine.Then, by Meagan's 10th Christmas, there was Dominc...more popularly known as Dj. Santa would live on for another decade!
Our holiday photos now featured two smiling little faces, playing with toys, showing off new outfits, acting silly and making us very happy!
(On a sad note, the Christmas that Dj was five, he asked for a Jeep Safari -- one of those awesome cars that little kids can actually drive. Unfortunately, Santa decided that since Dj was a tall child, he probably wouldn't be able to sit comfortably in it for very long -- something Santa should know about -- so he brought him a different present. Dj asked for a Jeep Safari for the next 20 Christmases, but Santa always deemed him "too tall." Ok. I'm kidding. But it really did go on for another two or three years!)
Another precious ornament that finds a place on the tree every year; Dj was in 2nd grade when he made it.I like to think that my holiday memories will always be there to be brought out and enjoyed like a favorite book that is read and re-read. But I can see that most of what I remember (aside from what is documented in photos) is the overall feeling of love and happiness that has always been part of our Christmases. Yesterday was no exception. I hope I find time to blog about it before the pictures start to get blurry!
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