Brinley's Only Christmas as the Only Child

As most of you know from my last post we had a lot of "surprises" this past Christmas with our big announcement. However, in between announcements to our different family members we tried to create new holiday traditions as a family. Jennifer and I also tried to soak up everything because this would be our only Christmas as a family of 3! We started the Christmas season by decorating the inside and outside of the house. We even kept a few traditions that we started when we got married. Each year we make a gingerbread house and this year Brinley got to help. We also get a new ornament each year to put on our family tree. This year Brinley got to put her 1st Christmas ornament up on the family tree.

Brinley helping decorate the family tree.

Brinley putting up her 1st Christmas ornament and trying to eat the tree.

Grandma even helped with the decorating. Grandma was in town to baby sit so I could go to the football game in Atlanta.

Brinley really enjoyed making  the gingerbread house.

Jennifer had to work on Christmas Day so we decided to celebrate with just the 3 of us on December 22, which was a day that we were both off from work. I woke up early and made a big breakfast. After eating breakfast we started to open our gifts. Brinley was far more interested in eating the wrapping paper and playing with the tree than she was with the actual gifts.

Brinley thought the wrapping paper was delicious!

Brinley looks really happy to be opening gifts.

Brinley's favorite toy that she got from mommy and daddy. A little Ferris Wheel for little tumbler people.

A family photo after opening Brinley's gifts.

Jennifer got a Cricut to help with  her scrap booking and craft projects.

I got a new grill!

Brinley trying on her new hat. 

 That afternoon after we all took a nap we got ready for our second Christmas celebration with Jennifer's family. We ate lunch and before we opened gifts we made our big announcement. After the initial shock wore off we opened gifts. Once again Brinley really enjoyed the paper.

Brinley surrounded with all of her presents.

Aunt Amanda helping with opening gifts.

Brinley got her very first play kitchen.

MiMi and Brinley.

Aunt Sarah, Jennifer, Brinley and Aunt Amanda.

Our next Christmas celebration started when my family arrived on Christmas Eve. We started our festivities with decorating sugar cookies. Everybody started out as novices and quickly started to get the hang of it. Grandpa was even able to do a cookie portrait of the Mona Lisa, at least that is what he said it was supposed to be. We followed up our cookie decorating with the "BIG" reveal which I was able to record and most of you have seen the footage I am sure. We ended our night with a trip to the horse park to see the Southern Lights. Brinley really enjoyed getting to see all the light displays that were set up. However, I can't decide if she was more happy about the lights or getting to be out of the car seat during the drive through the lights.

Grandpa's first attempt - it says G-PA in purple.

Grandma is deep in concentration.

Brinley even got into decorating.

Aunt Andrea working on her Christmas stocking.

Uncle McKinley working on his sugar man creation.

 Since Jennifer had to work day shift on Christmas we waited until she got off work to open gifts. It was definitely a unique Christmas because we spent the day doing a little bit of everything. Aunt Andrea and Grandpa went to a movie, Uncle McKinley and I went to his house to workout, and Grandma enjoyed some time with Brinley.If you noticed in the next few pictures, Brinley had multiple outfit changes on Christmas. This is because she had so many outfits and we wanted to get as much use out of them because she will only get to wear them once in her life. Before Jennifer got home from work we began cooking our Christmas dinner. We cooked a turkey and all the fixins. After dinner we gathered around and started exchanging our gifts.

Grandma and Brinley enjoying some time together.

Uncle McKinley playing with some of Brinley's Christmas toys.

Mommy finally got home and we started opening  presents.

Uncle McKinley's gift. It even came with a coupon for a free babysitting.

Brinley really liked Aunt Andrea's gift - it's a little ball that rolls away from you so that you crawl after it.

The Heflin Family - Christmas 2012

The whole family got to stick around for a few more days before Aunt Andrea had to return back home to New York. We really enjoyed getting to spend time together. The days that we get to spend together with all of us are getting fewer and further between. I know that Brinley didn't tell me with words, but I know that she really had a great Christmas. I can't wait to spend many more Christmas seasons with all of my family. Next year I am sure that Brinley will enjoy opening her gifts even more and she can even show her younger sibling the way to do things. I just hope that over the years we are able to instill the TRUE meaning of CHIRSTmas to our children. Thanks for reading and God Bless!