Twas' the NIght Before Christmas...

not a creature was stirring...except for mommy looking for a midnight snack and a bottle of tums. the stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that daddy wouldn't fall asleep before filling them with little gifts and fruit!

the children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads. and me in my maternity sized christmas plaid pajamas and daddy now under the covers, are supposed to be settled down for our long winters nap...about 3 hours sleep if we are lucky...

our 2011 christmas mailer. i wish i could send one to each and everyone of you.

i'm sitting here basking in all that will be tonight. rudolph is sure to do a fly by after we lay out our reindeer food; daddy will read the Night Before Christmas and peyton and beckham will leave out their christmas list and freshly made and decorated with love cookies for santa, and carrots for the reindeer.

i'll make weird smiley and excited faces at my kids while my husband ushers them quickly to their room to change into their christmas pj's, brush their teeth and tuck them into bed.

we will wait all of 10.3 minutes before puttiing on our fave tunes and turning the darwish home into santas workshop! i can't wait for tonight!

i'll bake and prepare for our annual christmas breakfast...citrus cream cheese rolls and frittata and the 5 other things we think we need, but don't. sito, gido, umo joe, and auntie heather will arrive bright and early and we will watch my little ones excited faces.

beckham will jump up and down at the smallest and most simple of gifts! he'll run and hug us like he's never seen a hot wheels car before. his spirit and appreciation always makes me happy and grateful for the little life jeff and i were blessed to create.

peyton, will be a bit more reserved, as i was as a child. she will smile, but she'll take it all in and wait for her brother's enthusiasm to stick to her before running around. she'll help pass out gifts to everyone in between opening her own. she'll be honest about what she thinks, which will have me cringing and giving her a lecture, but in the end she will hug and kiss each family member and take her gifts upstairs and start playing with them. i love that she knows what she wants. i learn from her in that way and her sensitive spirit reminds me to be the same.

i'll get sappy and look around at the small family jeff and i have created and a pang of thankfulness will cover me like the warmest blanket ever made.

our tunes will be playing softly in the background, the house will smell of cinnamon rolls , and i'll hear the oohs, ahhhs and laughter and think to myself, 'this is love! this is my family. we are doing it! we are so lucky.'

and i know how it will all happen because it happens the same way every year and it's perfect. a little stress, but hard work and a huge helping of family tradition and love and it's just the way it should be.

and this year is extra special...

kells, thank you for these beautiful memories. love you.

because this baby is already making me so happy. with every kick, hiccup, or butterfly move...i fall more deeply in love with the little one growing inside of me. it won't be long now and i can't wait to breathe in this little baby and tell him or her to it's face how long i've been waiting to meet him/her.

i dream of the moment 100 times a day which is like giving myself a 100 gifts a day. i'm stuck between not wanting it to end because i love being pregnant. even the hard days are good because it's like living in a magical world for ten months and i really don't want it to be over.

we are all excited and maybe a bit nervous too, but i know 2012 is going to be an amazing year.

feeling the love right now and loving all of my family and friends and blog friends too... you all have a special place in my heart.

"...Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

oh, and one more thing...

walking to my box each day is more like a waddling sprint to the box...i practically rip the mailman's arm off before i flash a smile and mumble good day before i bust a sprint into the house and tear open each envelope and gaze at all of the families in front me. thank you for the greetings...they make my holiday so much more exciting! i have lines of mailers and one wreath full and if you don't see your holiday photo giving my home a a little bit more holiday cheer...it's because you didn't send one...and i'm not happy about it;)

have a happy christmas or any other holiday you may celebrate. going to enjoy cooking and my family and a visit from santa...in our home...tonight!

xoxo