Happy

Christmas was fantastic this year. The kids all enjoyed the presents and were really excited. There were few fights considering the occasion. Elise made it from 7am - 10:30am in our totally chaotic house before having a meltdown. I was impressed with how long it took before she reached her break point. I think I reached mine before she did!

After playing with the new toys from Santa all morning, we took the kids to the McDonald's playland and ate lunch there. It's really sad to say, but we've done this for 3 years straight now and I'm afraid to say that it's becoming a Luna tradition. When my kids grow old they can have their good memories of spending Christmas playing at McDonalds - hahahaha. Pathetic! That's what happens when you have no family in the area and 3 kids at home with new toys are a recipe for disaster.

After lunch, we went to play at the park for awhile. The kids all had a good time there. In the evening, we had shrimp cocktail, cooked a pork tenderloin, opened a bottle of wine for mom & dad and had a nice meal. Then, off to the bath with the kids. Elise took the last bath. As I was drying her off, she had an enormous smile on her face and looked really excited. Then, in a high-pitched voice, she said loudly "HAPPY!". It made my Christmas the most special ever. Not only was this a new word for her, it was the first time she's identified an emotion like that. There is no fakeness with her, if she said it, then she felt it completely. Sometimes I think that everything will work out just fine for her and that she'll indeed live a very happy life.