The Sink Family!: The First Merry Little Christmas

As soon as we digested the turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie, we dove head-first into Christmas trees, Christmas music, and the magic of the season. I have to say: it was fantastic. I enjoyed each and every day of listening to the girls play with jingle bells, decorating the tree, and shopping for a few small items for our ladies. So let's get right into the picture montage (because I've already forgotten what to say, and if we don't get to it, then it'll never happen).

Right around Thanksgiving, the girls were not feeling well, cranky, and slept like heathens. So we asked my mom if she would have the twins for a sleepover. We've been meaning to do it for months now, but something keeps coming up. We finally got our first night alone - no baby monitors, middle of the night paci-pop-ins, and no set wake-up time. We went out to run a few errands, and around 6pm needed to go to Wawa for caffeine to make it to 9pm!

happy, tired, but no babies!

We took the girls to get our Christmas tree! Their very first one.

perfect tree - and perfect ladies

"I like this one Ella!" -S

Walking around and looking at the pretty poinsettias while they wrap up the tree

I've seen an idea on Pinterest that I like - a Christmas Eve box filled with a movie, hot chocolate and popcorn, and Christmas PJs. I like it, but why not wear Christmas PJs and watch Christmas movies all month long?! So I've adapted the tradition to a box on the day we decorate our Christmas tree! Ella and Sydney had no clue this year, but maybe one year they'll be excited for their box of goodies.

The Night Before Christmas, cute PJs, and a true Christmas Classic - Home Alone

I found this gorgeous book, and of course had to write them a special little message for every Christmas to come

the movie came with this awesome hat that Kevin wore in the film, hilarious.

Rub a dub dub, two babies in the tub! Look who is finally sitting, splashing, and playing in the tub!

and there she is - a beautifully decorated tree, and the twins' first one. I love looking at the ornaments and remembering where they all came from... fun memories :)

look at the pretty lights!

I love going to wake the girls up each morning and seeing their sweet smiling faces! Starts my day off right (even if it's too early :) )

I mean, come on

I spy two babies in their parent's bed

the great pacifier wars

Of course I had to take some pictures of Ella & Sydney in their cute Christmas PJs in front of the tree!

Daniel's old friend and previous boss, Bobby, married Lisa. Daniel was honored to stand by him on his special day. The wedding was located at the gorgeous Mill at Fine Creek - the decorations were stunning and the food was delicious, despite the bride being a B word.

Then we took the girls to see Santa! We stood in a ridiculously long line for the "Legendary Santa", Daniel's requirement, not mine. They were unimpressed and asked us what the big deal was all about :) But they asked Santa for new pacifiers and soft carpet in the Family Room... good thing the big man delivered.

And to top off an awesome Christmas-filled day, we went downtown to look at lights with our FAVORITE twin family - the McCords! Not only did we have a great time with them, but we were quite the circus act with two double strollers filled with babies. We had some fun with it and casually told a few onlookers that they were quadruplets. I mean, you've gotta get down on the same level as some of the dumb questions you get, right?? LAUGH PEOPLE.

Anywho, we had so much fun, the lights were gorgeous, the babies were cute, and the adults laughed.

We found Santa... a random guy, and his wife (the elf) were just hanging around waiting to make kids happy. It's either cute or it's creepy, depending on how you look at it. I feel better about the situation since he was accompanied by an elf.

Santa #2 of the day.... at least we didn't have to wait in any lines

happy Ella loving the pretty lights

and Sydney, too!

The Sink family + rudolph

Ella, Hollis, Mary-Grace, and Sydney!

in front of the massive and gorgeous Martin tree

We had a stuffed-up Sydney who couldn't sleep well, so she crash-landed next to me. I love my Christmas tree in our room that provides just enough light :)

happy girls and their daddy - whom they just adore!

could Daniel and Sydney look any more alike?

Sydney is SUCH a daddy's girl!

Since Sydney has started scooting around, and one day I lost her because she made her way into the kitchen, we decided to put Twin Central Station to good use - as a playroom! We cleaned it up, removed the itty-bitty-baby things, and stuck the girls there. Here they are, playing with some new toys and 'watching' a Christmas movie.

Derek & Kelly had a Christmas party to go to, so we had a big cousins bash.

we TRIED to take a good picture of the grands for my parent's for Christmas... and this was the result. Abby looks crazy, the girls are looking at her like she's lost her damn mind, and Seth is just doing his thing in the back.

Then we did some secret Christmas crafting - salt-dough ornaments as gifts for Kelly and Derek and my parents. Huge success!

After the littles went to bed, Abby helped me with a project to prep for the baptism the next day. She is also obsessed with Star Wars, so she hung out with Guncle and watched her favorite new movie.

two of the cutest & cleanest little monsters that you ever did see

happy babies looking ADORABLE in their new outfits from Aunt Robin <3

I hope your season was as merry and bright as ours!

We have so many friends having babies right now, which we just love! And not only are they having babies, but they are moving closer to use, which means lots of visit and play dates.

Ella, Alice, and Sydney

all the babies! Huxley, Sydney, Ella, and Alice

I got the crazy idea to get some cute pictures as a Christmas surprise for Daniel. I love sleeping-babies pictures, but who can get that from two 8 month olds? Well, I can get it, as long as it's late in the evening and said 8-month olds have been sleeping for a while! It was so much work, lots of sweating and hoping that everyone stayed asleep and in position. I'm THRILLED with how they turned out, and not only did Daniel have a surprise on Christmas, but many family members did, too! Since we gave them The Night Before Christmas, I found a cute wooden plaque, and that was the theme :)

Picture perfect. My sister found this amazing app that turns photos into paintings, and it was perfect for a peaceful Christmas portrait. Can't wait to frame it and have it as a staple on the mantle for many Christmases to come <3

it's the Ella & Daddy show

Remember those salt dough ornaments I worked on during the Cousins Christmas bash? Here are a few I painted.. I love how they turned out!

And before we knew it, Christmas Eve had arrived! Daniel and I continued our tradition of celebrating Christmas Adam/our engagement anniversary by enjoying alone time and good food at Bonefish. We woke up the next morning and had pancakes and pajamas with some of Daniels family, and the girls took a glorious [and cute!] nap. Since they sit up now, sometimes they fall asleep with their heads right in between their legs. Exhibit A: Sydney. Or they just roll to the side because their Buddha belly gets in the way. Exhibit B: Ella

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

Then after a couple of naps, some downtime, and the quietest Christmas Eve we'll have for a long time, we packed it up and headed to my moms for dinner + celebrations with my Granma. We decided (and by we I mean Kim decided) not to go to Daniel's moms for her annual Christmas Eve party. It's a tough decision to make, cutting out something that you love doing, but I'm adamant about protecting our family and making our own traditions. It was important to me that we were home by bed time - so we could get into Christmas PJs, read The Night Before Christmas, and tuck the girls into bed. So we enjoyed the chaos at my moms and headed on home for Santa to come.

Okay, let's be honest, Santa didn't really come, but that's what we're supposed to say, no matter how old/young. Well, according to the song, you have to be ages 2-92. So 8 months is definitely younger than 2, so Santa didn't come.

Anywho, back to my mom's. We took some cute cousins pictures with the girls wearing dresses that Grandma Stella made - how special! Ella's dress was worn by many Staley cousins as well as Abby's dress. Grandma Stella made the dress Sydney is wearing recently, because girls need to match! She's such a talented person, and we just love her to pieces.

Then my parents wanted a cousins picture in front of the tree in a Radio Flyer. Such a cool idea, right? Nice in theory, but when it's 80 degrees in the house, the almost-4 year old won't cooperate, and the almost-6 month old can't sit up yet, it's a disaster. A cute disaster :)

Everything about Christmas Eve at my mom's was a beautiful disaster. It was chaotic and loud and beautiful. For the first time, we had three babies sitting in high chairs around the dining room table which was a puzzle to figure out, made it impossible to move around the table, and beautiful. We kept stopping, looking around, and laughing. Because it was so crazy, and so awesome. Then my dad tried to put on the traditional Neil Diamond Christmas album (that we listen to EVERY Christmas Eve meal... and he's had 365 days to work on it). He couldn't find the music, then when he thought he did, it was just regular Neil Diamond and we all belted out "Sweet Caroline...bum bum bum!!!" and laughed hysterically. I love that there are so many babies and so many fun and chaotic moments.

not pictured: Kim (photographer) and Ella (someone put baby in a corner). Seth is hiding, but he's there.

Then we went home for Santa. Or not Santa. Whichever you prefer.

After a relatively restful night, we woke up on to a peaceful Christmas morning. I'm sure in several years, there will be so much excitement and chaos, which I can't wait for, but we enjoyed out little twin babies. We had to wait a few minutes to open presents because babies have no concept and want to eat! After bottles, they each opened two presents - one wrapped and one bag with tissue paper. They did great on both, but I think the tissue paper was probably the biggest hit. They didn't get much (because let's be honest, diapers and formula all year-long is a big enough of a gift), but really, they don't need much. And as for Daniel and I - we have them, and each other. There isn't anything better in the world. We did get each other a few small things including an ornament (we do that every year) and something cute from the twins, and then as a family gift, we had new carpet installed :)

Christmas morning! Daddy had to check to see if Santa came (or did he??)

look! a new pacifier! it's Ella the Elephant :)

And all Sydney wanted for Christmas was a hippopotamus, so she got just that! A purple one!

and in true #doublesinks form, they wanted to share pacifiers

Ella won

opening another present while sucking on their favorite one! haha

Daniel surprised me with the most beautiful Christmas craft

After opening a few gifts, eating our traditional sausage casserole breakfast, and getting ready - we headed to Grandma's house, stop #1, the Sink family.

Grandma Georgia gave the girls the cutest personalized stools. Sydney shocked everyone when she decided she wanted to stand up - all on her own - in the middle of lots of onlookers!