Three Days of Christmas Blur

Christmas was a very happy three-day blur here in Sluiter Nation. We actually kicked it off last Friday with the Potter (Cort's mom's side) Christmas party, but I forgot the camera that night in the flurry of getting Eddie to my brother's house to be babysat. The first party Eddie attended was Wednesday evening at MacKenzie and Dave's new house for our party with Grandma Lynne. Everyone brought tasty goodies and then we exchanged gifts. We also found that Eddie loves to rip at wrapping paper! Oh man...this is going to be fun!

Grandma Lynne gave Eddie a little Santa Claus. Eddie chewed on him while I reminded him that perhaps Santa doesn't bring presents to little boys who gnaw on his leg. Hmmmm....

Christmas Eve held two more parties for the Sluiters: one with the Hulst side of the family (my mom's family) and one with Eddie's Granny Kim and Grampy Ray. Eddie wore his new little elf outfit from his Granny for the occasion. But first we had a visit from my best friend, Tonya, and her husband, Jeremy, from Chicago. We had lunch and a little gift exchange.
Oh boy did Eddie love all his presents from his great aunts and uncles! He got lots of cute clothes and learning toys. Of course, he loved the boxes and paper the best.
And daddy held the puppies at bay. Daddy is usually on puppy patrol wherever we are even though Eddie really doesn't mind all the kisses from them at all!
We took a four-generation picture: my mom, my grandpa Hulst, me, and Eddie
Grandpa Hulst also sat with the available great grands: Eddie and Shayla (Rachel and Kyle's little girl). Jack was at his mom's that night and Brody and Hudson stayed home because Hudson is still too little to leave the house.
We love going to the Hulst side and wish we could have spent more time with everyone! There is just not enough time in one night, it seems! I feel like we didn't even get to talk to everyone! But there was another party awaiting for us!

When we got to Granny and Grampy's house, we had some snacks and then it was MacKenzie's turn to read the Christmas story.
We all listened to the real reason that we all get together and love on each other with gifts and goodies.
Then we tore into the gifts! We all got such great gifts! We were all spoiled with things that we wanted! And Granny and Grampy even were spoiled with two of the same gift! oops! I guess they will get to make a return!
After an exciting euchre tournament, we packed up our sleepy boy and headed home...it was after 11:00 and we needed to get home to bed before Santa came! And boy did he ever stop by Sluiter Nation! Our stockings were stuffed FULL the next morning!

Eddie was SOOO excited to get at his stocking! It was really quite cute to see him lunge at all his gifts!
He was all smiles about Christmas morning. We knew it was going to be fun to have Christmas as a family for the first time, but Eddie and his smiles really exceeded our expectations!
Of course, being Eddie, even wrapped gifts went directly in his mouth.
Eddie got a sled from Santa! He was more interested in the string than the sled, though. He really likes strings.
Of course daddy got Eddie a new Pearl Jam onsie. Ed doesn't fit into the other ones anymore, so daddy had to get a big boy size for him.
After our morning gifts it was time to get ready to go to the Riemersma (my dad's side) Christmas party.
My aunt Linda bought Eddie and Jack matching outfits that their dad's modeled. Lookin' good, fellas!
Eddie got more toys too. He loves this puppy that he got from his great grandma and grandpa!
Christmas evening is always wrapped up for us at my mom and dad's house. Eddie enjoyed a little uncle time with Michael and Chris.
Grandpa and Grandma got him his own excersaucer! He was pretty excited about it...I think.
In all the Christmas fun, our little buddy didn't get much sleep. In fact, he hardly took any naps in three days. Once in a while he would catch a catnap, but he never laid down for a good nap. We figured by this time he would be an angerball crab pants, but he was pleasant as can be!
Oh, and I can't forget to mention that mom and dad finally unwrapped their long-awaited family picture that we had taken by Missy back in September. They were very pleased with the finished product, and I can't wait to see it hanging in their living room.
Before the night was through (but after my dad opened a package with his band saw...yes, this really happened), my dad brought up his antique postage scale to weigh Eddie (he can never just wait until Eddie's doctor appointments). Eddie (with a full wet diaper that needed to be changed and mommy holding him) came in right around 21 pounds! I guess we shall see how accurate this is on January 7 when he has his real weigh in at the doctor's office.
The Sluiters had a FANTASTIC first Christmas as a family. We have a wee bit more Christmas to come with a gift exchange with the Visel family coming up this week and the Sluiter side family retreat up to Northport in a couple weeks. We are so very blessed. Even with the struggles with the economy you would never know looking at the trainwreck of a house with Christmas toys everywhere that we are a one income family. We are so lucky to have friends and family who take such good care of us and love on us!

Thank you to all for everything! From gifts to prayers and well-wishes, they all totaled up the merriest of Christmases for our little family!