The Small Moments

"Treasure the small moments, for one day you'll look back and realize they were the big moments."

The holiday season is kicking off in full force here in the Dawson household. I'm really trying not to let the little things stress me out.

I'm painfully aware that Zach and Allie, who are 4 now, are in prime "Christmas is so much fun" mode. Painful because I know in just a few short years that -- although Christmas will always be a wonderful celebration -- it is never so magical as it is through a preschooler's eyes. And really, it's not just about Christmas, it's just the growing up as I watch my two youngest round the corner, leaving toddler-hood behind.

I love watching Zach and Allie see Santa Claus with those wide eyes and shy smiles. And the sugar cookies we make with globs of frosting -- half of which lands on the cookie and the other half in their mouths -- and those snowmen made of cotton balls, the everyday ritual of examining the gifts under the tree, the excitement over reading Christmas books. Every once in a while you get a horrible wake-up call that reminds you that these are the moments that matter most.

***

Backtracking a bit, we had a great Thanksgiving with Brett's parents and his cousin Cory, his wife Amy and their two daughters, Hanna and Hailey, who, thank goodness, live here in Arizona.

We had a rainy Thanksgiving morning -- unusual for here -- but the fellas kept up the family tradition of going out to a nearby field for a little football. They came back muddy, bruised and sore. We gals stayed back, babysat the turkey and sipped on some tasty merlot.

We helped celebrate Grandpa's birthday while he was here. Brett, Blake and Nick helped him blow out the candles on his birthday cookie. I LOVE this picture.

Getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner:

A very Dawson Thanksgiving. Still loving my red dining room walls. I thought I'd get sick of them, but I still like the boldness. Zach's ready for some Guitar Hero.

You know when Grandpa's in town, there will be all kinds of spoiling of the grandchildren.

Here's Allie with her Rudolph and Zach with his "Born to be Wild" motorcycle Santa. Thanks, Grandpa! Really ... we needed to hide that Santa after a few too many times of "Born to be Wild." I love the profile of Allie's cute little smile in this picture. And Zachy so into his Santa. So cute. How many more years will they let me put them in cute holiday PJs?

My Allie ... looking so ... so ... not a baby anymore.

My sweet Zach -- the only one of the four kids who helped us decorate the tree from start to finish. The others wandered in and out, hung up some lights here, a few ornaments there. But Zach was a trooper, enthusiastically hanging the ornaments as fast as he could. Zach had the lowest 2-foot section of the tree covered ... literally.

"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other."
~Burton Hillis

Counting My Blessings

I've always loved the simplicity and warmth of Thanksgiving and I've long regretted the way it's become the Jan Brady of holidays, sandwiched between the ever-popular Halloween and the perennial favorite, Christmas.

I have to admit that this year I've broken my own rule about waiting to celebrate the Christmas season until after Thanksgiving has passed. I asked Brett to put up some of the lights (but only because I know we're going to be busy in the weekends ahead), Zach and Allie have already watched Frosty the Snowman more times than I'd like to admit, and in scanning the car radio stations while driving around town, I've even let "Jingle Bell Rock" play through.

But before I continue on my frenzied holiday pace, gearing up for company and then more company, getting shopping, wrapping, shipping, cards, baking and all that stuff done on the two days a week Zach and Allie are in preschool, then flying back home for the holidays, I will slow down and think about all I'm thankful for.

In this post, the big things, the ones that matter most: my family.

1. Brett. This is the guy who's put up with all my complaining and whining over the past 18 months about dragging me -- someone who considers things like switching hairdressers or changing workout routines to be a major change -- to the hottest city in the country. The guy who makes us coffee every morning and gives the twins their baths and reads them bedtime stories while I blog away. The man who, when I call him at 4:00 and say I'm just too frazzled to cook, doesn't hesitate and asks what I'd like him to pick up for dinner.
2. Blake. I'm thankful that whenever he goes to that dark almost-12-year-old place, he always comes back with a smile -- or at least a pleasant tone of voice. Can't believe how fast the years have gone.
   
3. Nicky. I love that when it's his bedtime, he won't start walking to his room until I'm there to accompany him, then I'll turn up the covers just the way he likes all nestled under his chin, he'll give me his satisfied little smile and I give him a kiss on his forehead. He's at that in-between place -- sometimes little boy, sometimes big boy.
   
4. Zach. My teddy bear -- and early bird. The one who wakes me up and we snuggle on the couch and watch Mickey Mouse Club together before the other kids get up. Love to hear the pitter patter of his flapper feet (as long as it's not before 6:30 a.m.).
   
5. Allie. My girl. The one who, whenever she sees me getting stressed out, runs up and plants kisses on me and flashes me her sweetest 4-year-old smile and then everything's OK. I love having a girl.
   
6. Our parents, who are healthy and supportive and continue to pour out their hearts to us even though we're hundreds of miles away. We know it's been hard, and we'll always be thankful.
   

The Best 20 Minutes of the Day

It's a Monday night. No soccer practice. Nick had a substitute teacher, so no homework. Blake -- well he manages his own.

Dinner is over with early, the kitchen is clean.

The kids decide to savor the last bits of sunlight for the day as they head to the back yard. No daylight saving time here, so it's getting dark pretty darn early -- 6:15, 6:30ish.

Two glasses of cabernet are poured. We follow the kids outside and plop down on the comfy outdoor couch.

Allie is wearing her Ariel Little Mermaid bride dress. She and Zach are playing with a jump rope. But they're not jumping. Each is holding an end and they're running circles around the swingset, holding the rope just right so it's tight between them. Their laughter billows through the silent desert air.

They drop the jump rope.

"Come with me, Allie," Zach says, scooping up Allie's hand as the laughter continues and they dart about the yard as a single unit.

Blake and Nick are playing tetherball. No fighting. Just smiles. A brotherly competition. The ball bonks Nick on the head. They both erupt in laughter.

Daylight succumbs to darkness. The air is comfortably warm. A hint of a breeze flirts with us as we finish the last of the wine.

Glimmering stars in the clear desert night sky before us.

"I see stars Mommy," Allie says proudly.

My family. Smiles. Laughter. Fun. Wine.

A beautiful way to end the day.