A tradition broken, but a new one begins....

This Christmas was the first Christmas that I was not going to be at my dad's house on Christmas morning.  (There might have been 1 other Christmas morning when Shannon and I were dating or first married but I feel like we opened gifts on Xmas Eve, but left Christmas morning).  Nonetheless, for the last 30 years of my life, I have spent Christmas morning at "home home" (aka my dad's house).  It felt weird to not be there and quite frankly, a bit sad to know a tradition I have grown to love, come to an end.  But,it was a bittersweet ending because, to be sitting on our floor Christmas morning with our son, starting our own tradition with Cam, was a wonderful tradition in the making. 

Cam was 19 weeks this Christmas, so the tradition was nothing for the books.  I'm sure next year will be more entertaining, with a "tradition" of breakfast, music, Christmas movies, and an early morning gift opening agenda.   A 4 month old can't open gifts, although we did put the gifts in his lap and he would reach for the paper.  We would also get him to grab the paper and then tear it open for him.  He liked the noise and the colorful wrapping paper.  Cameron was beyond spoiled by his grandparents and parents.  We have already taken a large chunk of toys to the basement for later use.  I love watching my dad with him.  He is such a proud granddad to his first grandchild.  It really is precious.  It's also hard to take him away from grandparents & aunts/uncles that don't get to see him much, but we like to keep him on his 3 hr routine so when its nap time, it's nap time.  I just wish we had more family time with both sides. Why can't there be more hours in the day!?  

With my family living about 3 hour West of here (Owensboro) and Shannon's family living about 2 hours Northeast here (Vanceburg), it becomes a bit hectic and less enjoyable. We feel like we are rushing through family visits, only to be on the road for most of the holiday.  We haven't come up with the "best" solution to what we plan to do the years to come, but we both agree we want less chaos. 

Here are some of Cam's "Professional" Christmas pictures.  I'll add some from the holiday in the next few days to a separate post.