All I want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth!

When I was maybe sevenish, I lost one of my front teeth on Christmas Eve. I had lost the other one a little while before, causing a gaping whole in the front of my mouth. Because of my newest prize for the tooth fairy, my Dad taught me the words to "All I Want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth", and convinced me to sing it for my entire family at Christmas dinner. Ever the performer, I followed through- with hand motions, I might add. I am certain that someone got it on film; I am hopeful that the footage has been lost.

Marin didn't get teeth for Christmas this year, and is in fact still a walking toothless wonder, but she did get about everything else plus the kitchen sink! (Oh boy- I am SO my mom. That is something right out of her mouth- she loves that phrase!).

We had a wonderful 14 days together as a family. We were able to visit with our loved ones, catch up with many of our friends, some of whom we hadn't seen in years, and even enjoy some time just sitting on the floor playing dollies and tea party. The best!

Of course, we packed about as much action as is humanly possible into the holidays. My friend, Emilie, called us the "Energizer Patterson's" and true to the name, we kept a full schedule of celebration and cheer. Marin troded right along like a little champ and despite getting a little cold near the end, literally only cried twice.

Here is what Marin's first Christmas celebration schedule looked like:

December 13th: Home from the cruise. Immediately bought her first Christmas tree and decorated it.

December 14th & 15th: Back to daycare. Prepare for Christmas. Do laundry, order Christmas cards, unpack our house.

December 16th: Host my mom's birthday dinner at our house.

December 17th: Neighborhood Party

December 18th: Marin's Christmas Party at daycare. First time she sits on Santa's lap. Not so sure about Santa at first, but his bells are definitely interesting.

December 19th morning: Attend our neighbor's 2nd Birthday Brunch with Santa. This time, Marin is less scared of sitting on Santa's lap, but isn't exactly crazy about him either.

December 19th evening: Holiday party with my group of college friends. Marin had a playdate with her buddy Ryan who is two weeks younger than she. Insert "older woman" joke here. :)

December 20th: Christmas party at Craig, Erica and Kai's. We work out the dowry agreements for Kai and Marin's arranged marriage in 26 years. :)

December 20th evening: We make Marin's First Christmas ornament. As her parents, we agree- there has never been anything cuter.

December 21st & 22nd: Furiously shop for Christmas in a snow storm. Took a few hours out to meet my mom for lunch and sit in the snow.

December 22nd evening: Attend annual Conti/Patterson Christmas dinner at Molly & Brian's in the city. Per usual, Marin is spoiled by Auntie Molly and Uncle Bri, excepting this silly onesie. We tell Marin on the way home that the M's stand for Marin and that "Go Blue" means "eat your vegetables". :)

December 23rd: Attend Martin Christmas at my Uncle Reed and Aunt Jeanie's. Marin discovers her love of bows, wrapping paper and oh yeah, the present are pretty cool too, after she is done playing with boxes they came in.

December 23rd evening: Uncle Jake and Aunt Katy spend the night, upholding a sleep over tradition Jake and I have upheld for as long as we can remember. After a few glasses of wine, we con Jake and Katy into helping Santa wrap presents. Suckers.

December 24th: We leave first thing in the morning for Jason's parent's house. The whole gang is there, which is a rare treat! We meet our niece for the first time, who is just two weeks older than Marin, and enjoy the day watching the girls play together and cracking up at our 2 1/2 year old nephew play the guitar with pool sticks while he exclaims, "ROCKSTAR!!!" Marin is showered with gifts and falls asleep in Pappy's arms. After all the kids are in bed, we play Christmas trivia with fun prizes.

December 25th: Marin's First Christmas!!! We wake up at 5:45am to be on the road at 6:00am. Marin sleeps through the whole thing. Santa and Mrs. Claus wish for the same pleasure. When we arrive at my parents house, we are all thoroughly spoiled beyond what we deserve, although Marin is rightfully treated like a princess and gets every gift any girl could ever dream of, including a piano just her size and Bitty Baby! What's more, my dad finished my dollhouse from when I was a little girl, which entailed hand laying shingles and a trip to the single doll house store in three counties on the snowiest day of the year. He is making a stand, and Marin and I will get to play with it together for years to come, until the day she passes it on to her daughter.

December 25th afternoon: Jake and Katy, my Uncle John and my Grandparents arrive for Christmas day dinner! We enjoy a delicious meal together and watch the snow fall, recounting all those who have shared our Christmas table.

December 26th: Christmas brunch at my parent's house. And, just when everyone has the post Christmas blues, my mom brings out the stockings! A Martin house favorite!

December 26th afternoon: Jason, Marin and I head to Jason's Aunt Jean and Uncle Don's house to visit with the Chilson family, in town from three different states. The kids all run around together and totally take over the house. And to think- next year there will be three more! (Gretchen and Bob are having twin boys in March and Mike and Elizabeth are expecting thier second in May!)

December 26th night: Pappy spends the night!

December 27th: Marin has back to back brunches- first with Daddy and Pappy, then with Mommy and her friends from high school- at the same restaurant! She eats pears prepared the same way at both meals. More ended up on the floor than in her stomach.

December 27th evening: Marin heads to Grandma and Grandpa's for a sleepover and Mommy and Daddy head to the city to celebrate Jon's birthday.

December 28th: Spend the morning in the city. Meet and have brunch with new baby Estella.

December 29th: Jason's cousin's Neal and Nicole come to visit. We have lunch and do a little window shopping in our neighborhood. Nicole brought Marin a handmade blanket that is so soft, I consider asking Marin if I can borrow it for the year- I mean night. Aunt Lindsay joins us for dinner out that evening and sleeps over that night. We have our first fire in our fireplace.

December 30th: Head to my parent's house for fondue and to watch the Illini vs. Northwestern game. The Illini win in overtime! Oskee-wow-wow!!

December 31st: First annual Christmas break luncheon with Grandma at the Herrington, a beautiful restaurant in town, on the river. We all dress up and Marin wears her shiny party shoes. For the record, she does not like beets. But she did love climbing the giant staircase in the lobby.

December 31st: New Year's Eve! Ross and Emilie come to visit! We have our own little count down with Marin at home, before piling her in her snow suit and heading to Craig and Erica's house. She and Kai spend their first New Year's Eve together, even though they are both asleep, under Erica's parent's care, and totally unaware of each other's presence. The adults head across the street to ring in 2010 with good friends old and new.

January 1st: New Year's day brunch with Ross and Emilie. Emilie and I enjoy a little hair of the dog. It's a new year- why not indulge before noon?!

January 2nd: Head to Jason's Aunt Vee and Uncle Bob's house to have Christmas with the Hinrich's family. Aunt Vee is literally waiting at the door with open arms for Marin when we arrive. Great Grandpa Hinrich's especially loves seeing Marin who he sweetly calls "my little girl; the prettiest girl in Chicago". We have a great lunch and enjoy spending the day together. Marin opens her first tea set, and even gets some money for her college fund. Marin officially has more money in the bank that her mommy does. Good for you, Marin.

January 3rd: Celebrate my Grandma and Grandpa Martin's 65th wedding anniversary! The entire Martin family attends church with my grandparents, at their request. We take up three pews, specially reserved for us. We celebrate their love, and all that it produced at my Uncle Reed and Aunt Jeanie's house afterwards. All five of their great grandchildren are there, running circles beneath their feet. And Amy and Ryan are making that six great grandchildren in 2010!

January 4th: Back to work, so I can relax. :)

I have to say, I am a little nostalgic about saying goodbye to 2009. I know it was a hard year for the country, but it was magical for our little family. Marin has absolutely made our lives worth living in a way I never imagined possible. She has made me view every day in a new way, and has made every minute a blessing. We also moved into our home this year. Where Marin will learn to run and ride a bike, and, against her father's wishes otherwise, might bring home a boy one day.

But I know that 2010 will be a good year too. Marin's little giggles will fill the rooms of our new house as we settle in and make it our home. We'll celebrate the milestone that is her First Birthday there next month. I'm sure we'll be busy in the coming year, too. But I extent my wow to this new year as I kept in 2009, to never ever be too busy to tell Marin every night how much I love her, how special she is, and to thank God for making us a family.

We are blessed. I wish the very same for you in 2010. May it be your best year yet