thankful house

When I was little, I had a friend.  Actually, she's still a very dear friend, but that's irrelevant for this story.

Every year, on Christmas Eve, Rachel and her sister got new Christmas Pajamas.  At least, I think it was every year.  Childhood memories are often unreliable. 

Anyway, I thought this was super cool.  When Ada Bee was a baby, I gave her the first set of Christmas Pajamas on Christmas Eve.  And then I did it the next year.  And I loved it. 

One year, I gave the kids especially cute Pajamas and I got very sad that they would only be seasonally appropriate for a couple of weeks.  And of course with a maximum of 2 wearings before too dirty to wear or else the Department of Human Services would come get me, it meant that they only got 5-8 wearings out of them before they (should....) would be folded and put away. 

So, I thought I should give them earlier. 



But I'm big on the Christmas morning climactic spirit in the air.  We don't open presents on Christmas Eve (sometimes we do one... it used to be the pajamas).  We do it all in one big burst of glory on the morning of Christmas. 

So I thought. 

And I thought.

I sat down to think.

And finally, it dawned on me.  Advent!  We can celebrate Advent with more than just a candle wreath.  We can give preparatory presents!  Why not? 

So, now they get their Pajamas on the first Sunday in Advent.  They get a small treat every night in Advent, but I try to make the Sunday treats a bit bigger.  And the first Sunday is pajamas. 

I love when I realize there is a tradition at my house. 

First Advent Sunday Pajamas.  It exists.  I love it. 

And here they are:  The first Seven Years of Advent Pajamas.  I promise to post Year Eight in a couple of weeks. 

Year Number One; 2004; Ada Brooks 6 months; in my first Christmas Pajamas. 

Year Number Two; 2005; Ada Brooks 18 months; in my little brothers' Christmas Pajamas and Hat. 

Year Number Three; 2006; Ada Brooks 2 1/2; Eason in Utero. First Christmas Pajamas I Bought.  Helen's Young Ages always has awesome Pjams.  These remain my favorite, I think.  Maybe.  Because They're Green. 

Year Number Four; 2007; Ada Brooks 3 1/2; Eason 9 months; These little sweet baby blue things with reindeers are actually George brand.  Which means I found them at Wal Mart.  It pays to put snobbiness aside for a moment. 

Year Number Five; 2008; Ada Brooks 4 1/2; Eason 21 months; Collins in Utero.  This remains one of my favorite pictures of all time.  All time.  My daddy reading on Christmas Eve to my babies.  Second year in a row with blue pajamas.  Ada's was a gown, with ruffles on the bottom,  instead of normal pjs.  Helens Young Ages does it again. 

Year Number Six; Ada Brooks 5 1/2; Eason 2 3/4; Collins 6 months. 

Don't remember where these came from, but I do remember that I had not yet learned to take pictures of three children at once.  I did love that Collins's was a one piece footie that was the same fabric as the pants of the older two. 

And Year Number Seven; Ada Bee 6/12; Eason 3 3/4; Collins 1 1/2;  Old Man Flannel Style bought while in Florida at the Outlet Malls.  Don't remember from which store.  I love these, and I think they can all wear them again this year.