Christmas in New Orleans

We braved the holiday insanity to meet up with Gillian and Addie's Nonni and Grandaddy and Auntie Kim and Uncle Joey in New Orleans for Christmas. Aside from getting to the airport a full two hours before the flight...and having to be corraled to random airport hallways because the line was so long...and being told I couldn't get through security after all that with 30 minutes left before the flight was to leave because the ticketing agent didn't give me a boarding pass for Addie (lap child)...and I literally had to run back to ticketing to beg the agent to help me (and her *almost* NOT giving me the boarding pass because we didn't bring proof of Addie's age), and running back just in time to join Sean and Gillian at the front of the security line, then sprinting to the gate....well, things were great besides that.

Suzi picked us up in New Orleans, and remarkably on this trip not a single suitcase or child seat went missing...though sadly, we left our portable DVD player on the plane. We immediately went to a great Po Boy place for lunch. The kids were totally jazzed to see their grandparents, and we were all thrilled to get some food. Then we headed for an absolutely beautiful house in the Garden District that Bill and Suzi rented for a few days so we could all stay together and get some truly quality time together (in lieu of separate hotel rooms). The house was meticulously renovated, and in beautiful condition. Even better, the owner has a child about Addie's age and it was completely stocked with a gorgeous crib, changing table, high chair, and lots of fun new toys :-)

There was even a swing on the porch for Addie!

The first order of business when we arrived was a nap for the girls. Addie protested some, but she had been up for 9 solid hours and it didn't take long until she gave up and went to bed. Gillian was harder-she was so excited to see the grandparents she could barely stand to sit still. I had to go lay down with her to get her to rest, and in spite of myself, I went to sleep too...it couldn't be helped...it was the most beautiful and bright master suite that had giant windows and the french doors open, and white carpet and crisp white sheets with a warm cozy duvet and a cool breeze from outside. I felt like I was in a Tide commercial. In fact, it was such a great nap that we woke up when it was dusk and we did it every day we were there. Suzi was smart to bring some toys for the girls, including a sweet little doll that belonged to Kim that had a dress that matched Gillian's Christmas dress, and she also brought a little tree that they had a blast decorating:



Friday was Christmas Eve, and we started the day with Cafe DuMonde because we could. Beignets and cafe au lait were in order. Addie approved!


Then Nonni and Grandaddy took the girls out for some duck feeding and a trip to the zoo. Sadly, the camera batteries didn't make it past the duck feeding. Sean and I got to lounge around, take a bath in our sunken marble tub, and then go out to Casamentos (awesome (and divey) New Orleans oyster bar).

Lunch

Addie and Grandaddy feeding the ducks

Enjoying the ability to REST, for the first time not squandering the opportunity, we all took another luxurious (2+ hours) nap before a truly beautiful Christmas mass at 4pm. After mass we headed to Adee's for the annual Christmas Eve Party. Gillian was a little intimidated by the number of wild second cousins running crazy around the house, but Addie was in her element. It was nice to catch up with everyone attending, and introduce Addie to the larger family. Of course, Santa made an appearance, and it was the first time Gillian willingly sat on his lap (Addie, not so much). Of course, Gillian saw all her cousins go first and get a great gift, so that might have fueled her willingness to comply. The giant vat of etouffe filled the house with unimaginable aromas and dinner was fantastic, as always.

Gillian with Santa

Adee and a few of her 35 Great-grandchildren

The Family

Addie with her great-aunt Adelaide and Great-Grandmother Adelaide (3rd generation Addie (Gaudreau) Glasser-Sean's gorgeous cousin-not pictured)

This year, I chose to not be a stick in the mud and do the whole Christmas thing-completely. We looked for Rudolph's blinking red nose in the sky and when we saw it on the way into the house, Gillian was convinced we should all urgently go to bed because Santa wouldn't come if we were awake. So we hurriedly put out cookies and milk and she didn't even want books or a snuggle she was in such a hurry to go to bed. So, to bed she went. We had to tell her Santa was leaving the monster gift at our house in Chicago (because he knew it was too big for the airplane) so the Disney Princess Palace had to wait. The kids were wiped out anyway, so it wasn't nearly as hard as I expected getting them to bed.

Christmas morning was just magical and so much fun, and it was great to spend it all together. The girls got some quality time with Auntie Kim and Uncle Joey, and it was fun to just mill around and get ready leisurely for visiting Adee. The girls had their dresses from last year, which because they are both so tiny, they can still fit in, so they wore them for Christmas.

We went to Adee's and Addie fell asleep as we arrived, but was pretty jazzed once we got there. It was a more intimate lunch with Adee, and Suzi's sister Lisette, and it was really nice (Turkey Florentine, apple crisp, and salad). We then headed to Bill's sister and brother-in-law's house and it was mayhem. Sean's three cousins (Gordon, Jim, and Brian) were there with Gordon's wife Marcy and son Connor (11 months). The O'Learys know how to party and the party was underway. They didn't even hear the door things were so loud! But we had fun letting Gillian see them again and get to know them a little better (they had never met Addie). We headed back to the house for-you guessed it-a nap (at least for the kids and I; Kim, Joey and Sean went back to the O'Learys'!), and woke up just in time for some delicious grilling, compliments of Bill. After dinner Addie entertained us with some choreography. It was amazing how she did the same movement at the same part of the song over and over again...we almost killed ourselves laughing, too.

People drinking wine and entertained by dancing baby (wouldn't be the first time, right?)

Sunday came too fast and we headed to the airport amid many reports that it would be an act of God to get to Chicago. It wasn't as stressful getting to our gate this time because our neighbor Darla scanned Addie's birth certificate and emailed it to me, and it's a smaller airport. We did have some delays, but a few hours is nothing compared to some families stuck on tarmacs or in airports for all of Sunday. We got home with two exhausted little girls and Darla picked us up from the airport. Unfortunately a Bear's game was letting out and the trip home took twice as long as normal, but we got home safe and sound.

It was a wonderful, but too short, trip. The house is the way for us to visit when we're outside of Jacksonville or Tallahassee. Bill and Suzi did so much to ensure everyone's comfort, and we truly appreciate everything they did! Once again we were reminded of the multitudes of ways we are blessed...family is the greatest of those.