So, when last we left our heroes, it was 2 AM and their sweet coughing angel had just fallen asleep. We went back downstairs and since both the Rose Petal Cottage and the Dora kitchen were just too big to wrap, we took some blankets and covered them up. We figured that to Elise, it didn't really matter whether they were wrapped or blanketed. After the final covering up of the presents and making sure everything looked just so - we collapsed exhausted into bed and before too long (8:00am), awoke peacefully to the rustling of our youngest. Marty started Christmas breakfast (french toast and blueberries) and coffee and put on some carols. Shortly after I finished giving Luke his Christmas breakfast, Elise woke up (8:30am! Possibly the latest she's ever slept) in a good mood. This was a huge relief considering that there was much potential for her to be sick and cranky. We all got together upstairs so we could see Ellie's reaction as she was coming down into the living room o' gifts.
Since it took up half of our living room, she noticed the covered house first and went right for it. She easily pulled off the blankets and fell in love. So much in love that she didn't really care about opening her other gifts (she just wanted to play in her house!) and we had to sort of coerce her to get the show on the road and open her other gifts and give gifts. She was really excited to give gifts - a yoga mat for Meredith and Obama book for Marty - though she really wanted to be part of the unwrapping process (which might be the most fun part). We both made a big deal about how wonderful it was for her to give us something, and she still talks about it so I think our plan worked, at least to an extent. We really didn't get her too many gifts (maybe 6 total) but it still seemed like perhaps it was too many because she seemed totally overwhelmed by it. Of course we did get her a purple balloon (the only thing she really asked for) and while she absolutely loved it, she did ask "Where's the red one?" Urgh.
The second cousins (Emma, Lucas, Kam, Cory and Ellie) their great grandparents
After unwrapping everything and scarfing down breakfast, Marty and I ran around like maniacs trying to get things together for our trip to Maryland, getting showered and changed and packing the car. Aunt Amy helpfully held Lucas while Ellie played with her new stuff. We left in a rush (40 minutes late), looking back as we were leaving thinking that we should just sell the house because we were dreading coming back and having to clean up the enormous mess (toy pieces everywhere, dirty dishes, wrapping paper and on and on). After dropping Amy off with Gram and Grandpa, eating a quick lunch and opening more awesome gifts, we rushed back into the car to head down to my Aunt Linda's house (40 minutes late) for a celebration with my mom's family. It was a fun evening of delicious food, hilarious While Elephant shenanigans and catch-up chats. We barely even saw Lucas, who was passed around from family member to family member and Ellie kept occupied playing with her second cousins Kam, Cory and Emma. Ellie and Kam have very similar 2 year old sense of humors and they had a blast together, "accidentally" falling down, dancing and chasing each other pushing babydoll strollers.
Ellie and her second cousin and buddy Kamryn
Ellie had not fallen asleep in the car on the way to MD as we'd hoped, so we were pleasantly surprised that at 8:30PM (1/2 hour passed her bedtime) she was still running around having fun instead of acting like a whiny mess (which is how she usually is when she doesn't nap). My cousin Sarah and her husband Keith generously let us crash at their house (only a few minutes away from my aunts) which made things much easier for us. Ellie and Kam continued to play at Sarah's house while Marty set up the pack n plays and got things ready for bed. Again, once settled, Ellie woke up coughing and wheezing (this time around 11pm), but we got her back to sleep relatively easily.
Ellie with Shoshana's oldest daughter, Regan
The next morning we spent a little time hanging out with Kam and Keith before meeting up with our college friends Shoshana (and her family) and Jim (and his fiance) at a nearby Chuck E. Cheese. We had a great time catching up with our friends and Ellie had a great time playing with Shoshana's kids Regan (3) and Lauren (20 months). She liked Chuck E. Cheese and we were pleased that she didn't seem to care that we didn't put tokens in any of the toys (probably because she didn't realize that they'd do anything - probably won't get away with that for too much longer). We left for my parents house in 
sleep in the car and once again she did not. We spent Friday night at my parents house, and headed over to the Eastern Shore of MD for a lovely Christmas celebration with my dads side of the family. Between my cousin Jared's two puppies and her second cousin Cassin, Ellie was more than entertained and we had a nice lunch and afternoon of visiting. We'd planned on heading home after this, but did not feel motivated to drive all the way home, so we went back and spent another night with my parents and headed home Sunday morning (then spent Sunday cleaning up our insane house).
Lucas with his cousin Nate
Monday we went to Marty's parents house for a Christmas celebration with Marty's mom's side of the family. We had a delicious dinner and a great evening of hanging out with family. She put Ellie to bed there because we were going to be heading back the next afternoon for a Christmas celebration with Marty’s dad’s side of the family. Our Tuesday event was yet again filled with great food and great company. The final celebration was just as wonderful as the first and we feel very lucky to have so much family to enjoy the holidays with.
On New Year’s Eve, Marty and I got both of the kids 
to bed, watched the lunatics freezing their butts off in NYC as the ball dropped and then headed up to bed (proud and amazed that we actually stayed awake until midnight). It was a busy, exhausting and fantastic week (and a busy, exhausting and fantastic 2008!) We are excited about all the wonderful things that 2009 has in store for the Molloy family.
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