the Hugger

4 more days 'till Frisbee the Elf on the Shelf goes back home (at least for a while).
4 more days 'till the threats of "behaving or Santa will not come" just don't hold as much weight.
4 more days until we realize the space we have in the mini-van is still not enough when you have to pack clothes and presents.
4 more days until our girls are beaming from ear to ear with the excitement of Christmas.

It's hard to tell who is more excited for Christmas. Mom & Dad or Charlotte & Maeve. There is just something wondrous about leaving cookies and carrots out for Santa and his reindeer the night before. Something magical about watching your kids rip through presents buried under the tree on Christmas morning. We are thankful for what we have and if you took all the gifts and boxes away, we would still be blessed with the best gift ever, our family.

Maeve has been practicing her I Love You's lately and it melts our hearts. Today while sitting on the couch next to Charlotte, out of the blue, she looked at her big sister, and said, "I love you Charlotte" and proceeded to give her a giant hug. Charlotte in the meantime kept watching television, like nothing happened. I on the other hand was ready to break down at the love this kid has for her big sister.

Maeve is a love bug. A lot of people say that about their kids, but for Maeve it is true. She loves giving hugs. Loves being held. Loves being carried around the house. She doesn't get glued to a television. She gets glued to your chest, resting her head on your shoulder, squeezing you as tight as her little body can. She is, for lack of a better word, a hugger. My hope for Maeve is that she always stays a hugger. That she will always prefer the warmth of a hug over the bright lights of an exciting television show. So we take the hugs she gives us. We cherish them. Never knowing if she is going to grow out of being a hugger.