Nate, Oliver, and I went to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party with our bests, Uncle Timmy and Uncle John David! We went the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, and it kicked off our holiday season in the most over-the-top magical way. We left the park saying that if nothing else happened between then and Christmas, our holiday magic cup would already be full!

We happen to have friends with extraordinarily magical roles in the company and they gave us maybe a top 3 moment of 2017 : Santa not only giving a special message to Ollie DURING the Christmas parade (video below!!), but also a private Santa meet-and-greet after it was over.

While we still did the Santa mall photos later in December (I felt like it was a childhood rite of passage, like bad school photos!), I’m so, so happy that *this* was his first meeting with the real Santa. It was just us and him in a room and he held Oliver and talked to us forever and every one of us cried. Nate and I lost it a couple times in the park that night- We have wished to be parents for so, so long, and we spent more Christmases than not broken hearted, wondering if we’d ever get the chance. It was absolutely surreal holding him watching the parade, showing him the snow on Main Street, all of it. I can only imagine the magic to come when he knows what’s going on! :)

This night was truly the highlight of our entire holiday season, and I had to share some photos (and video!) before the month ended. My heart is so full. <3 I mean.. How are we supposed to top this life moment for Oliver?!