Christmas Eve Dip Anyone?

Christmas Eve was a very eventful day.

It began with Cole's health check (see other post for details).  After returning home I wanted it to feel more like Christmas since we don't have much in the way of decoration so that meant activities with the kids and music.

We made a fresh batch of sugar cookies to give away and some fresh fruit Santas.

 

We also got a delivery from Ikea of a new couch which meant big cardboard boxes and all the fun that brings. First the boys ripped the plastic and made their own "snow". I have to say I was impressed that the came up with this on their own at 1.5 and 3 years old.  (If you watch the video - notice my 21 month old with serious hops!)

Next their first fort together...

For our evening fun we started a new tradition of going out to or eating in a fancy dinner on Christmas eve. It's not to say we haven't done that before, but this year we made it official.  The boys had a busy day with cookies and running around so they got all freshened up to go.

 

Our dinner was at the brand new Hilton a couple of miles from our home.  For those of you only familiar with the Hilton chain in the USA - the Asia version is MUCH nicer.  The rooms start at about $160/night to give you an idea.   They were having a grand Christmas buffet.  

We knew they would have nice Christmas decorations that would make for a great family photo so we were sure to leave early to get there.  Our reservation was for 7 - later than we would have liked with the boys, but they had over 300 reservations that night so we had to get in where we fit in.

 On the car ride over...

When we got there it did not disappoint. The hotel was grand and beautifully decorated. 

We got a member of the hotel staff to take a family picture and even got to see Santa...

It was now time to gather our things and head downstairs to the buffet.  I was leaning over grabbing items off the floor when I heard Stan yell for me.  I turned around in time to see a hotel staffer pointing down into the infinity pool in the lobby. He quickly bent over and pulled a fully submerged Cole from the infinity pool!

The pool had a piano in the middle of it that appeared to be "floating".  The lighting in the area was fairly dim and the water was quite glassy looking.  Cole had made a bee-line for the piano when we were gathering our things and didn't comprehend that it was indeed a pool. He stepped in the trench before the pool and fell in.

 

Poor Cole was drenched, crying and coughing water.  The hotel staffers quickly grabbed paper napkins to try to dab him off as I began comforting him and taking off the soaked clothing.  We only had spare undies and a t-shirt with us for him so a staffer grabbed an adult robe from the hotel. Stan took him to the bathroom to get him out of the rest of his wet clothes and made him a sumo diaper like outfit from the robe.  He was fairly traumatized by it all.

Staff wiping the water covered marble floor

Kenney observing the drama

We ended up sending Stan back home to get dry clothes, while the rest of us waited.  Cole fell asleep almost immediately and Kenney played on his Ipad I had brought for emergency dinner entertainment backup. Due to holiday traffic it took about 30 minutes for Stan to return.

 Patiently waiting...

Stan got back and we finally made it to dinner about 8:15.  The boys were tired but did pretty well.  The buffet was very nice - seafood, prime rib, lamb, sushi, noodles, salads, chocolate fountains, gelato etc.

Needless to say the night was memorable.  Kenney in sheer exhaustion and a full tummy laid it out while Stan paid at the end of the night. He had PTSMS - Post Traumatic Stuffed Myself Syndrome