Magical moments

Anna: We were at the first day of the first ever German Christmas market in Vancouver tonight, a big deal for our Canadian/German (and English/Australian) family.

There was live music playing, and everyone was standing around drinking gluhwein. It was cold and Emma was dressed up in her new snow suit (which she calls her snow soup). She started playing with the decorations around the end of the stage - Christmas lights and baubles.

She asked, "What dat?" and I said "It's a Christmas bauble." She stared at it. I leaned in to give her a cuddle and look over her shoulder. I could see her reflection in the bauble.

I hope I will never forget the look on her face. One day, when she's older, she will probably scoot by the Christmas decorations without a second thought. But there is something magical about a toddler experiencing beauty. She had this amazingly profound expression on her face - of absolute awe and wonder - and after a long pause where she was completely still, she whispered "Emma's bauble" like she was in a trance. If you had to find a single image of the wonder that you get when you combine kids with Christmas, it would have been the look on her sweet little face looking back at me from that bauble.

So of course I did the only thing that any reasonable parent would do when they have their arms around their child, smelling her soft hair and watching her mouth form a little "O" of wonder - I started crying. Just to myself. Silent tears rolling down my cheek while I kissed her hair and sung a Christmas carol in her ear. And then she moved on to the next thing.

Caroline: I was standing in line at one of the stalls. Anna had gone speeding off after Emma, who was cheerfully zooming through the crowds. A guy in the line said, "Wow. That is the cutest kid I have ever seen." And I looked up to see where he was pointing so I could see the cute kid too. And he was pointing to Emma, who was staring at a Christmas bauble as if it was the most beautiful thing in the world. She was the cutest kid I've ever seen too! Anna was leaning behind her, looking as well. And I thought, "My family!" And then I thought "Hah! My girl, my baby, and a German Christmas market! Not a bad life at all."