This has been a fun Christmas season. Now both of the kids are old enough to really enjoy and understand what is going on. Their bodies and minds are filled the excitement and magic of it all. A few things I loved about this year.
-the kids more or less decorated the tree on their own and I hardly had to move any ornaments.
-there was no issue or concern of ornaments being tugged off the tree.
-there was no issue having wrapped presents under the tree before Christmas.
-Tyler loves presents and absolutely does not want to know what is in them before he opens them. There were a couple of instances when he walked into a room of unwrapped gifts and he had great concern that he saw a present of his (which he didn't). The idea was of much concern to him.
-Hailey opens presents very slowly and Tyler has them open in about 2 seconds.
-Tyler whispered in my ear (because he said he didn't want to make anyone feel bad), "why doesn't Santa exercise so his belly fits down the chimney better?"
-Hailey was a great helper whenever I needed her (we created our first wreath together)
-The kids made homemade ornaments for family this year (I'm hoping to plant the seed that Christmas is really about giving as well as receiving). We worked for a long time one afternoon making tags for everyone in the family. The kids both made their on tags and wrote everyone's name and their own. Then the picked out an ornament and we put it in a bag with the labels and they put it under the tree. They each made it through the whole process in good spirits......and it was 16 ornaments each. They actually had fun selecting an ornament for each person.
Christmas Eve
When going to bed Christmas Eve Tyler said he hoped Hailey would wake up before him so he could open presents right away. Tyler was up by 6:30 on Christmas morning and of all the days for Hailey to sleep in....she slept until 7:45. Tyler was such a trooper, he didn't even ask to wake Hailey. And we didn't wake her because 1) she's not a pleasant person to wake up...you get yelled at and 2) we knew it was going to be a long day. Tyler patiently waited upstairs watching TV because he didn't want to see the presents and not be able to open them. FINALLY he got to come downstairs.
And Hailey followed
Evidence that Santa had indeed stopped by during the night.
But stockings were first. Tyler handed them out.
Then he turned his over and let all the goodies pour out. He was very excited to get a Darth Vader action figure and a couple of lego figures and wallet.
Hailey loved her R2D2 figure
and her pens
And carefully opened the rest of her stocking goodies.
Then it was back to the living room for all the presents on the couch. Tyler was very happy to find a Star Wars lego book that he didn't even know he wanted :)
And was very happy to see the Castle kit he wanted so much.
Hailey received a couple of kits of her own.
After all the flying wrapping paper we took a breakfast break. Then the kids were ready for all the presents under the tree.
Hailey has been eyeing a strawberry shortcake remote control car at target the last couple months. She was very happy to find it hiding in one of her presents.
Visitors be warned. Our house is officially armed with light sabers.
And of course what's Christmas without a big bucket of legos :). A pile of lego figure pieces is like a gold mine for Tyler. They were both content making figures for quite a while.
In the afternoon we headed out to Monroe for our family Christmas and Christmas dinner. The kids always like to see their cousins.
Even later in the evening we headed over to my Aunt Gerry's house to catch up with every one we don't see nearly enough and of course participate in the yearly pageant. I was most excited to have Tyler and Hailey have their acting debut. It meant I no longer had to stand in as one of the sheep :). Hailey makes a much cuter sheep than I do.
The kids did great all day and in a family first we didn't get home and to bed until 10:30 Pm. What a day.
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