Merry Christmas (a few days late!) We had
a great Christmas this year. We decided to host the festivities
at our house to make the day easier for us and the kids. It was
great not having to pack up gifts and food and clothes and
everything. Everyone came over on Christmas Eve for a delicious
dinner of pizza and cookies, and lots of hanging out. Normally
we decorate the tree Christmas Eve, but I put the tree up a few
weeks ago, forgetting that the festivities were at our house
this year. Oh well.

Lex is sort of into
the Santa thing this year. A few days before Christmas he
started telling me that he would laugh when he saw Santa “in
spite of myself.” Its so funny when he says things like that
because you know he’s quoting something (“‘Twas the Night
Before Christmas” in this case). No three year old comes up
with that stuff on their own. :) I tried to take him to see
Santa after he started saying that, but alas, Santa has limited
hours in our neck of the woods and apparently was no longer
available so close to Christmas. Lex did choose to leave a
plate of cookies and carrots out on Christmas Eve, but when he
woke up Christmas morning he didn’t seem all that amazed with
the living room full of gifts. In fact, he said “Mommy brought
the presents out of the office.” (I had a few wrapped gifts in
the office, but no where near as many as were in the living
room Christmas morning!) When people asked if Santa had come,
he said “No.” I think he’s skeptical because he didn’t get to
see Santa bring the presents. He’s a very literal boy.

I’ve been kind of indecisive about the Santa
thing anyway. I want him to have fun and believe in the magic,
but neither Alan or I are good liars and I doubt either of us
could keep up the Santa facade when faced with a doubting
little boy. On Christmas morning I started wondering how people
teach kids to be thankful to those who gave them gifts, when
they think that everything is from Santa. I was raised to write
thank you notes and I’m raising them the same way, so we talk a
lot about who gave them the toys that they play with. I wonder
how other people handle that.

Lex got
the trains that he so desperately wanted and has spent the past
few days happily building and unbuilding his train sets. He got
two wooden sets that fit together, but he is convinced that
they must be kept separate. He builds the big KidKraft set and
then builds the smaller Thomas set next to it. Lex insists
Thomas the Train can only drive on his tracks and the KidKraft
train can only drive on it’s tracks. He is a funny boy. Eve got
a tea party set and walks around all day drinking tea (like her
mommy). The other morning she yells “make tea now!” and ran
into the living room to make some tea :) She also got a baby
doll that she loves and lots of adorable clothes. I think all
in all it was a good Christmas.

Now the
extended family has left and we’re on our own to dig out the
living room and recover from our cookie-induced sugar comas.
Bring on 2009!

Lex was
excited to put out cookies, milk, and carrots on Christmas Eve.
He was less excited to pose for a picture. Luckily Eve is
always happy to pose for the camera :)

A
Christmas morning hug.

Feeding
the new baby doll.

Lex had
trouble getting through his presents because every time a book
was opened he was drawn to it (like a moth to the light!) and
we had to tear him away long enough to open more
presents.

Eve was
particularly silly on Christmas night and Aunt Katie, “the
instigator,” did her best to encourage the silliness.
:)

Reading
stories with Mema.

Wait,
who wanted a train set for Christmas?? ;) Really we’ve all been
enjoying this toy!

Yoga Eve
in her new sparkly pants :)

I’m going to go play
with the family now. Maybe I’ll put up all of the Christmas
pics on the photos site tonight. It’s been awhile since I’ve
updated that! We’ll see what happens :)