Christmas (Part 1)

Part one of Christmas starts off with our family Christmas celebration just the four (soon to be five) of us. Even though our kids are still young enough to not fully comprehend all that comes with Christmas, Jayden is most definitely getting there so it's important to us to start now with things that will help hold up the facade that Santa is real. Although I didn't bust out the cookies & milk & note to Santa (and I definitely won't go as all out as my dad who, up until this year, dressed up as Santa and the whole nine for my younger brothers), we made a point of not filling stockings or putting gifts under the tree until after the kids were snug in their beds. Soon will be the days of separate wrapping paper and disguised handwriting to fool the kids, but I think I have a year or two left before I have to jump over that small hurdle. Most importantly, I want them to be home on Christmas morning. I want them to be able to wake up each Christmas morning and be excited to see the plethora of gifts under the tree and relive the wonder and excitement of being a kid on Christmas without worrying about being shuffled around to see various family.

It was nice to just relax and let the kids go hog wild opening their gifts, watching our cramped living room turn into a war zone riddled with wrapping paper shrapnel, and eventually having them bust out all their new toys to play with. It was not a Christmas to disappoint that's for sure. Our kids were pretty spoiled with action figures, trucks, cars, motorcycles, toy guns, clothes, goodies, & more. They are still thoroughly enjoying their toys and Aaron and I have found it funny that some of the things that Jayden really wanted have become Jaxson's favorites (the Handy Manny tool set & fireman "guys") while some of Jaxson's toys (the Iron Man action figure--- since they always fought over the ones Jayden has) have become Jayden's favorites.

The boys could have cared less about opening the clothing items for the most part, so Aaron and I got to partake in some unwrapping (we gave our presents to each other early). Please excuse the obligatory Christmas pictures of my less-than-glowing pregnant self. I think we mainly have some pictures of me to prove I actually do exist (since I'm usually on the other, and safer as of late, side of the lens) but they are less than flattering as I'm now about as huge as a house and in definite need of some coffee...or something. Anyway, here are some of the pictures from our Christmas together, just our little (but growing) clan...