Christmas 2011

 

We had a joyous Christmas this year.  

Kent's parents came to have Christmas with us, and it was wonderful.

 After our dinner on Christmas Eve--ham, rolls, roasted red potatoes, vegetables, and some of the 12 bottles of sparkling cider Kent bought at Costco (he likes his sparkling cider!)--

Nicholas was able to open one present.  

He played with the train for almost an hour, and I wondered why it was that we were even giving him anything else. 

 Ellie enjoying Christmas Eve from my lap.  This is the cute face I see all day long.  

We made candy cane milkshakes and then we watched the Church's new nativity video.

Nicholas and Ellie left cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer.

 

 I thought Nicholas was too young to really understand the excitement of Christmas Eve, but I was wrong---he laid awake in his bed until 10:30, just talking to himself, reading his scripture books, and asking us for drinks.  

At one point, when I was leaving his room after giving him a drink, he whispered ever so sweetly, "Merry Christmas Eve, Mom!"  Ah melt me!

Christmas morning finally came, and Nicholas woke up crying so Kent got up and brought him out to see all the presents Santa brought.

Nicholas's reaction surprised us.  He started crying.

"But I wanted Santa here!"  

Oops. I guess he wanted to see Santa, not just have him leave presents.

Sometimes we regret the things we say to our two-year-old.

But Nicholas cheered up, drew on his chalkboard easel a bit, and then he saw the plate where the cookies had been.

Santa had eaten all but half a cookie, and the reindeer had taken a bite out of each carrot.

"This is not good.  Not good at all!"  he came running in to tell me.  "Santa didn't like his carrots!" 

And then Nicholas ate the rest of Santa's cookie.

This was our first Christmas in our own home since we've been married, 

so we tried to start a few traditions.

One thing we started (wish I'd gotten a picture of it) was what we are going to call "Noel Nibble."

Instead of stopping the present-opening fest of the morning to eat breakfast, 

Christmas breakfast at our house is going to be just a smorgasboard of finger-food that can be eaten while we open presents. 

This year we had fruit, mini cinnamon rolls, cream puffs, sausage, and juice. 

 And Nicholas attempted to add his pretend food to his breakfast. 

Kent got me a cocoa-latte maker (amazing hot chocolate and steamed milk, guys. Amazing.) and when I opened it I said "Oh it's just what I wanted!"
(My Christmas letter to Santa is an email with amazon links.)
And after that, every present Nicholas opened he'd say,
"It's just what I wanted!  Thanks guys!"
Adorable.

After we opened all the presents, the guys set up the remote-control racetrack in Nicholas's room.  We played some, went to Church and blessed Ellie, and had a wonderful, peaceful Christmas day.

For more about our Christmas happenings, Teresa's post about it is here.