Christmas and everything leading up to it was so much fun and so special. We started with a night of cookie making and decorating with Granny! Barrett would've much rather eaten the cookies and sprinkles than decorate them....maybe next year :). He did help to frost a couple and liked being able to do the sprinkles all by himself. And doing a taste test of course!
The next weekend, we went to Sullivan Hardware store for the Sullivan Santa Express with our friends (including Barrett's buddy Nolan). The boys LOVED it! It was little boy heaven. A sand table while we waited, a ride on a train, a visit to Santa (which they weren't exactly thrilled about), and train tables and coloring while they waited for him. Watching Barrett see Santa was hilarious. He wasn't sure about him, but ended up giving him a high five and a hug. He was just not a fan of sitting on his lap. Luckily, we managed to get a couple pictures :).
Mommy and Bear had an ornament decorating party...
Christmas started the weekend before at Grandma's house. It is always so nice to be them, especially to watch Barrett and his cousins play together! Everytime we get together is even more fun than the last time. B and Abby had a fun jumping on the bed session that night :). The kiddos loved opening their gifts, but we only had a little time before the littlest needed a rest break. B's favorite toy was a big dump truck! He pushed it all over the house. All weekend long. He loved putting the wrapping paper and any other trash in it and pushing it around. Grandma definitely spoils her kids and grandkids!
On sunday we all went to church together and then had a yummy breakfast at Christo's. I think Bear out-ate everyone. After breakfast we went to my aunt's house for our family Christmas! I just love getting together with everyone. We always have so much fun! It's crazy to see how big all the kids are getting and so fun to see the next generation of little ones growing up. Bear loved the "bowling alley" in the basement and the kitchen in the toy room. But his favorite place is always the center of all the action :).
We had our little family Christmas Eve on Christmas Eve Eve so we could get everything in we wanted to over the holiday and not be rushing. It ended up making the holiday seem to last forever which was so awesome. We started off the evening by driving through the Reynold's Christmas Light display. Bear was entranced. He stared out the window and pointed out the train and tree and animals in lights. After the lights we went for a family dinner to City BBQ! It was soooo good. B gobbled up his pulled chicken, sweet potato, green beans, and french fries. We headed home and got our pi's on, let him open up 1 gift (the mini Keurig, toaster, and mixer were a HIT! And little did he know it would go right along with his gift from Granny the next day.) We set cookies out for Santa and carrots for the reindeer and read our books ('twas the night before Christmas and Bear Stays Up for Christmas) and put the bear to bed.
Santa's elves worked hard to put together B's big gift-a power wheels dune racer! We were torn on whether to get it for him this year or next, but he LOVEs and has so much fun on our neighbors jeep that we decided this coming Spring and Summer would be perfect for it. And he could use it for more years this way.
Christmas morning we got up with Bear and showed him the little video clips we made on the Kringle app showing Santa eating cookies, leaving gifts, and checking his list. He loved it! Matt carried him downstairs and set him down to see the tree. I think it was a combo of being overwhelmed, tired, and still having a cold that made his reaction not what we expecting haha. He cried and kept saying "no" to the tree. We coaxed him over by telling him to come see how Santa ate his cookies. That reeled him right in! He wanted to check that out since it involved food. (All the rest of the day and any other time you show him Santa he right off the bat says "cookies? mouth?" I think that's the only thing he understood about Christmas this year).
Once he saw the power wheels, he said "tractor!". He climbed in next to BrownBear and we let him drive it back and forth in the living room. He was in heaven! That afternoon, both grandmas came down. We took the dune racer outside and let him drive around the yard. It was SO cute! While he napped, Matt and Granny put together his kitchen. It was another big hit with him! He played with it all day and hasn't stopped playing with it since. We went to Christmas Eve candlelight service and then came home and had an incredible filet dinner!
The next day (Christmas day, but the day after Christmas for us :) ), we drove to Ohio and spent the day with Papa and Ann. We opened gifts and Bear was spoiled once again with a new balance bike! I figured by next Summer he'd be able to try it, but we put his elbow and knee pads on and let him have at it. He knew exactly what to do! This Summer is going to be so FUN! Afterwards, we went out for a hibachi lunch. B loved watching the fire and the chef cooking the food. It was so yummy and fun to be together.
A very Merry Christmas indeed :)
