Christmas Morning 2012

Santa came, he ate the cookies, drank the milk and left a letter.

Adam's first time leaving cookies and milk for Santa.

Christmas morning was incredible. Caley watched Santa put a ball and a bone in her stocking, and then spazzed out all night waiting for it. She was the most excited person in the house.

Caley got her bone and immediately went out into the sleet to inhale it, and came back with a tummy ache. Poor Caley.

When the kids woke up, Adam didn't even realize that Santa had come. When he did finally realize it (after a brief time out for not being nice), he went to the chimney to see if Santa was still there.

 Then Daddy helped him go through his stocking...

 

 

 The twins played on the floor mostly, but really enjoyed themselves like always.

 

Three babies on Christmas morning!

Shannon with his boys on Christmas morning.

 Claire's first Christmas...

 

And Colin's first Christmas...

Adam's "big" gift (minus the one day late gift that Santa couldn't fit on his sleigh and the elves didn't make it until the 26th), was the cutting fruit game. He just loves to cut, which concerns me greatly, but also required a need for a healthy outlet!

He loves it.

Adam opened most of Colin and Claire's presents this year, and they happily let him do it. They got to open one or two themselves but mostly they wanted to smile and watch Adam. Next year I doubt the present opening tasks will be so easily given up!

On Christmas Eve, at my parent's yearly party, Colin got a green monkey from the Racklers. He was instantly in love.

Claire likes it too.

 Adam's new movies.

Claire's new books.

Shannon got me some books, some candles, and an awesome pair of brown boots, plus a gift certificate for some much needed new clothes.

I almost lost the boots to Adam though, who was probably more excited about them than he was about his own loot.

 
I take that back... the bubbles were also a big hit.

 

Shannon got a nice bottle of scotch and three coupons: a) Free two hours to have a cigar and a scotch on the back patio with no interruptions, b) a free guys weekend with the company and at the location of his choosing, and c) a date night with his wife (yours truly), kid free. That one is kinda for both of us.

Colin helped Daddy open his stocking.

"ohhh... that's a good one."

 It wasn't a huge Christmas, but we added to our book and movie collection, and we were together.

Claire's gifts

Colin's gifts

Adam's gifts.

Caley's new ball.

(Gus got some new treats and a catnip toy, and Eli was very missed this year. The vet called and said Eli had had a very aggressive cancer that probably started in his ear. A Metastic Carcinoma that spread very, very quickly. Poor Eli.)

After opening presents, the little ones took a nap and we spent a few hours at Mamie and Grandpa's house, played with Chris, and had homemade lasagna, Mamie's specialty.

So . . . it was definitely a Christmas to remember. I didn't get pictures, but on top of it being Adam's first time to leave out cookies and milk for Santa and Colin and Claire's first Christmas... it was also a rare Dallas Christmas snow day, and we got about an inch and a half at out house. The babies' first Christmas was also a white one.