Oh the excitement when you're 8 and 5 on Christmas morning.
Bode came into our room at 3:00 am ready to go downstairs. After mildly accepting that 3 am is NOT the right time to wake up (NOT), he went back to bed. As Ben and I were drifting back to sleep MIMI came in at 3:20 wondering if she could open presents. Needless to say, when she got back up at 4:45 it seemed like we had slept in. At 5 am we charged downstairs.
Even in spite of the lack of sleep, I was acutely aware that these were the magic times of parenting...Love these faces.
Mimi got that cat ear headband from her stockings...she hasn't taken it off since (Bode even earnestly asked her yesterday if she slept with it on)
Thanks Bode for a picture :)
Mimi has needed a coat for the whole winter season...it was SO HARD to keep this a surprise.
And speaking of surprises...this was a great one for this guy.
This girl got a mermaid blanket (after struggling to make one for herself all fall season).
And this girl got an American Girl piano and microphone...that work!
And Bode got a cap gun...
Daddy paid attention when I longed for new sneakers...
(and when I emailed him the exact picture of a purse I was pining for ;) One surprise, one request...just perfect.
And I got Ben tickets to our favorite country artist's concert in April. I bought them in September and had had to keep it a secret for a long time. Even when he heard about the tickets going on sale in October and tried to buy some..
Between the elves and Santa and hiding gifts...Christmas is full of so much deception. I think this year I earned an Oscar.
After a fun time opening gifts, we all took our positions playing with our new things (Bode assembling Legos, Mimi building a recording studio for her dolls and mommy and daddy working on their puzzle).
Then Oma and BT and uncle drew came!
More presents!
Mimi got a nostalgic 50's holiday set for her Mary Ellen doll from Pete and Patty! Sheer magic. They nailed it. (Especially because it reminded us so much of the decor at our favorite Captiva restaurant, the Bubble Room).
And Bode got another great Lego set from BT and Oma!!!
(good thing, after he powered through the one from Santa, the day after Christmas he put this together :)
Oh, and Pete and Patty got Bode a CU football LEGO guy..nailed it!
And Oma and BT gave Mimi money for piano lessons!
More awesomeness from Pete and Patty...
Even Henry liked his present.
Then Nana and Geeps came over...
And Nana and Geeps gave Mimi a subscription to Kiwi Crate...where a new craft will come in the mail every month. Magic.
And we got spoiled by all of our parents too...gift certs and gift cards are THE BEST. xo
Then we ate soup, watched it magically snow, played Jeopardy and Just Dance and relished in a really great Christmas. I'm tucking it away on this blog forever and for safe keeping. We are thankful.
