Christmas Eve

Us


Me experimenting with the camera settings (I love the warmth & glow in this photo!)


Gerritt helping Sophia with gift opening


Daddy's girl!


Ready to save the world


Sophia feeding her new baby


Gerritt riding the Rolling Coaster car


Gerritt enjoying his new parking garage


Our adorable Batman


Gerritt's very 1st bike ride outdoors

This year we've decided to open our presents on Christmas Eve. As usual we went a little overboard with presents for the kids, but it was worth it to see their excited faces. Sophia was a lot more aware of the gift opening process compared to last Christmas & Gerritt was very gracious to help Sophia open her presents. Although we could definitely cut back on the number of presents next year, we were good about buying toys that would be educational, stimulating & encourage creativity. Here are Gerritt & Sophia's favorite ones:

1) Educo by Hape International Park n' Go Garage (it is often Gerritt's favorite toy to play with at the Crossroads toy store)
2) Reversible Superman Batman superhero cape costume with mask (Gerritt has been playing with Spike's dog blanket for months now, so he could really use a real cape)
3) Dora the Explorer playdough set & the Lego construction set (thanks Taj & Gabe!)
4) Melissa & Doug magnetic wooden alphabet (Sophia loves to play with magnets on the refrigerator door)
5) Melissa & Doug wooden shape sorting clock (I started to teach Gerritt about time recently)
6) Melissa & Doug deluxe magnetic responsibility chart (to help Gerritt learn about responsibility & give him points for things done right)
7) Melissa & Doug deluxe latches board (this one can keep Sophia busy for a while!)
8) Several sets of the Brain Quest preschool & kindergarten flash cards (Gerritt loves to study them at bedtime)
9) Rolling Coaster Children's Ride-on Car (both Gerritt & Sophia love to ride it at the Crossroads toy store)
10) Smart Snacks Rainbow Color Cones - a set of 8 multicolored ice cream scoops & 2 cones (thanks Chris & Gerry!)
11) Corolle baby doll Bebe Tresor (An amazing soft-bodied BPA-free doll that cries or coos, depending on her body position. Both Gerritt & Sophia love giving her the bottle, & I highly support gender neutral play!) (thanks again Chris & Gerry!)
12) Kid Galaxy My 1st RC GoGo police car (Gerritt has been dying to get his 1st remote controlled car!)
13) Thomas & Friends engine shed (Gerritt loves anything to do with trains) (thank you Chris & Gerry!)

And, to top it all off, Gerritt got his first real bike with training wheels! We have enough toys now to officially open our own home daycare business, or have a few more kids. :-)
My husband & I bought our own Christmas presents - just like we've done for as long as we've been married. We believe that the best presents are the ones you buy yourself (only you would know what exactly makes you happy). Plus, ever since having kids our idea of romance consists of letting each other sleep in or for one of us to take the kids out of the house for a few hours so another one can have some down time. I personally consider my husband's dedication in watching Sophia at night for weeks at a time (as I've complained several times before - she's still not sleeping through the night) a lot more romantic than getting a surprise gift. Santa brought me a pink pearl necklace, snow boots, & a complete set of the Vampire Academy books. My husband received a new shaver & a GPS for his car. The evening was finished with leaving milk & cookies for Santa & carrots for the reindeer. All ready for Christmas tomorrow!