The Holiday Season

I know Christmas is past and we're now into the 2nd week in January, but I'm slow.  I thought it would be nice to share a few photos from the holiday season spent with family.

Christmas with Grandma Connie

Do you SEE all those presents?!

 Nothing like a good toy after a bath.

 Yes, he's sitting in a shoe box. 

We enjoyed a nice evening a couple nights before Christmas Eve with Connie.  Xander loved having so many things to open and found very creative ways to play with them all!

 I've got better, more clear pictures, but I love those little toes wiggling at the edge of the box! 

(Again! Sitting in boxes!)

 Carissa, enjoying her new sleeping bag...do you see her in there?

Christmas Eve at Mom's house with the family was really nice.  We had a pretty quiet evening - again, with lots of toys and goodies for Xander - although everyone received some really nice things!  We enjoyed a night with family, great food, and Christmas Eve Candlelight service.  I thought Xander would fall asleep but he didn't!  He was enthralled by the candles.  I know these are mostly all pictures of Xander, but it's what you really come to see, right?

"Ook, Ook!" (Look)

 Yay - complete with lots of clapping had by all!

 Did you SEE that train?!

 Even the men in the family had fun - this is a present tunnel created for the train & track.  

 Little kids love buttons - and this was no exception - we heard these 

plushies play their music many times!

 Isn't little Claire so grown up?!  I couldn't believe how big she'd gotten.  

(You think I'd realize that she would grow up just like Xander has, but it's hard to remember that with other's kids!)  

She was SO smiley!

This was Christmas with the Nelson's.  Obviously, our attention was focused on all the little kids running around.  I remember when we all used to play in the living room with all our "loot" from Christmas.  Or watch movies or take naps after lunch.  Now a whole new generation has taken our place - it really makes you feel grown up!  It was so fun to see all the kids playing and having fun with one another.  Xander doesn't get a lot of interaction with other kids and he was just soaking up all that fun!!

I also want to give a huge thank you to all of our family and friends for all the wonderful gifts, not to mention the time we got to spend together.  Everyone was so thoughtful and Xander was the recipient of many neat things - all of which he was pretty darn excited about!

I'll leave you with a quick video of some of the excitement at the Nelson's.  We saw this happen on more than one occasion that day!