The Baack Family: Christmas

I love this stage of my children. They have an excitement for everything, willing to try almost anything and seeing their excitement as they open their gifts was the highlight this week/month. I sometimes wish I could push the pause button and rewind. Not everything is hunky dory, it was and still is challenging to have two small ones. But, now they are beginning to play together, interact with one another, and even show affection, compassion and empathy for one another.

We started out with Christmas at Thanksgiving with my family, followed by just small family Christmas December 23rd, and then the other side of the family Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. C's excitement over opening each gift with his hands next to his face, gasping at the excitement of what may be inside or what may be in someone else's package. He was still interested in the boxes that could be played in, but also enjoyed ripping the paper.

This is the first year that we introduced Santa to J as we weren't sure how much or little to do with the man in the red suit. He was pretty excited and is now actually calling men in red suits Santa and instead of Snowmen (we really don't talk about Santa and don't have any Santa's in our home). We didn't make a big to-do about it, but J was so excited that Santa came and left gifts in his stocking that after I woke him up and told him, he ran and told everyone else in the house.