I have to tell you, about 3 days with no sleep is NO way to start Christmas morning!
Thankfully, Ava Lynn was funny as usual.
Our morning began with the girls (Abby and Ava) waking me up excited.... " Momma! It's Christmas! Merry Christmas!" I asked them if they had seen the tree yet and I was surprised they said no. I told them to go take a look and tell me what they saw. The report was favorable of course and then I was compelled to get up.
I went downstairs and "oohed" & "aaahhhed" with them. Exclaimed about all the presents and the fact that santa had indeed eaten his cookies and drank all of his milk. (no, I didn't eat them this time, I just put them away again!)
When I went into the kitchen to make my coffee, Ava came in and kinda chuckled "heh, I'm not on the naughty list!" She said it so introspectively I think she was actually surprised! I had to laugh, I have been using the threat that every parent uses at this time of year. " If you don't behave and listen to your momma, santa is going to bring you coal instead of a present!"
Grandma has a sample of coal from santa that I gave to her years ago. She shows the girls every year and they have lengthy discussions of it's origins.
At our house Santa brings one present to every child in the world and parents, siblings, & other family help out with the rest. Also at our house each of the girls get three gifts. Someone suggested it once during a conversation about how to make sure Christmas doesn't get too out of control on the gifts side. The reasoning is that Baby Jesus got three gifts from the wise men, They get three gifts too. It works very well for us usually, but somehow this year got a little away from us. I always have a small gift for the girls at home when we get up, we have our own little Christmas before we go to Grandma and Grandpa's house. Then of course there's the stockings at both places and gifts from Aunts and friends. Next year we'll have to try harder on that, it can really get to be too much!
Ella had a milestone Christmas day! She actually stopped what she was doing and told me that she had to go potty! YAY!!!!! ringing bells, fireworks, party hats! You name it was the reaction she got. She's been successfully pottying for about 6 months now but has refused to tell me when she needs to go, I just time her :) (NOTE: she tells her teachers at school supposedly!)
Now, while still excited about this of course, she then proceeded today to pee a VERY large puddle on the floor with a little river following in her wake as she walked away from the initial location while getting tattled on by her sisters!
*sigh* So much for progress right?
And sweet Abby, her main gift this year was a new leapster didj since she was so kind to pass her 1st leapster to her little sister for her birthday. That dumb toy crashed my computer at least 8 times, NO exaggeration! Turns out it's the Didj since when I tried connecting it to another computer it dumped on that one too! We tried to return it the next day.... Got up before 7 am and got over to target to exchange it. Of course there wasn't a didj in the whole store. So, still have to try to get that swapped out!
We had a very beautiful day, surrounded by family, good conversation, some carols on the piano, REALLY good food! Blessings all around!
I pray your family is Blessed by Christmas all year long!
