Christmas

A few things we tried this year: kid gifts to each other, Christmas dinner was one selection by a family member cooked together, gift advent calendar, "snow globe" advent calendar, Christmas tree lights on all night in their rooms Christmas Eve, let them play with the toys as they open them.

Some funny stuff:  T had picked out a stuffed cat for "W", but then informed Papa that he needed to get "one for T and one for W".  When they woke up, they couldn't wait to open their gifts to each other.  W seemed genuinely excited for her brothers to open their gifts.  T seemed genuinely excited to open his stuffed animal cat toys.  He did pick out a perfect gift for E.  A stuffed owl that E loves.

The second most popular item was a grandma gift I would have never thought of.  Keyboards.  They put their stuffed cats in front of it and the cats "play the piano"  These keyboards have 15 different songs.  I think they like them most for these songs.  Like having their first ipod I guess.  Usually I'm the one that controls the radio in the car and I really don't play music for them electronically during the day.

T is finally big enough to play Legos.  I think J has been waiting for this since the day we got married.  He put Legos on our wedding registry and one of his buddies got it for him.  When he found out that T and I started putting the first one together, he was a little disappointed and asked T if he could do it with him the next day.  No problem Papa!

E really liked all the new books.  We got a bunch of new books for them from Grandma in the Attic.  E seems to know they are new.  Even though they are not board books, he enjoys looking at them.  I have seen him several times get just the new ones from the shelf and peruse them while I am cooking or something.  Oh yeah.  E totally knows how to say the titles of his favorite books.  His language skills still amaze me.  He is even a little bilingual.  Mina's favorite (and mine) is how he says naranja.  He can't get the consenants very well, but he definitely has the vowel and the accent correct. 

We went to see the model train exhibit at a nearby museum.  All of our favorite train had real steam coming out like a real steamie!  Although the trains that were the smallest scaled ones were almost the top of W's list of the best.

Getting his music going before helping with cooking his part of dinner at Christmas

They were most excited to open the gifts they have for each other

This is why.  twin cats to play with

Watching the Grandam An movie.  Even E is enthralled

Boys looking at train closely

Making a fire

Using his new gift well

helping mommy make cinnamon rools