Nestled all snug in their beds while visions of tape dispensers danced in their heads (read on)...

Gotta love the red painted nails and stamp on his hand.

We went from "not making a big deal" out of Santa last year, to making hohoho noises outside Evan's room, shining a red flashlight, and leaving this note. Shaun did the acting, while I listened outside the door of their room to their squealing...

When they ask, "is Santa real," though, I still say, "I don't know... what do you think?" I still let them draw their own conclusions as opposed to declaring it as truth like I do other things, BUT perhaps that's not very consistent with making noise, shining flashlights, and eating his cookies, eh?? Let me just say this- Shaun and I both had parents who worked the Santa thing big-time, and it gave us both great joy then- and even now- to know that they enjoyed our excitment that much... besides which, Madalyn woke up and came out to see me assembling her dollhouse, so as soon as she connects the dots, her believing days are over anyway...

Madalyn's loot- she later told us Santa Clause wrote her name on the sleeping bag with his special, magic pen. I had no idea!

If you try to play dollhouse with her, be prepared to follow orders. Do not dare say, "I, the daddy, am going to take a shower." You will be told, "no you can't take a shower. " The best thing to do is ask, "what should I, the daddy, then do with myself." "Go lie in the baby's room," you will be told. The way she plays is absurd and makes NO sense whatsoever, but it is her new toy and she knows it. So if the house is not their house but Disney World and she wants to spend the night there, don't argue, gosh darnit.

Jack's TWO vacuums... the Hoover is from Grandma and Dadaddy and looks exactly like mine- that's his favorite... the other just came with the janitor kit and we didn't want it to be anti-climatic for him so we put them out together. He played with his cleaning supplies longer than we've ever seen him play with any toy.

Evan's loot... what kind of kid wants paper and crayons and a tape dispenser for Christmas? His favorite gift is probably the book-making kit you see here. He has spent HOURS at this desk in his room that he now calls his "office" where he does "a lot of work."

Sleepy eyes, excited kids...

The best part of it is still just being together, isn't it, Jacky boy?

Labels: Christmas