Christmas, a week late, was a hit. The kids really seemed to enjoy their gifts. I remember being little and I'd open something up and do a fake "I like it" smile and throw it aside and move on to the next gift. Either they all really liked their gifts or they are phenomenal at the fake "I like it" smiles. Brian and I had to laugh though, because the gifts Bella and Brandon liked the most were the 88 cent stocking stuffers from Wal-Mart. Brandon loved these "nasty" teeth.



Santa got Bella a dissolving seashell that produces a plastic mermaid. Once she finally got to the mermaid, she treated it like it was her child. She talked to it, fed it (by the way, cookies and a mermaid in a bowlful of water do not mix well), and slept with it. She put the mermaid (all of 1 1/2 inches of it) in a pillowcase made to be its sleeping bag. I overheard her reading a ballet book to it and then sang it a lullaby.

Brandon was all excited about his cash register. It actually was kinda neat. It has bar codes that you scan, it talks to tell you the price and then there's a microphone. Brian loves that part because the kids keep saying "Clean up in aisle 4. Thank you." For some reason he really gets a kick out of them saying "thank you" after everything.

Taylor came by for a few hours today to get her stuff. It's hard to tell what her views are about the whole Santa thing right now. But she seemed pretty excited about her gifts, as well. She's at that weird age where she's not a kid but not a teen.

All of the kids got homemade hats and scarfs from my mom. Surprisingly, they were pretty excited about them. I don't remember being that excited at that age from a hat and scarf. Bella is Miss Pink and Brandon had Spiderman colors. Taylor got a really bright pink mixed colored set and a matching set for her American Girl doll. Baxter got presents too.....notice the Tidy Cats behind Bella...Santa always knows what everyone needs!

They made out pretty well. Plus they still have another day of presents next week. We're celebrating Hanukkah at Amy & Chris' after Carter's baby naming.