Part I of Christmas

Allie the Gator

Pax and his playmate

Our golfcart ride to find the prettiest Christmas lights.  This year we delivered cookies to the winning house.  The funny thing was that they gave us some in return!!!

Pax driving

Aunt Cindy, Gigi, and the boys

All dressed up for the Christmas Eve service

Our very own Elf on the Shelf

He got to participate in the nativity at church

Pax and all his treats for Santa

Santa and the matching boys

Pax and all his presents from Santa

We drove to Charleston for the days leading up to Christmas and stayed with Aunt Cindy and Uncle Bruce.  The weather was absolutely perfect, so we spent a lot of time outside.  We went for several runs, and Pax played outside with his Charleston friend, Morgan.  :-)

Christmas gets better and better every year that Pax gets older.  This year, he really seemed to understand the whole Santa thing, and had a list of things he wanted from him.  We went and sat in his lap 2 different times this year, and that was a first!  At the mall one day, he asked if he could go see him.  There wasn't a line, so I took him up on that. He told Santa that he wanted the movie "Lady and the Tramp", monster "jams," and toys.  From that day on, it was the same 3 things anytime anyone asked what he wanted.  When Santa came to visit Christmas Eve, he brought him all kinds of toys (check on the 3rd item).  As he was opening his last one, he thought it was the movie, and he was right!  He went running to Grandma to show her.  He was sooooo excited!  He had been wanting that movie since he saw the previews on another one of his Disney movies.  After Santa leaves, we do all the family gifts.  Pax got the Batcave that he had been wanting and all kinds of accessories to go with it.  He wanted everything opened as he unwrapped it.  He was excited about all his gifts, including the super hero underwear, socks, and sweatshirts! 

Parker got a really cool trike that will grow with him.  The box says it is for 3 months to 3 years.  I'm excited about that, and look forward to pushing him around. 

After presents, we had to set out snacks for Santa.  Pax did this all on his own!  He put a bowl of chex mix and pepparkakor by the fire place, and some hershey kisses and a peeled clementine (he did this all by himself) beside it.  He finished it off by setting out a glass of water.  I didn't have the heart to tell him that the traditional treat is milk and cookies!  It was too sweet, so we left all that for Santa to enjoy!;-)

When I was putting Pax to bed, we were talking about all his really cool toys and gifts.  He pointed out that the only thing he didn't get off his list were monster "jams".  Not sure why there is an s on the end, but he adds that everytime.  And, I'm not even sure what exactly he means by this, but I'm hoping he'll be excited about the Monster Jam tickets that I wrapped inside a monster truck that he's opening tomorrow from us!  Pax was so much fun and it was so neat to see his excitement!  Such a fun age!  I can't wait to see and celebrate Christmas through the eyes of TWO precious blessings!