Christmas Goodness!

 If we don't have to be anywhere, my kids are up around 8-8:30am. 

So I assumed I'd get to sleep that long too! Well, come 5:30 {5:30!},

Dmitri comes into our room, asking if it's time to open presents. I told

him no. Santa hadn't come yet {thank goodness he woke up when it 

was still dark out! I told him to go back to bed, but he climbed into our
bed instead, and I wasn't going to fight with him. Well, the next two hours
were filled with non-sleeping, for me at least! Dmitri was all over the place,
while also trying to steal my spot.
He woke up again, at 7:30, and asked if it was time. I said yeeeesss.... and climbed

out of bed. 

Daniel and I woke Paige up, while Dmitri rushed downstairs to survey everything.
Luckily he waited until we were downstairs, to rip into the presents, and I was
able to snap a picture of the kids, before the living room was turned upside down!

Paige remembered exactly how to open presents, from Christmas Eve, and got to
work! It was funny to watch how different they are. Dmitri tore through the paper
so fast! Paige would take her time, ripping strips off and taking her time to look
over everything.

Paige has really been into baby dolls. I did some Christmas shopping,
while Dmitri was at school, and came across the baby in the middle picture.
I showed it to Paige, and she wanted to hold the box. So we walked around
the store, while she admired the baby, and all it's accessories. I tried to take it
back from her, and she would not let it go! She was so set on this baby!
Luckily I distracted her, with a Dora guitar, and was able to stash it in the cart.

Dmitri has had an interactive R2D2 on his list for at least 3 months now. No

particular list, just on his list of dream toys. The problem with R2, he's $200, 

unless you can find him onsale. So Daniel and I decided to skip over R2 {and

luckily Dmitri had stopped talking so much about him}, so we thought we were

in the clear! 

He had also seen this big Darth Vader at Wal-Mart, and added it to his list.

Costco had almost the same Darth, except the one at Costco talked {Wal-Mart's didn't},

and was $5 cheaper! Win win! So we brought him home, and wrapped him up!

Well Dmitri opened Darth up, and started screaming 'IT'S DARTH VADER!! IT'S

DARTH VADER!! And he talks! This is the best present EVER!" We felt good about

that until....... "Oh, I need to find R2 now!" and started looking for his wrapped up

R2. We had to burst his bubble, which he was totally cool about, and wasn't sad 

at all. Thank goodness!

One thing Dmitri did ask Santa for, when he sat on his lap, an elf. A real elf. 

One that would play with him, and do his chores, while he lounged on the sofa. Yea,

my dream gift too! The only way I could think to fulfill this - I bought him a stuffed Elf

on a Shelf. I made sure not to take Dmitri to the store with me, or at least stay away from

the section that had the elves, so he wouldn't know it came from the store.

I bought a special golden box, and wrote a letter from Santa, telling him he couldn't

give him a real elf, but he hoped Dmitri would be happy with the stuffed one. And he

was! He was content to have his special stuffed elf, from Santa!

{Sidenote - I did have some drama with the elf. They had boys and girls, but it was

really hard to tell which was which. So I picked the one that looked less girlie. 

I went to wrap everything, and get his elf ready, and as soon as I was about to 

take him out of the box, I noticed he was wearing a skirt!! This was two days before

Christmas!! I went back to the store, to swap HER out, but they only had two left,

and they were both the elf I already had!!! When I bought it, there were at least 20,

and they had a variety. Ugh!! Well I looked closer at the elf, and noticed the skirt

was velcro, and was removable! Hallelujah! Minus the skirt, you would totally think 

it was a boy! So I ripped the skirt off, and threw the evidence away. And it totally

worked out. Woohoo!}

So that was the gist of our present unwrapping.

Some of Paige's big presents were; a Doc McStuffins talking doll, along 

with her doctor bag. She got the Little People Disney Princess Castle {she got the set of

princesses last Christmas}, her doll with it's own high chair, a Ring

Around the Rosie doll, a little toy pack'n play, and a Doc McStuffins tent from 

her aunt and uncle.

Dmitri got his elf, and Darth Vader. He got Superman's house, and a 

Superman costume {from his papa and grandma}, he also got the Skylander

game for the WII, and the Angry Birds Go telepod set.

Daniel got volumes 7, 8, and 9 of The Walking Dead comics, some new shoes,

and a couple shirts. 

I got a new camera {an upgrade from my old one!!}, a pair of shoes, and an outfit. 

 While I made our traditional Christmas breakfast, of German pancakes,

the kids played with all their new goodies. We set up Paige's tent, and

she loved it all! It's since moved to her closet {she has a pretty large closet},

along with her baby pack'n play, and some other toys. She loves playing in there!

 I love how quiet and relaxing Christmas day is. Dmitri literally plays

ALL day, with his new toys.

 Both kids got a flute in their stockings. Luckily I don't regret buying them, yet.

 After having to be woken up, Paige took a quick rest, with all her new friends.

 Then moved onto the old broken cash register... and trying to eat the 

snowflake crayons! xP

 Being two, Paige is very off and on with her eating. Lately she's been

off, and would prefer to climb onto the table, and play Godzilla. Mostly 

because Dmitri laughs, and eggs her on. 

So we brought the highchair back in, and bungeed her in! She wasn't 

happy about it - and still didn't eat much. Mostly she was just happy to

dip her pancakes in syrup. She's a dipper.

 Dmitri said that he'd share his new toys, if Paigey shared hers. That meant

he took over her castle, and it was soon filled with superheroes...

 

More quiet playing... so nice.

  For Christmas dinner, we met some friends at the church, and let the 

kids run around the gym. They had a great time, and it was a wonderful 

dinner, filled with wonderful friends, and wonderful food!!

We've been so blessed, to have met so many great people her in Georgia!

I love a theme, and I love matching! Daniel hates it. I cannot even tell

you how many times {in the years we've been married}, that I have tried

to get him to match me, or match me and the kids. He's probably actually

done it, about 3 times! 4 if you count this past Christmas ;) All of us wore 

red and green, for Christmas dinner! I only got a bad picture of me and Paige,

in our matching colors though.

 Dmitri has told us numerous times since Christmas, that Darth Vader

is the best present ever! He carries him around with him, like a best buddy!

The bottom left picture, he's dusting him off with a baby wipe! xD

 So altogether, we had an amazing Christmas! We Skyped with family,

and made phone calls home, but we still missed them terribly!

Thank goodness for modern technology though!

Merry Christmas everyone!!!