Christmas Day

At 7:15 on Christmas morning, two very excited parents couldn't take the waiting any longer and we woke up Noah and Luke.  They certainly didn't mind being awoken to, "Merry Christmas Buddy!  Santa came!"  The stockings were opened up, and present unwrapping began. 

 

Luke was surprised and incredibly happy that Santa brought him his very own box of orange Tic Tacs.

Santa had to get a little creative for Noah because most of his Christmas list items ended up being birthday gifts. 

 

But Santa pulled through with a remote control car, some of the boys' most favorite books we've found at the library, and a big boy bike. 

Noah figured out how to use the controls in no time.  Luke still pretty much drives his backwards, but at least it goes somewhere, right?

 

Noah is amazing on his balance bike, so it seemed like a good idea to upgrade to the next size.  

In no time at all he was cruising down the sidewalk yelling, "Mom, it feels like I'm flying just like Dusty!"  

We're hoping to take off those training wheels in a couple of weeks since he's pretty much already got the balance thing down.  I'm crossing my fingers that he'll be a quick learner.

We were also super happy that Gram was here with Nana for Christmas.  She especially loved watching Luke and hearing all of the big boy things he has to say.

Nate gave me the best gift ever (in addition to a really great present): two weeks off of work to just be with the boys and me.  He was sure we'd be tired of him by the end of it, but boy was he wrong.  I joked with him that it felt like we were a 'real' family: working together, parenting our kids together, completing projects together, pretty much doing everything together.  It was the best two weeks EVER, and the most time he's ever taken off since we've had kids.  'Real' life, with a busy job and church responsibilities just doesn't allow for much always together time, and oh, I loved it.