Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells! - Christmas 2012

This year we spent Christmas Eve at Jimmy's Aunt Carolyn and Cousin Becky's new house, so beautifully decorated for Christmas and a lovely dinner with his side of the family.  All the kids had so much fun running around and playing together.  This is the closest we could get to a shot of the cousins...

Tessa was not at all interested in posing, and Landon wanted to touch all the decorations

At least they're both facing the camera...

...and now one is smiling and Landon is back to looking at the candles.  Oh well!

Books at bedtime with daddy in the new tent, and he went to sleep like this too.  Thanks Uncle Ben and Aunt April!

Today was a wonderful, whirlwind of a day spent with family, food, and fireplaces to keep us all warm and dry from the continuous rain pouring down outside (I can hear it as I type this!)

Landon added a new word to his speaking vocabulary: "uh-oh".  At dinner he (probably intentionally) knocked his cup and spoon over the edge of his high chair, then looked at us and said "uh-oh", very slowly and in a very cute and tiny sounding voice.  Of course once he heard all the laughter in response to what he said, he said it several more times.

Checking out his new kicks.  He's walking well in them!

Laying his head on a blanket that Aunt Doreen made for each of the boys

Caleb was telling Christa about the movie Polar Express, play by play as he showed her how the train moved around on the ice.

<Video of Landon walking on Christmas Day>:

Caleb's knows one Christmas Carol - sort of.  At story time a few weeks ago they sang 'Jingle Bells', which he hadn't heard before that.  Ever since he has enjoyed singing it, which goes like this: "Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells..."  That's all.  The other day at Target he was singing in the shopping cart as we walked around the store and a lady we passed completed the line saying "Jingle all the way!"  It put a smile on his face.   In the past few days he has added a bit from hearing other songs on the radio:  "Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bell Rock...".  We will have to see if it remains a favorite next Christmas...

Though we planned on doing it earlier in the day, it turned out that we ended our day with a birthday cake for Jesus.  Although we have been telling Caleb for weeks that we celebrate Jesus' birthday on Christmas, when we asked him today whose birthday it was, he said it was his (especially since Landon was in bed already so he didn't feel like he was having to share this birthday cake).  I think he's a little confused that there is a birthday, a cake, and presents for him... In a 2-yr-olds mind, it makes perfect sense that it must be HIS birthday!  By next year he ought to have it figured out a bit more... :)

Sneaking a taste

Blowing out Jesus' birthday candles

Caleb's Christmas prayer at bedtime tonight:

"Thank you for family, and everything... Thank you for Thomas (the train), and for food, and for going to Nonni's, and everything."  :)

A very nice day.  We're so thankful for our family and for all the blessings in our lives!  And now, off to bed to catch up on some sleep... Landon's teeth are coming in full force and he (and so I) had an awful night of teething last night!