After we got the girls to bed on Christmas Eve, Dave and I decided that we would go ahead and exchange our gifts to each other so that we could focus on the girls on Christmas Morning. It was such a fun time for the two of us. I think that is a new tradition that will stick around for a while.

After we opened our presents to each other, I got the girls’ presents under the tree. We gave them four gifts each.

Bob took his place on the rocking chair, holding and rocking Baby Jesus through the night.

A 3 year old on Christmas Morning is just pure JOY! Little Bug got out of bed and started creeping around the corner on tipee toes to see the Christmas Tree. It was so adorable. I kept wishing I had had the camera rolling. She ran straight for Bob and found Baby Jesus.

And now her Manger Scene is complete!

Little Bug started climbing up the chair to get her stocking so we let the girls open their stockings before we had breakfast and read The Christmas Story together.

After stockings, we ate a waffle, eggs and bacon breakfast and then Daddy read the girls the Christmas Story from Luke 2 while we acted the story out using the Fisher Price Nativity Set. Sweet Pea had just pushed the button to make the song “Away in a Manger” come on and she was dancing.

And then it was present time! I was so excited about the girls’ main gifts. Little Bug’s was a Minnie Mouse (from Disney Land) that I had found from the consignment sale. But there is a story! I saw the Minnie at the sale and knew Little Bug would love it, but when I went to pay, the tag was missing and they would not sell it to me. I left my number and asked to be called if the tag was found. I didn’t have much hope in being called but later that night I received a phone call. They had found the tag, the Minnie was just SIX dollars and they wanted to know if I still wanted it!

When Little Bug pulled it from the box she said, “A GIANT Minnie Mouse!!!”. It has gone everywhere with her since Christmas Morning although, yesterday we went to my parents’ house and I told her she could pick one Christmas present to take with her. And do you know what she picked? A box of bandaids Grams had put her in her stocking!

What do you get a baby who has an older sister just two years older than her? A baby doll, of course! Every little girl needs their own baby doll. I still have my first baby doll. Little Bug has a special first baby doll and I wanted Sweet Pea to have her own baby doll as well.

To say she loved it is an understatement. It was the perfect gift for her.

Little Bug was very much into every single aspect of Christmas this year. She has been obsessed with “Jesus dying on the cross” and we really tried to tie the two stories together for her this Christmas – that Jesus was born to die for our sins.

She loved Bob the Elf and finding a piece of the Nativity each morning. We had so much fun making Christmas crafts, making Christmas cookies, looking at Christmas lights, going Christmas shopping, making sausage balls and opening presents on Christmas Morning.

Sweet Pea enjoyed all the festivities, too. Last Christmas she still couldn’t handle a lot of stimulation and spent most of Christmas in my parents’ bedroom in her swing, away from all the Christmas commotion. This year, she was in the middle of it all, enjoying every second!

Sweet Pea did break for her morning nap at 9:45am, after we had opened presents. We had fun playing with Little Bug’s marble track and got the house cleaned up and ready for my family to come over for a little visit.

It was a wonderful Christmas Morning with our little family of four.

- Elaine