A Mostly Wordless Christmas Post

Christmas was so fun this year!  It was truly magical to experience the wonder of it all through Ayden and Rylee's eyes.  I've always loved Christmas, but I have to say, it's a million times better with kids!  Especially since they now are old enough to really start getting into it.  So weird to think this was actually our 3rd Christmas together.  We hardly count the first one since they were only a day and a half old and in the NICU.  Last year was fun, but they were only a year old and didn't really get it.  This year was magical though!

We took them to a place called Storybook Land, which is basically a bunch of displays from different fairy tales, nursery rhymes, and animated movies.  They were captivated by it all!  They wanted so badly to hop the little tiny fence and play with everything.  We had hoped to visit Santa while we were there, but there was a huge line and after waiting 20 minutes, Ayden had enough and went into complete meltdown mode.  After estimating about another 15 minutes waiting, we decided to just go home.

He managed to get one leg over that little fence several times!

She pulled several teddy bears from the displays that we had to put back.

I know lots of people think Elf on the Shelf is creepy, but I think it's just something fun.  We did nothing more than move "Baby Elf," as Rylee called him, every night.  We weren't sure they'd even get that, but after just a few days, Rylee woke up every morning and searched for it.  Once Ayden realized we weren't going to let him play with it, he could careless and was never interested!  haha!

Decorating cookies at Community Playgroup

We spent Christmas Eve with my family and Ayden and Rylee finally got to see Santa!  One of my uncles has slipped away and dressed up as Santa for several years now.  Even with four kids age 2 or younger, not a single one cried this year!  That was a first!

I love this picture of Santa and Rylee looking at each other.

Ayden LOVED his gift from Santa!
Potty Time with Elmo, with sound effects.

It's impossible to get a good picture with 8 kids!
Baby Pearl is hidden behind Ayden's book.

After everyone had their turn with Santa, Rylee crawled right back up on his lap for some one-on-one time.

My Grandma with Santa

Rylee with her Auntie

Ayden with his Uncle (my sister's husband)

Tony pulling double duty as Daddy and Uncle.

Ayden was DONE with taking pictures and holding still!

We spent Christmas morning at home.  Tony and I had so much fun putting everything under the tree.  As we were filling the stockings, he commented that "he'd always wanted to do this!"

Everything ready for Christmas morning.

The bikes are a little big for them yet, but with their birthday only 2 days before Christmas, we thought this was the best time to give them.  They'll definitely be ready for them by this summer.

Reading one of their new books.

We put Rylee and Ayden down for early naps that morning, and when they woke up, we left for Christmas with the in-laws.  We stayed with them overnight, and woke up the next day for another Christmas morning with the grandparents, and Tony's brother and his family.  I didn't get very many pictures while we were there unfortunately, but here's a few:

Grandpa and his Mini-Me

She really does love her new stick pony, even if she doesn't look like it!  lol

To end this post, I'll share just two more pictures of cuteness.  Ayden and Rylee love these chairs that we gave them for Christmas!

A lazy Sunday, watching Frozen.