No joke, those were Avery’s words about Christmas morning. Don and I cracked up. We were watching some videos tonight of them coming down the hall and seeing Santa’s handiwork for the first time on Christmas morning. They definitely didn’t have the over-the-top reaction we thought we’d get. At first Alex thought Santa hadn’t come, and then when he turned the corner, he was sort of stunned into silence, not sure of what to do. But Avery got super-shy and almost seemed like she was about to cry. I don’t know if it was the video camera or the way the room looked or the idea of the white bearded fat guy whose lap she refused to sit on having been in her house, but she was freaked out. And tonight, she told us it was overwhelming.

...And the mess the morning after.

Alex was over his shock and jumping on their new trampoline in about a minute and she relaxed soon after. Once they caught on to ripping off the wrapping paper, they were loving every second. And Santa and the elves must have thought the A-Team had a pretty good year overall. We could pretty much open our own store with a backwards R in the name with all their loot. Here are some highlights:

Shared:

• Trampoline
• EZ Bake Oven

Avery:

• Tinkerbell costume
• Snow White dress up set
• Princess scooter
• stamp set
• floor puzzle
• Coffee maker for kitchen set
• Tinkerbell movie
• Hess Truck
• Baby Alive that pees and poops on the potty, per her request to Pop-pop
• monogrammed suitcase

Alex:

• tool bench
• woodworking set with a nail gun
• motorized backhoe
• stuffed Handy Manny (are you sensing a tool theme yet?)
• Thomas scooter
• Honey Bee Tree game
• Doctor dress up set
• Hess Truck
• Handy Manny toolbox
• monogrammed suitcase

Adam

• RollArounds Balls
• giggling elephant ball
• Jungle carousel toys
• Little Einsteins bath toys
• Soft car toy set
• Hess Truck
• monogrammed suitcase
• pajamas

I don’t want them to grow up being materialistic and thinking Christmas is all about the presents, but it sure is fun to buy for them and see them really enjoy and appreciate new things. We did make and give gifts to others, like reindeer food for their playgroup friends, too. And when we went to visit Santa, Alex told him that he wanted a present for Adam for Christmas. So sweet. (Avery, for the record, refused to get near him and threw a fit, so I ended up with a lovely photo of just my sons with St. Nick.)

We’ve spent the last few days wearing princess gear, jumping on the trampoline, getting new helmets to fit their unusually large heads, and trying to find ways to store all the new stuff. It was so nice having Daddy home, too. We’re coming down off the Christmas high and looking forward to rining in the new year quietly at home, with all of us probably asleep when the ball drops. What a change from just a few years ago for Don and me!