Christmas 2011

Christmas this year was so great because it was Lily Jane's first Christmas and also the first Christmas that Tate was really into it. And I mean REALLY INTO IT. We tried to do it up right for him.

There were Santa visits...

 And house decorating....

We decorated our house with wreaths and candles in the windows, but that wasn't enough for Tate. It it were up to him, we would have multiple inflatables and multi-colored lights that changed to the music. He asked me repeatedly why we didn't have a giant Santa in our yard and took to calling our house a "party pooper house."  When we drove by the houses with inflatables, he called them "party people." 

Christmas parades....

We went to the Grapevine Christmas parade with Tate's favorite friend "Frank" (his name is actually Henry, sometimes "Hank," but to Tate he is "Frank" and Tate is not letting it go). The boys had fun with a light saber/nun-chuks(?) fight. Side note: While doing this blog post I asked Rob how to spell nun-chuks. He gave me the prior spelling and then, after a pause, said "wait a minute, why are you writing about nun-chucks on our blog?" Another side note: I still don't think his spelling is right. Last side note: I'm too tired to look it up myself. Have you noticed I just did 9 blog posts in 24 hours?!?)

The boys loved the parade. And then it rained, giving Tate the perfect opportunity to tell everyone he saw "It rained on my parade!!" 

And there were Christmas card photo shoot fails....

....and more fails.

And Christmas cookies...

Note my 8-months-pregnant sister Nancy rolling out the dough with a wine bottle. That's how the Dodson sisters roll (literally) when it comes to baking.

Lily Jane presided over the cookie making.

Tate demonstrates why the Grinch is his favorite Christmas story.

There were family gatherings.

We hosted Christmas Eve Eve for my extended family at our house. Lily Jane loved every minute of it. (dress handmade by Linda)

This is the first gift Lily Jane ever opened, and she knew exactly what to do with it! She tore into that package and then looked for others.

She was a natural.

Tate was there, too. (Rob was, too, but we can't find any photographic proof.)

There was reading of "Twas The Night Before Christmas."

Tate had a blast with Nannysippi who spent Christmas at our  house.

And then there were gifts. Lots of them.

Tate told Santa he wanted a microphone for Christmas. When asked why, Tate would always say "because I want to be a rock star."  Oh yes, silly us. He got several microphones. Everyone who bought him a microphone will be getting a performance outside their bedroom windows at midnight.

And finally.....Santa came!!!

Tate's loot from Santa. to the left are his rock star theme gifts.

Lily Jane's loot from Santa.

Lily Jane thought this whole Christmas thing was pretty cool.

 Telling secrets. (LJ is wearing Tate's hand-me-down PJs from his second Christmas. I happened to see the exact same PJs for sale again, so I bought them in Tate's size for this year.)

Tate's favorite gift was this arcade "Claw" game. He plays it over and over and over.

And the big Santa gift this year was a swing set in our backyard! Rob calls this picture "Nesting Tot, in his natural habitat."  

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!