Christmas Day

Christmas was magic this year with two little boys, late-day snow and a puppy!

Jonah was only mildly interested in his presents...With 13 people in the house, he was too busy watching all the activity to stop and play with his toys. Isaac, on the other hand, examined every gift and played with it before moving on. By the end of the day, there was still a stack of presents the boys hadn't opened yet. We like it that way for now, while we can get away with it...





I think Isaac's most treasured present was his very own wallet. When he pulled it out of his stocking, it already had a few cards and a few dollars in it. He carried it everywhere and talked about it constantly.


Jonah was in constant motion, but he loved the roomful of laughter and family. I think his favorite Christmas morning present was the little red car that makes noise when you roll it. But he liked Isaac's toys too; here he is with his brother's new ambulance.


Our other big Christmas meal is breakfast, which is really brunch, and these days comes at lunchtime. By the time we sit down to eat, we're starving, but as you can see, we're in no hurry...




Adam and I gave Isaac a baby doll and a stroller, which were two of his three main requests. The third was the play kitchen that Santa had dropped off in Denver.


Taylor gave Jonah this set of balls and hammer, which both boys loved.


But the real hit of the morning was this set of foam squares from Aunt Kitty - such a simple toy, with unlimited possibilities. Isaac apparently had a lot of excitement to work off, because he spent about a half hour running, sliding, and jumping on this pathway Adam had made - all the while screaming and squealing as loud as a three-year-old boy on Christmas morning can. Jonah followed him around and let out little squeals and grinned at everyone.








I love the contrast: the room and Jonah are in focus, but in most of these photos, Isaac is simply a blur.








This went on for a really long time. I would post the video too, but that might be overkill...
Finally, they built a house with the squares (the edges are lined with Velcro) and got inside.


To make this Christmas complete, there was even a forecast for snow and a 9-week-old puppy.


My parents lost their beloved Harley earlier this year and weren't sure about another dog for a while, but Cork seemed destined to be in this family. Half Lab and half Golden, he was a snuggly, smart, social little creature who added to the general chaos and was the most adorable little puppy I could imagine. He even shares some unusual Harley traits, such as running to the freezer to beg when he hears someone getting ice.

My dad and Taylor had just picked him up the day before we arrived, and my parents told no one - so it was a Christmas surprise for each of us.


Taylor gave Isaac his very own guitar. She even included a case, tuner and a set of picks.






Finally, the excitement was too much for Jonah. We hadn't even sat down to eat yet when he snuggled up on Adam and slept.


Jonah is such a clown, and he loves hats. Here are some pictures from later in the day with his Dada's new cap.