Thankfully (prayerfully, really) Christmas morn arrived and Finley peeked out into the living room to find a giant shark that he exclaimed was looking at him! He hoped it was for him, and when he learned it was he was beyond happy. Phew. Crises averted. And the tone was set, so other than me forcing the boys to put on their brakes (they were just tearing into presents, theirs or not), it was a good Christmas. Gamma and Poppy spent the night with us and before dawn we began tackling the mountain of presents!
Finley is a child who knows what he wants. And he gets something stuck in his head and things have to go his way or they go south quickly (read the first paragraph). Grandma and Grandpa mailed a box of goodies for us all and the boys were thrilled to put the presents under the tree. Finley immediately decided this cylinder was a cylinder of chocolates. And no amount of explaining that it was a surprise would change his mind. It wasn't chocolates, but he was thrilled that it was Lincoln Logs!
Gamma and Poppy got Finley the Chinook toy he asked for and he was beyond excited!
Great Grandma Gail also gifted the kids a lot of fun goodies and books! She always finds the neatest toys and books! Keagan was thrilled to get "chapter books" and he also got a lamp for his bed from us so he has been reading his chapter books from Great Grandma Gail in bed until I call "Lights Out!"
I took each boy to Walmart to get his brother (and sister) a present picked out just by him. It was fun to see what they picked out for each other, and I was impressed that there was minimal "I want this" or "I want that." Instead they seemed to pick out what they would like for themselves (I buy gifts this way so I get it...) and they bought each other the very same present!!! I caught this moment of brotherly love on camera (it happens 2% of the time).
Maclyn was pretty thrilled to get to help open her presents! She didn't seem to care too much for what was in them but was pumped with getting ahold of the bows or paper! And straight to her mouth.
One gift she received was from my mom. It was a very special gift because it was handmade by Grandma and it was made to look like one of my first baby dolls named "Green Baby." Maclyn was smitten with the doll and it brought back warm-fuzzies from when I was a little girl with my own baby doll.
Mac also got another sweet baby doll from Gamma and her name is Baby Stella! She loves her too. This picture just makes my heart sing...a bunch of baby dolls.
Can you spot the baby in this Christmas tornado!?
After Christmas shenanigans and breakfast Josh had to get ready and go into work. The boys played with all their toys and I attempted to clean up behind them. That was futile. Keagan spent a lot of time building his X-wing fighter lego set. He did it all by himself and finished it that afternoon.
Josh built Finley's Starwars something-or-another Lego ship and used superglue to prevent breakage. I think that defeats the point of Legos, but Josh won that battle!
At one point I sent the boys outside to play because it was a super-rare balmy 72-degrees outside! And Finn received a puffer vest for Christmas and insisted on wearing it. So I let him. But he got hot outside! Haha!
Sweet baby girl coordinated with her Gamma after everyone got cleaned up!
Finley reading one of his books from Great Grandma Gail and wearing his puffer vest from Mom and his new shirt from Grandma...and yes, it was still 72-degrees that day! (I pick my battles)
Well. I believe I have actually wrapped up 2016 before 2016 ended!!! Happy 2017!
