Holiday Highlights

Ol' Santa was good to us this year, as always.  Here are the holiday highlights:

1.  AJ was totally into opening presents.  And on top of that, excited about what was inside them.  He was a more active participant than any year in the past.

2.  Both boys tolerated three full days of Christmas-ing really well.  It seems like in years past, I've been relieved when all the festivities were over, no matter how much fun they were, because I knew how hard it all was on the boys.  This year they rode the Christmas wave frenzy like pros.

3.  Zack absolutely refused to come upstairs to open presents while at my parents' house, and I didn't fight it and get upset that he wouldn't join us.  I let him stay in the basement with his TV shows and computer.  He was coaxed up for food, and that was about it.  We let AJ open Zack's presents and then we brought them down for him to see.  And called it good enough.

Aliza's self portrait in an ornament.

4.  AJ's favorite present - Olivia books.  Zack's favorite present - a tie, between his little canister of pompom balls he got from his teacher, and his big Mickey Mouse.  Aliza's favorite - another tie, between her giant Lego Friends set and her suitcase.  Yep.  She wanted a suitcase for Christmas, and got one.  It's very stylish.

5.  I think Aliza has lost a little bit of the magic and mystique over Christmas.  She is almost 10 years old, and I feel like the spark in her eyes is not as bright.  She still carries around the Santa belief.  I thought she might be onto us, and she might be playing along and humoring me, but I am not so sure now.  If she's playing along, it's an Oscar-worthy performance.

It's hard to put my finger on it.  I guess there's just a maturity in her that hasn't been there in past years.  She's very close to not being little anymore.

6.  Zack and AJ tolerated 4 1/2 hours of visiting and playing and eating and present opening Christmas afternoon afternoon, with 6 aunts and uncles, 6 cousins, and one grandpa in attendance (in addition to mom, dad, and sister, of course).  It was a house full of merriment and commotion, and they behaved perfectly, for 4 1/2 hours!  Zack didn't take part in the present opening, but I am totally on board with letting that slide.  Because he didn't bite or pinch or scream, even one time.  Well, except for once, when his cousins' dog got in his face, he did let out a little wail.



Playing with cousins Mike and Mitchell.

7.  On Christmas Eve I had to take Aliza on an emergency shopping trip to get presents for her brothers.  Not because she hadn't already gotten some, but because I'd hidden them so well in the house that I still can't find them.  Thank goodness Walmart was open until 8 PM.

 

We are trying to suck all the fun we can out of this school break, without over stimulating the boys.  They spent a couple of days at home relaxing, and today my mom and I are going to take them to run around the Minnesota Zoo.  Hopefully every other family in the city whose kids are on school break right now won't have the same idea.