Santa Baby

We had a really fun first Christmas with our little Ashen. A few highlights:

1.) Ashen as Santa. The video says it all. To set it up, we put out milk and cookies (see photo below) and let Ashen 'go for it.' I guess we've trained him well because he tentatively approaches the cookies and despite my reassurance that "Santa can have milk and cookies," he looks at me several times in essence saying, "Is this for real? Can I really have this cookie?" In the end, he never touches a cookie, but does enjoy the milk.

2.) Ashen's Radio Flyer. His aunts and uncle pooled together and got Ashen and his baby brother the coolest wagon ever made. For Ashen it was love at first site...especially since it was loaded with two gigantic stuffed animals. He loved relaxing in his wagon with the animals while grandma and auntie pulled him around.


3.) Playing with Isaac. These cousins are different little guys. My nephew is a quiet, sensitive little guy, while Ashen tends to be louder and more aggressive. Ashen has really learned to tone down his voice and actions around Isaac which is really sweet. One way that Ashen shows affection is by sidling up beside someone or sitting on their lap. He's not very discriminating in who he does this with, as long as he really likes you. Well, he really likes his cousin so decided he wanted to sit or lay on him. After several attempts to sit on Isaac, this was a compromise it seemed everyone could live with.

4. Loving snow globes: Ashen has loved almost everything "Christmas." Especially the Christmas trees with lights and "bubbles." Everywhere we go we inevitably run into a Christmas tree and marvel at its lights and bubbles. At grandma and grandpa's house he saw a new kind of bubble he really liked...snow globes! I've never seen anyone hug or kiss a snow globe until Ashen. This boy is affectionate! He squatted next to these snow globes and smiled and hugged them for 10+ minutes. His auntie entertained him by shaking them.

I hope your Christmas was filled with wonder and delight too! It's so magical to see things through the eyes of this child. We are SOOOOO blessed by this little guy. He's pretty much breathtaking. Shameless bragging, I know--but it's true!