Caleb's 1st Christmas

I have always loved Christmas and the excitment of it.  As I have gotten older though, it hasn't been as exciting.  I've always enjoyed watching my neices and nephews at Christmas, but it wasn't that big of deal any more.  This year was so different.  I couldn't wait for Caleb's first Christmas.  I loved to sit with him in the dark and watch the Christmas tree rotate and I enjoyed planning his gifts.  It was fun to plan on what traditions we would have as a family as well.  We tried to read a story from our 24 Days of Christmas book every night (sometimes it didn't work) and we sang Christmas carols for Caleb as well.

We were at my parent's house for Christmas Eve.  We had our traditional dinner and then I read the Christmas around the World book.  Then we each got to open one present.  We took our present over for Caleb to open and of course it was pajamas.  What is more exciting than opening a pair of pajamas on Christmas Eve?  Caleb loved spending the evening with his cousins and had a good time crawling after them.  (Earlier that day we had Caleb in his crib while we put his laundry away vacuumed his floor and he stood up in his crib for the first time!!)

When Caleb woke up Christmas morning we brought him downstairs after we turned on all the lights.  We showed him what Santa brought him (dump truck walker/ride on toy, Christmas book, stroller, baby food, UNLV shirt, and a Little Einsteins DVD).  In his stocking he got a couple of beanines, a First Christmas ornament, socks (a tradition) and some more baby food.  Then Caleb got to open his Christmas presents from mom and dad.  He got lots of clothes (mostly 18 months), some sorting toys, a Thomas the Tank Engine sound book and a convertible car seat.  After presents were opened and cleaned up, we headed over to Steve and Tracy's for breakfast.  Then we headed back over to my parent's house to open presents.  He got a little light up steering wheel console, a learning farm, a jungle light up toy, a church outfit and other clothes and Chuck the Dump Truck.  It was fun to see him care more about the wrapping paper than anything else.  In the late afternoon we went to Rodney's parents house.  We opened presents (he got a learning table, a car toy, some books and more UNLV clothes).  Then when the extended family got there we had dinner.  When we got home, Caleb went right to bed.  His first Christmas had worn him out.

I am so glad that we have Caleb to spend our Christmas' with.  Christmas is exciting again and I love continuing and starting new traditions as a family and I can't wait to see what he is like next Christmas.