Santa made a special early trip to our home this year, since he knew we would be out of town on Christmas day. We spent our own version of “Christmas Eve” listening to holiday-themed music, making and eating an enchilada dinner (yum!), and baking chocolate chip cookies for Santa. Claire absolutely loves to bake/cook and cracking eggs into the bowl is her favorite task, so this mommy/daughter event was right up her alley. We also made a breakfast casserole for the next morning’s breakfast. This involved cracking EIGHT eggs. You can imagine the excitement. 
We tucked the little munchkin into bed and promptly got to work assembling the trampoline we had purchased off Craiglist a month or so ago. Not an easy task, but somehow we managed. And when I say “we”, I mostly mean “Eric.”
Claire slept in till around 8:00 am (amazing feat for her) and woke up with a big grin on her face. After spending some quality family time in bed while she drank her morning milk, we moved to the living room to start the festivities. Claire immediately ran to the trampoline Santa had brought her and was jumping and pushing the musical buttons before we knew it. Eric and I had big grins on our faces, knowing we picked out a gift she loved. She would say “off”, climb off, then climb right back on and start jumping again.
We then opened our stockings - which Claire thought was the best thing ever. A what-seems-to-be-never-ending container of goodies just for her! She pulled out several books, chapstick, spinning tops, an Elmo toothbrush and toothpaste, stickers and bubbles. Each thing seemed to be even more exciting than the next!
After stockings, Claire unwrapped all of the presents under the tree. Mommy and Daddy gave her a Leap Frog Tag Jr. system and book, a baby doll, a Sesame Street book, a guitar Elmo, and Elmo slippers. She loved them all, but I’d say the book and slippers were the top faves. She really got into the whole present concept. At one point, she was even 1/2 way underneath the tree, looking for more!
Mommy and Daddy weren’t forgotten either. Eric’s stocking had a “Spaceballs” DVD, a “Dave Matthews Band” CD, gym shorts (it was a big stocking!), gum and an Almond Joy candy bar. He also got a new laptop battery, which he desperately needed.
And my wonderful hubby bought me the best present I think I’ve ever received - a new iPhone! Complete with a pink case, it was perfect and exactly what I had been wanting. He got a great deal on it during Black Friday, but didn’t fail to remind me that this was the present that would keep on giving (referring to our now higher monthly cellular bill).
We spent the rest of our “Christmas” eating breakfast casserole, relaxing around the home, and going for a neighborhood drive to see all the lights. It was an absolutely fantastic day and we felt so blessed to be able to celebrate the holiday as a family of three in our new home.
