Christmas Adventures Part 2

As I have blogged before, this was the first Christmas where little man understood all the fun things like Santa, reindeer, presents and the big family gathering with aunts, uncles and, of course, grandparents.

Christmas Eve little man awoke full of excitement. He knew it was the beginning of Christmas. He could barely sit still all morning and by the time we loaded up the car to head to Grammy Jo and Papa's house, he was about to explode.

After a fun night of playing with Uncle Lambo and Aunt KK and a tummy full from our Christmas Eve feast, little man did what I'm sure every other household in America with a toddler does on Christmas Eve - put out cookies and milk for Santa and sprinkle reindeer food outside on the snow.

After all, reindeer get hungry, too. Why should Santa be the only one to get treats?

{it was really just oatmeal and glitter, but fun nonetheless}

And after little man was nestled all snug in his bed, while visions of sugar plums danced in his head, the adults scrambled to put together little man's Christmas surprise.

I stuffed his stocking full of books, toys and candy.

Uncle Lambo braved the cold night to scoop up the reindeer food and leave hoof prints in the snow.

And daddy and Papa assembled the BIG surprise.

The Santa present.

The gift that little man had been pining for.

The present he so proudly told Santa he wanted for Christmas.

Spike, the Ultra Dinosaur.

When little man awoke on Christmas day, all of the adults were assembled, cameras in hand.

And as I brought little man up the stairs and turned the corner his eyes caught a glimpse of it.

He paused.

Then giggled.

Then exclaimed, "A DINOSAUR!"

He slowly walked to it, giggling the entire way.

Amazed, shocked and excited, little man didn't know what to do next.

Fortunately, daddy liked playing with Spike, too, and had already logged some playtime on it. He snatched up little man and began his tutorial of the remote control buttons.

As the morning passed and little man ate his fill of cookies and opened his new arsenal of toys, there was just one more surprise left.

Peering out Grammy Jo and Papa's glass front door, he stopped. His eyes began to sparkle.

And then, he pointed.

"The reindeer food is gone, momma," little man said with amazement. "The reindeer ate all the food."

He then turned to me with a smile. His face gleamed.

"Yes, buddy," I said. "Santa's reindeer came and ate it all up."