christmas, part one

I started to do a Christmas post, but then I realized I took so many photos (and I have an "I can't delete photos even if they're blurry or I have five of almost the same exact thing and also I have to edit all my photos even if the edits look almost as crappy as the original" syndrome), I'll have to split this up in a couple posts. Basically, we had a wonderful time with Matt's family. There was the normal Jonah stuff we always have to do, but there was plenty of relaxing, book reading, Scrabble playing, way too much eating, laughing, talking, sleeping etc. I can't tell you how nice it was to be away from the house for a few days and to have so many family members who wanted to help out with and entertain Jonah. I love Matt's family so much, and I feel so blessed that God put me with them. And Jonah was a pure joy and so much fun. I LOVE THIS AGE! Every day I treasure it all up in my heart, trying to hold on to all his cuteness and hilarity. He seriously is such a charmer and I am completely in love and enamored with this child. (I'm going to pretend he's always going to be like this and he won't pitch fits, talk back, bite his friends, or find me embarrassing... let me bask in my denial.)


So anyway, I thought I'd start with the most important part of Christmas - the loot Jonah scored. (Just kidding, of course.) But seriously, this kid is spoiled rotten, and I'm pretty sure he has the most toys of any child on the face of the planet. Okay, maybe not as many as Tripp, but he's coming in a close second. I have many more meaningful and better photos to share, but that will come later, due to the aforementioned photo syndrome.

Oh yeah, before we get too materialistic, I wanted to show you how great Jonah's face looked on the 24th.

And this was the 26th. Both are pretty amazing compared to the last ones I posted, huh? God is good!

Now to the stuff (and this was only a portion of it...)

Rumblin' Chuck Truck (that he was slightly scared of at first). 

Jungle thingy. Don't remember the name, but little animals with wheels slide down the path. Cute.

Jonah took a small break from "getting" to walk for the first time.

 Stocking stuff: some books...

... and a wooden train... it would appear Santa did his stocking shopping at the dollar bin at Target.

The big one - a Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Something Something Pony.

Santa may have gotten this one more for Daddy than for Jonah, but I think it will bring them both lots of joy for the next several years. It's going to start out in Jonah's bedroom if we can do some rearranging and find a spot to put it.

A geometric shape stacker. I really like this. Jonah agrees.

A surprise gift from Granny and Grandaddy - a Power Wheels! (Which he was TERRIFIED of at first and only moderately scared of now.)

A Little People Barn. (Hat not included.)

And this, Friends, is what my living room looked like after we unpacked today. Did I mention we have two more Christmases on Saturday? And did I also mention that the two ottomans shown (and another one off the kitchen, not shown in the photo), are already full of toys? Yep, we have some serious sorting, organizing, and redistributing to other rooms to do. Can you even spot Jonah?

Seriously though, this child is so loved and toys or no toys, he'll never feel lonely or unloved. That's our promise to him - no matter what you go through or how much you endure, no matter our financial situation or where we live, no matter how much you have or how little, no matter what, you will NEVER think you are unloved or wish you had different parents. (Well, you may wish that but it won't be because we don't love you enough... it'll be because we won't let you get a cell phone at the age of eight or because we'll make you do your homework before you turn on the TV... but not because you don't feel loved.)


I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas. I'll be back with more (and more walking videos) soon!