Backtracking a bit...
As per tradition, Santa came to our house in Tennessee early again this year! We're so thankful that Santa needs to take the reindeer out on practice runs before Christmas. The boys didn't know Santa was coming early so there was no setting out cookies and milk or not being able to sleep because they're so excited. Mrs. Claus was nice enough to make cookies for us again (she's just so sweet, huh?) and Santa's elves got to work setting the toys out and filling the stockings.
The elves decided this year that it would be easiest to just take everything out of the packages before we set it all out. Kemper had asked for Santa's Workshop (to go along with the Santa's sleigh playset he got last year) and I swear there had to be 50 gazillion tiny little stickers that had to be placed every so carefully in tiny little nooks that only an elf would be able to reach. Hudson got a mini Santa's Workshop of his own. This elf really tried to scale back this year, and I did pretty well but still found myself picking up little things here and there along the way but that was mostly for the stockings. I LOVE filling stockings!
We also planned to do our little family Christmas morning so we had to make sure that all of the presents were wrapped and ready to go. Each boy gets to go shopping with one parent to pick out a present for their brother. This year, Kemper picked out a giant stuffed Sully for Hudson that he had seen Hudson love on once before at Walmart (I didn't think we were going to get Hudson to let go of Sully that night...he had a death grip on him and threw a fit when we had to put him back). Last year we had to do a lot of reminding Kemper that he was choosing a gift that Hudson would like and not something that Kemper would like. This year, he did great (according to James) and decided right away on Sully. Hudson "chose" a Ninja Turtles T-phone that Kemper had been asking for as well as some Magic Tree House books. Both boys were extremely pleased with their gifts!
On "Christmas morning", it took Kemper awhile to notice that Santa had stopped by early. I made sure to grab Kemper before he jetted downstairs first thing to grab a Pop Tart (a rare treat and when they're in the house, he has a one-track mind in the morning) so that we could all snuggle and go downstairs together. When we went down, he went straight for the Pop Tart and never even glanced toward the fire place. He sat and happily ate his Pop Tart, completely oblivious to all of the presents sitting out. James and I kept wondering if we should point it out but we just played along and waited for him to notice.
It took awhile, but when he turned to go back upstairs, he finally spotted the gifts and stopped in his tracks. After letting it sink in for a minute, he yelled, "Santa came!!!" and started jumping up and down. We all headed over to check out what Santa had left. Kemper was THRILLED with the Santa workshop and extra elves that had come with it (he had specifically asked Santa for extra elves...I think that the Bass Pro Shops Santa was very confused with that request). He barely noticed anything else and immediately started playing with that.
Hudson noticed the Mike the Knight DVD and wanted to check it out. He also got a Leapfrog ABC toy and Leapfrog animal farm toy. Hudson wasn't feeling all that well so he was a bit more chill than usual. He just hung out with James and looked at his DVD.
Kemper got a Ninja Turtles DVD in his stocking along with some candy, a few card games (Go Fish and Old Maid), a new toothbrush and toothpaste and a Ninja Turtles ornament. Hudson also got a toothbrush and toothpaste, some candy, socks, and a Yo Gabba Gabba ornament. I know there was more in their stockings but I'm drawing a blank at the moment. It took me forever this year to find ornaments for them. I try to find an ornament that represents what they were into each year, so Ninja Turtles for Kemper and Yo Gabba Gabba for Hudson. I ended up having to order Hudson's from this random little toy shop and I found Kemper's at Walmart last minute.
Then it was time to open our presents. The boys went first and they loved their respective toys! Hudson carried Sully around and loved on him all morning. Kemper thought his T-phone was awesome and wanted it out of the package immediately.
When it was time for Mommy and Daddy to open our gifts, Hudson insisted on helping. Daddy got new hunting pants, some regular pants and a button down shirt and a Sonicare toothbrush. Another one of his gifts was on back order so he got his Vineyard Vines VMI belt last week! Mommy got the new Garth Brooks box set, a Keurig and lots of K-cups!
After everyone finished opening presents, we all got ready to head out for Hudson's doctors appointment. As an extra surprise, he got a case of mild pneumonia! Once we got his medicine and came home, we spent the day playing with new toys and cleaning up our mess from that morning. I know that we do "Christmas morning" in an unconventional way but it works for us. We don't want to have to add Santa presents in with everything else we pack to take to Virginia and this also allows our kids to have "Christmas morning" in their own house. In the end, whether it's our fake Christmas morning or actual Christmas morning, seeing the smiles on their faces and the excitement in their eyes is so much fun!
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