Santa Came!

So I just had Christmas Morning ALL planned out in my head...Ben would come running out of his room like he always DOES...run into the living room see his power wheel and just be SO EXCITED...well it didn't go that way at ALL...he only wanted Pop to hold him and carry him into the living room and sit on his lap even after he saw the power wheel...WHAT!?! Maybe NEXT year! I know it will happen one day because I know how EXCITED I used to get on Christmas morning even after my parents made us go back to bed like 5 times. I still don't understand why 3AM was too early ;)

 So he ended up liking the Power Wheel and wanted to open his presents in it...OK so I had to open some presents because he didn't trust me with his ring pop!

 Didn't he have perfect Christmas morning hair?!?!

We went to The Gaylord for their Christmas Brunch! It was fabulous as ALWAYS! I love this tradition because it is nice and relaxing not to mention they have everything and it is DELICIOUS! 

Ben LOVED all of the choo choo's at the Gaylord! 

Ben even enjoyed some none happy meal food 

I know I KNOW...a little out of control but Ben is just such a LUCKY little boy that he has so much family that LOVES and SPOILS him to pieces! But if you have been around him lately you know that he LOVES his family SO Much he is the sweetest lil guy out there very VERY BUSY but will always take time out to give lean ins HUGS and KISSES! So thank you to all of his family that made this Christmas so SPECIAL for the Three of US. We are truly grateful for AMAZING family!

Christmas Festivities

Cousin Brooklynn invited us over to watch the Christmas parade that goes by her house

Ben, Pop, and Brooklynn

Ben was very in to the parade

Daddy and Ben (you can see where Ben gets his good looks)

Minnie and Benny :)

Minnie shares her gloves :)

Ben and Wesley Baking

You can't bake without licking the spoon

The finished product...yummy!

On Christmas Eve Santa delivered Happy Meals

Enjoying Pops chocolate covered pretzels

Cookies and Milk for Santa

Grandma and Grandma sent Ben a very special book! "Twas the Night Before Christmas"

read by Grandma and Grandpa

Night, Night on Christmas Eve

Christmas Pictures

I love this little guy SO much words just can't describe it. The holiday season means so much more now that I get to see it through the eyes of a 20 month old.

Ben's favorite things this Christmas are:

• Every morning Ben runs into the living room and has me turn on the christmas tree lights, then the mantel, then the tree in his playroom, and then the dining room tree
• If you ask him what Santa says he says "HO HO HO"
• He likes to sit by his tree and read Christmas books
• He LOVES dancing to Christmas music
• Loves Loves LOVES the movie ELF he will watch the whole movie
• Everytime he sees Christmas lights he says "WOW"
• Knows that when he brings Bo the christmas tree container with candy he will say NO but if he brings it to me I will ALWAYS let him have a piece :) and my excuse is it's Christmas!

Santa Crashers

As most of you know I LOVE the NORTHPARK Santa! So I knew this holiday season wouldn't be complete until I tortured took Ben to see him. I have made sure that we talked about Santa and pointed him out every chance I could so that he wouldn't be scared of him. So we arrived at Northpark around 10a just in time for 10:30 storytime with Santa. My sister in law Blakley was already there with Brooklynn and picked up our ticket to see Santa. When she got the ticket at around 9:45 she was told that her estimated time to see Santa was 6:30PM.....WHAT?!?!

So Ben and Brookynn ENJOYED story time with Santa while Lily hit the food court for some fresh fruit at the Red Mango. After story time I found us a place to stand to make sure the grumpy ole guy was sure to see us waiting. So people would come up to Grumpy and ask for a ticket and he would say I will give you one but you need to come back at 7PM. The looks on the PARENTS faces were the same as if you told a child Santa isn't REAL.

While the kids were eating chick fila I realized the grumpy ole guy wasn't checking tickets when he called people's numbers. and then I heard Grumps call number 35.....35.....THIRTY FIVE....no response he than looked at me and said 35?....If your thinking I was smart enough to say YES we are 35 well...your WRONG! I did the nest smartest thing I said no we our 53. Knowing we were really 198! So if you can just picture me, Blakley, Jen and 3 innocent kids looking really guilty and plotting and getting our GAME PLAN ready! So 30 minutes goes by and he is now in the 40s. So then it HAPPENS the REAL number 53 shows up. Quick Panic! Then Blake says Ok were 52. So when he gets to about 43 I take off to the bathroom with the ticket. You can never be to prepared when your cheating the Santa line system. When I get back I see the most wonderful thing ever Jen and Blake and the 3 kids are now behind the black ropes! So I sneak on in and we all start fixing the kids up making sure not to make eye contact with the grumpy ole man or the mom across the isle who caught on to our scheme. 20 minutes later and

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

Blakley said it BEST "We didn't take someones place in line, We just advanced ours :)" I'm estimating but our total time waiting and seeing Santa was about 3 hours

 Getting Excited!

Brooklynn's next and she did GREAT!



 Look at her legs crossed and hands clasped as she is telling him she wants a pink Barbie Car :)

 Ben on the other hand was NOT A FAN!

But Lily and Santa had a Moment... So Sweet!

After all that scheming this is what I Get...

But of course there is always next year! And I will be back :)