Christmas Excitement and My 400th Post!

Dear Peep-St. Nick,
After a rough week leading into the Christmas holiday Daddy began recovering from pneumonia and the hospital mishap and returned home late on the 20th.  It took a couple of days to feel sort of normal again at home.  While we recouped Grandpa Tim and Trish took you to Wonder Lab with the annual pass they bought you for Christmas.  We are so excited to use it!  We reworked Christmas a bit this year.  We went to Grandma Jean's on the 24th for our traditional brunch and Grandma P and Bahboo joined us along with Auntie Krispie and Currie.  We opened presents, had some pie and came home.  It was a nice low key Christmas and we will meet with Grandma P and Bahboo later in the week.  We received such cool and thoughtful gifts.  Grandma LaJean bought you a very cool garbage truck, which you just happened to play with ANY time we were around the toy aisle at a store.  Your aunties came in with some exciting new toys; popsicle makers, a play dough dessert and ice cream pumper, and a baking kit just for you with an apron and utensils.   We were very proud of how you showed gratitude.  We were happy that absent was a sense of greed on your part.  

Henry helped Aunt Krispie play Santa to deliver the gifts.

 

Eating all of the special treats his aunties brought to share.

Conducting Silent Night for his aunties.

Playing hide and seek with GG.

Reading the Run Away Squash with GG.

Ready to eat GG's homemade apple pie. Yum!

  On the 25th when it was time to open our presents together you were excited to see all the gifts but you were not at all interested in opening any.  We said, "Henny! Those are your presents in the middle!  Open them up!"  You said, "Nooo.  I got my presents already."  We had to beg you to open yours.  When you finally did you showed so much enthusiasm it was the most fun Christmas in a really long time.  

New Toy Story boxers got as much excitement as your very own red guitar, although you wanted to sleep with your guitar and your pluck (pick) and the undies you did not.  You loved Mr. Potato Head, all the cooking toys, and you gave us exams with your doctor's kit.  

I had taken your old unfinished table and made it to look like a half stove/ half hibachi and drilled knobs into the side.  You pulled off the blanket with the skills and posture of a distinguished bull fighter, swiftly and cleanly.  We heard a gasp and, "Uh, uh, uh, uh hibachi!"  All of the gifts were as big a hit as the last.  

  We have a hunch that you're not really buy the whole Santa Clause story just yet.  You watched tons of holiday movies and we went to visit Santa a the mall but you sat on his lap stiff as a board.  After you opened all your presents you said thank you Mommy, thank you Daddy, without solicitation I might add.  We played the old line to the t but you weren't biting.  That's okay.  Santa or no Santa your energy makes for a great Christmas, not to mention we are all incredibly grateful and happy to be together to try to get back to normal after Daddy's hospital visit. 

  After all the gifts were opened we were pleasantly surprised that you took to our tradition of watching A Christmas Story as many times as it could show in a day.  We played with toys, ate some chili, played diving board into the blue blanket, you chewed on Daddy like a zombie baby, took a nice long bubble bath, went for a drive to see Christmas lights, and you passed out on the kitchen floor on our return.  It was wonderful having a relaxing day with my two favorite guys.  

A shark emerged from the tub!

 Christmas the last few years has been all over the place in emotions....this year it was Daddy's unexpected illness, last year just before and just after Christmas Mommy's grandparents both died, the year before Mommy's free spirited aunt Judy died and the year before we got our first call from our friend and your birthmom J, a joyous occasion for certain.  I know everything will always turn out okay as long as team Thompson can stick it out together, nothing is going to stop us.   I can't wait until next Christmas!

Love, Mama