Christmas was really wonderful. Lots of great time with family and just enough gifts to be exciting without overwhelming. Ready for lots of pictures?

Visiting Santa at the Riverwoods. We love visiting him here. Beautiful outdoor setting with lots of twinkling lights and a free wagon ride and we've never had to wait more than 5 minutes in line. Calder is asking for a teddy bear, but Santa new that he really wanted a big monkey to go with his stuffed monkey collection.

Amelie asking for pretty stones. He brought her some geodes that Daddy helped her hammer open to reveal the beautiful crystals inside.

Easton actually chatted quite a bit with Santa. He had a lot to say, apparently! Santa brought him a soft stuffed lion.

We made our traditional little graham cracker houses. Unfortunately, I didn't do my candy shopping early enough and the store was out of our usual spice drops, etc., but they still turned out cute.

Calder's creation.

After the extended Haymond Christmas dinner on our drive home. The holidays can be exhausting!

A present for Mommy wrapped by Calder.

Reading The Night Before Christmas with Daddy on Christmas Eve.

Christmas morning.

Calder adores his new friend that he has named Big Monkey. This is to distinguish him from his other monkeys named Monkey and Monkey the Monkey. He even sleeps with this big guy.

Amelie got tons of great art materials this year which is perfect for our budding artist. Paints, beads, pipe cleaners, colored pencils, doodle books, a book on how to draw lots of fun things...She's in heaven!

Pretty happy with his stocking loot.

Playing with his dump truck from Mommy and Daddy.

Working hard on the bank Amelie gave him.

It was a great Christmas. One of my favorite parts was when Amelie came up to me and said, “Guess what my favorite thing about Christmas is.” “The presents?” I asked. “No.” “The stockings?” “No.” “Being with family?” “No.” “What then?” “The part about Jesus,” she said. That’s my favorite part too, baby. How we all get to share and feel His love as we focus on others, give gifts in remembrance of His gift to all of us, and extend our love to all we meet.

Easton has been a lovely baby since the beginning. His birth was beautiful, peaceful, and amazing. He slept well as a baby, nursed well, didn’t seem too fussy. As an infant, he was mellow and usually content (unless I left the picture and then he tended to freak out a bit). I was always telling people how “easy” he was.

Where did that baby go?

Easton these days is still undeniably cute and charming, but, boy, has he changed! In discovering his own wants and coming up with his own plans and devising his own little schemes, he has turned into an often demanding and always curious child. He wiggles all over the place when it’s time to change his diaper. If I don’t have his food to him in .02 seconds he demands faster service. He touches when I say not to, climbs when he knows he shouldn’t, and crawls under the pews during church no matter how many times I pull him back and tell him not to (all the while trying to maintain an air of reverent patience).

I know, I know, he’s just growing up and becoming independent. And, usually, I kind of watch him and laugh. Because it is funny. All of these grown-up emotions coming out of a pint-sized little boy–it’s hilarious sometimes! And he’s my third child, so I try not to stress out too much.

And then there are the times that I just sigh.

At least he’s still cute.