Christmas Eve

As a Christmas gift to me, Colby has been sleeping past his usual 5:45 wake up time, and he has been sleeping in until 7:30 or 8:00 every day this week. Praise the Lord! (I think it's probably because he's been sick and on 3 different antibiotics, cough syrup, Benadryl and Tylenol.....but I'd like to think he's just being sweet to his mommy)

On Christmas Eve morning, we let daddy sleep in, and we had caramel drizzle coffee and chocolate milk with a special whipped cream treat on top- YUM!!!

Is this not the best face ever?!??

For the past 23 days, the first thing Colby has asked in the morning is, "What are we going to open next, mommy??" meaning, which day to we get to open on the Advent calendar??? :) I was pretty excited that today was our last day to open a window, because that meant that it was almost Christmas day!

After a few meltdowns (it's been a rough, terrible-twos kind of weekend to say the least) and a few errands, we were ready to head to Mimsy and Pops' house for some Christmas celebrating with the Streater family. The first thing we did when we got there was set up Colby's new train tracks. Travis is a train track rockstar!

Then we ate lunch and opened some presents. A few years back, we started doing a charity Christmas with my dad's side of the family. We draw names and do something charitable in honor of the person that we drew. It's always refreshing to hear all of the ways we can give back to others at Christmas time. This year included Angel Tree gifts for kiddos in Chicago, donations to the Scott and White Children's Hospital, Ronald McDonald House and Wounded Warriors, and mentoring young women who desperately need to hear about the Love of Christ.

Of course we can't resist giving Gram and Colby gifts though. :) And Colby was convinced that Gram needed his help opening all of her gifts.

Mike and Mary Jane got Colby the coolest learning desk. It shines letters, numbers and pictures onto your paper so that you can trace them- so neat!! It also plays music and has an alphabet that you can press and it will tell you what the letter is.

By the time we got to dessert, Colby was about 3 hours overdue for a nap, so we needed to get out of there (quickly), but not without singing Happy Birthday to Jesus first. :)

It didn't take long for this boy to tucker out. (my parents' house is only about 10 minutes away)

After a quick, but much needed nap, we had just enough time to get dressed and head to TBC for the 6:30 Christmas Eve service. This was a problem for our little man who needs TIME to wake up after a nap. He did not appreciate the rush, but there wasn't much we could do about it. Luckily, we were able to calm him down in the car after a few stern words and a spanking. (Have I mentioned that we are in the terrible twos??) After the tears finally stopped flowing, Colby was really excited that he was going to get to sit with us at church and hear about and sing about baby Jesus. He almost lasted through the service, but Travis had to take him out in the foyer at the very end.

When we got home, it was just about time for bed (mommy and daddy needed some QUIET time). We left out cookies and milk for Santa, said goodbye to Choo-Choo, read the story of Jesus' birth out of the bible, read the Very Hungry Caterpillar, and kissed our little boy goodnight.

Isn't it amazing how babies can push us to our limits and melt our hearts at the same time? We love this little boy so much!

After doodle-bug went to bed, Travis and I had a few more things to check off our list. (You can see what Trav checked off first.) I hadn't wrapped any of Colby's gifts, Trav needed to put together a car ramp thing, and we HAD to have a fire in the fireplace and watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation together. :)

SUCCESS! It's amazing how matchbox cars and clothes can add up and look like a lot of gifts! haha....we couldn't wait to wake up with Colby the next morning. :)