The first days of Christmas

We had a great Christmas filled with friends, family, and late nights (which means 9:30 these days).  The celebration lasted for four days. It was exhausting but lots of fun.  Last Christmas we were exhausted with our one month old baby.  It's all sort of a blur.  This year, Connor didn't quite understand what the fuss was about but he loved all the activity.  There was so much going on that I'm going to have to break it in to two posts.

On the 22nd, we spent the evening with Jaimee's family and our friend Nancy.  Connor and Lily had a great time.  It was Connor's first time opening gifts since he was so sick on his birthday.  He didn't really figure out how to open the gifts, but man did he love the wrapping.  He loved the tissue paper: rolling in it, throwing it, carrying it around.

This was also the first time Connor and Lily really played together.  It was so fun to watch them rolling around in the dogs' bed and playing on Lily's ice cream truck.  You can read all about it on Jaimee's blog.  The pictures are great!

Our friends Lucas and Michelle were in town for their biannual holiday trip to NM.  We spent the evening of the 23rd with Lucas' family and some friends.  Connor really wanted to play with Lucas and Michelle's boys, Robert and Thomas.  Sadly, he can only toddle where these boys can flat out run.  He only got knocked over once before he found a corner full of baby toys and some pretty ladies to flirt with.

By Christmas Eve, we were surprised that Connor wasn't cranky as we headed out for night three of festivities.  We spend most Christmas Eves in the Ridgecrest area at our friend Elaissa's party and then with the Romeros for New Mexican food.  Connor seemed to be wary of the party guests at Elaissa's but that lasted about five minutes.  He was soon running around and grinning at everyone he could see.  He took a few minutes off to chug some water and enjoy some Elaissa's famous perogies.  I tried to get a picture of the perogie but he stuffed it in his mouth too fast for me.

Before we left we took our annual picture in front of the tree.

At Carol and Vince's place the fun continued...and so did the eating.  Connor got to see his cousin Kai.  He loves being with big kids.  Connor also had a mess of presents to open from all his aunts and cousins.  After posole and gifts, we decided to brave the cold weather and walk through the luminarias.  Kai helped push Connor's stroller.

We got home very late on Christmas Eve and put Connor right to bed in his Christmas jammies.  Thomas and I stayed up to make last minute preparations for Christmas day and open one gift.  It was a great night!