Merry Christmas!

Christmas was wonderful! The Dalby family came in for a stay and we hosted everyone here in TN. This was my first Christmas EVER not being at my parent's house for the holidays. It was really an enjoyable holiday. We missed Damon, although we did get to chat with him via Skype on Christmas Day for about an hour. It is nice that he is in a location this time that allows for internet access and the family to communicate so well. Dalby enjoyed every aspect of Christmas. She especially liked watching all of the packages arrive. Because so many people were traveling from all over and our Michigan relatives sent fun packages Dalby assumed every box on the front porch was a "peasant for Dalby". We just got a box the other day and she got very excited because she assumed "Christmas coming and peasant for Dalby". The other idea she really got this year was a Christmas list. Each time she spotted an item in a toy catalog or a TV ad that she needed the conversation would go something like this, "Dalby need dat pease"......Momma/Daddy...."We will add it to the list." This comment seemed to be the only one that would work and stop her from begging for the item. She would hear that it would be added to her list and we would move on. The only idea she couldn't get on board with was Santa Claus. She is not a fan of the man...although she likes the gifts he brings. Christmas morning everyone was waiting in the living room for Dalby. Aunt Lyndsay had bunked with Dalby and was the designated escort. Aunt Lyndsay came out of the room and Dalby ran back in the room and slammed the door. So Daddy went in to fetch her and Dalby was none to sure she wanted to come out. After a bit of coaxing Daddy convinced her that it was ok to come out of her room and see the gifts because "Christmas had come". As Dalby came out of the room she said, "Santa gone?" And all of us convinced her that Santa had left the gifts and then gone to deliver more presents to other girls and boys. Then she started to appreciate her stash and LOVED opening all the gifts.

Ok....maybe I believe you now and this stuff looks pretty neat! And when you ask what Santa brought: a dollhouse, a toothbrush and Handy Manny.....not sure why the toothbrush gets included but she is quite happy with her new Cat in the Hat toothbrush:)