Our little Christmas

Before we took off for Ohio, we had a little Christmas celebration as our family of 3, soon to be 4.  Peter and I didn't get each other anything because we gifted ourselves with a new laptop this year.  We only got Benjamin a couple of gifts because we knew was being spoiled by other family members already!

We got Benjamin the Christmas Praise Baby DVD and he liked it.  I don't think he liked it quite as well as he liked the other ones but he's also outgrowing them and will only watch them for about 15 minutes or so.  I also picked up a Memory Game for him at a thrift store, I think he'll come to like it this year.

We also got him a Melissa & Doug alphabet sound puzzle.  We couldn't believe how many letters he recognizes.  It's really fun to watch him do this puzzle....he was outgrowing some of his other ones but he loooves to work on puzzles.

We didn't stand a chance against the gifts that were bought for him by other family.  Auntie Amanda bought him 2 new Little Einstein DVD's and 3 new WordWorld DVD's.  He LOVES them.  She also made him this adorable scrapbook from his birth until now.  He looks through it everyday....it's sad for mommy to remember how little Benjamin used to be!

Nana and Grandfather definetely know their grandson and got him a Thomas the Train track set.  He seriously L.O.V.E.S it.  He sleeps with his Thomas train most naps and nights.  And he asks for it first thing in the morning and literally plays with it nearly all day long.  It's so cute to watch him move the trains along and pretend play. 

After we opened gifts on Friday, December 23rd (and ate a dinner of appetizer type foods) we went to look at Christmas lights at a park here in town.  Benjamin was beside himself running all around saying "look at that!"  "I see a blue one"  "Wow, its beautiful"  It was so fun to walk behind him (okay, more like RUN behind him) and watch him enjoy himself so much. 

 he was NOT happy when I tried to stop him for a picture, ha ha ha!

 he climbed under all the lights and ran around everywhere like a madman!

We came home and got him to bed so we could do a few last minute trip preparations.  We were heading to Portland the next day to stay in a hote before our 5:45am flight on Christmas Day.  Of course, Benjamin had to sleep with his Thomas clutched in his hand!