Can't Wait for Christmas

I think Carlos and I are both equally excited about spending our first Christmas in our "new" house.  The first Christmas was special, but the boys were both still in the NICU.  Last year we were at my mom's house and I was so stressed I didn't enjoy the holiday season.  I was so afraid that the sale of the condo would fall through and we'd be stuck with the place and lose the opportunity to buy our current home.  Thank God that all worked out.  And this year, well, I think we are in a position to enjoy the holidays more.  The boys also are getting into it.  They know who Santa is (they love his hat), and they love the lights and sounds of Christmas.  They want Christmas music every night before bed, and they have enjoyed seeing the Christmas decorations go up around the house.  So even though we are crazy for decorating this early, we're ALL loving it!

Last weekend we took the boys to The Christmas Place in Abington.  A yearly pilgrimage to this place has long been a family tradition.  My brother and I were each allowed to pick out an ornament when we went, and we also got to order a piece of fudge (and it's good homemade fudge!).  The boys went last year and liked the lights, but they were too young to really get it.  This year, they were fascinated by the Playmobile set up.  They sat and watched the "choo choo" for about 10 minutes.  

Then, they were hysterically funny with a little elf that swings from a trapeze.  It does a flip over the bar over and over and over again.  It's been there since I was a kid.  Well, we were parked under it looking at it for about 15 minutes.  The boys laughed belly laughs each and every time the elf flipped.  Everyone in the store that walked by and saw was cracking up at their reaction.  It was sweet to see.  They have the most infectious laughs.

Here's a short video that gives an idea of what went on for 15 minutes!

http://youtu.be/cYBvwu-KLV0

Sunday afternoon the boys had a birthday party at a place right near the house in Easton.  It was basically an indoor gym with trampolines and a huge inflatable slide.  The boys had a great time climbing on everything and jumping on the trampoline.  Adrian started jumping right away.  Sebastian took a bit longer to warm up to the idea!  Then the boys had pizza and cake.

Today, Veteran's Day, I had to work.  Milton gives us every holiday off and great vacations, but for whatever reason, we work Veteran's Day.  Bummer.  Carlos and my mom took the boys to Nana's.  Jim and Baby James met them there.

 I was so jealous they got to see Nana.   The boys were both extremely content because Mugie brought her Beetlejuice doll (the boys call him "juice") and Ernest.  She let Sebastian take Ernest home.  I've never seen Sebastian so happy and content.  He didn't let Ernest leave his side all afternoon, except for about 10 minutes that he finally let poor Adrian have him.  (Adrian isn't as in love with him as Sebastian, but he still spend his 10 minutes showing "ness" to Carlos and me about 20 times each.)

Sebastian put Ernest in the bus and pushed him around...

And then my favorite moment ever happened.  Sebastian sat down in his chair with Ernest and said simply, "Happy!"  It was so sweet and so lovely.  That boy LOVES his animals and dolls and takes such good care of them.  He broke my heart in that moment, and I was so proud of him on so many levels.

 Here he is hugging Ernest.

Best of friends!

And here he is showing mama Ernest's teeth.

Tonight, Grumpy came over and Sebastian used his pliers to fix Grumpy's nose.

And his glasses, too...

I love these boys more and more very day.  It's thrilling to see them growing, and they are really starting to be able to communicate with us and to understand everything going on around them.  I just find it all amazing.