The Patton Press: Christmas: Take Three

Christmas morning, I think I was more excited than the girls were. I imagined them racing down the hall, barely able to contain their excitement. Instead, I got stumbling down the hall, and pitiful faces because they didn't feel well. Hrmph. Santa Claus was good to the girls this year, and I know they would have been just beside themselves had they felt well. Maddie showed a little more enthusiasm then Cadie, but she'd also had the crud a little bit longer, so I think she was nearing the tail end. We did manage to get a few squeals out of them over the kitchen and they were thrilled to see that Santa and the reindeer had enjoyed, down to the last nibble, their cookies, milk, and carrots.

After perusing the Santa gifts – including a brand new big girl kitchen, Tinkerbell necklaces with their initials, a new princess table, and their very own princess beauty shop kits – we moved on to the gifts from Mommy and Daddy. They got a ton, and I mean a TON, of new play food to go with their kitchen. I just love the Melissa and Doug food; it's creative and interactive, and most importantly, durable. They also got some new books, a couple of puzzles, and several new ornaments. And, this was the first year they bought one another a gift. We let them each pick something out during a pre-Christmas trip to Wal-Mart. Not surprisingly, they each picked out the pink and purple versions of the same Barbie. I'm a little surprised that they're already interested in Barbie, but it seems that Barbie girls they are!

After gifts and some cinnamon rolls, it was time to get cleaned up and brave the snow covered streets for our final official Christmas celebration of the season at Nana's house. I lost count of how many cars we saw run off the road or stuck in the ditch. Luckily, our 4-wheel drive held true and we didn't have a single problem. It was nice to see, though, several Good Samaritans helping fellow drivers get "un-stuck". We made it to Nana's, unloaded, and settled in for a relaxing day. The girls were anxious to open gifts, but managed to get through a yummy turkey lunch/dinner first. Our bellies newly stuffed, we headed upstairs to let the girls open some more presents from Santa that he'd left especially at Nana's house. I was a little disappointed when their enthusiasm level was much the same as it had been at home, but reminded myself they weren't feeling well and there wasn't much that could be done about it. Despite not feeling well, though, the girls were thrilled (albeit a downplayed version of thrilled) to get fancy new Disney princess dresses and magic wands. Cadie was excited to find her very own Snow White dress, while Maddie squealed over her Sleeping Beauty one. They also got their very first piggy banks (in the shape of the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse), a Hannah Montana microphone and doll, a Cinderella and Jasmine doll, and more. We finished opening presents downstairs, then Cadie quickly fell asleep in my lap, long before bedtime. We'd planned to stay for the evening, but it was clear the girls were done in. So, we loaded back up, headed home, and tucked the girls in early, one more Christmas behind us.