Random Christmas pics

This Christmas was so much fun! Aiden was old enough to REALLY understand what was going on and it made everything so so so exciting!! I think it was the first year we actually wrote a note to Santa and left him cookies and eggnog plus of course carrots for the reindeer. Aiden had helped Grandma Peterson make cookies the day before so we just chose a few of those to put on the plate. Aiden choose where to put the plates and cup so Santa would be sure to see them. We were lucky enough to get to have Aunt Wendy come over for a sleepover so she could spend Christmas morning with us. It added a whole new level of excitement to our night and morning. :)

I tried to spell things in the way Aiden said them so we can remember how he talked years down the road. It says "Dear Santa: I want...probably a teddy bear. A candy cane. (He remembered Santa handed out candy canes when we visited him.) Probably a present. I left a present for your reindeer. Carrots. Be careful with your sleigh! Drink the eggnog. Eat the cookies. Say "ho ho ho" and eat the cookies. MERRY CHRISTMAS!! Aiden"

So excited and proud of his setup.

Christmas morning was SO exciting! Aiden was sleeping in our room so we were able to wake up when he did and see his very first reaction to everything. Santa had moved everything from the Christmas tree to the top of the stairs so Aiden was confused at first. He ran straight to where he had put the cookies and eggnog and paused when he saw they were gone. Once he turned around and saw the huge teddy bear and new presents he sprinted over and got so so excited! We had lots of fun opening presents all morning and it was fun to have Aunt Wendy there so she could sometimes be in charge of the camera to prove that all three of us were there.

This giant teddy bear instantly became part of our family. He's so huge and soft and fun and we all love him! :)

Aiden wanted to sit by all of his stuffed animals while he opened some presents. He told me exactly how to spread them out so they could all be seen and see what he was opening.

I guess a giant bear makes a pretty good playmate!

Aiden is obsessed with all things Mario (just like his dad) so these Mario and Luigi costumes were a big hit. He wore them around for quite a while and insisted on taking them both to Tiny and Big's house later in the day so he could show them too!

After opening even more presents at M and D's house we played our traditional coin game started by my Grandpa Benson. Coins are collected from walks and pocket change from the whole year and then someone calls out how many each of us can collect at a time. Ex: five quarters, thirteen dimes, etc until all the coins are gone. It's always quite surprising how much we each end up getting in the end!

Later in the evening we went over to Great Grandma Benson's house to give her our presents and open hers. Aiden had so much fun playing with her walker. :)

Uncle Nate, Aunt Paige, Aunt Wendy, and Big Grandpa

Aiden was a great delivery boy and then more than happy to help Great Grandma open her presents.

I think I took this picture during one of our Christmas family homes evenings. Aiden and Tyson perched on the couch by our nativity and talked for a long time about the true Christmas story. Aiden got pretty good at telling it and it made my heart happy!