"Merry Christmas, Baby"-ies

I was SO excited for Christmas this year. SO. EXCITED. This was the first year Cade really understood what was happening and was anticipating all the fun things going on for most of the month of December:

December 7th- Nonni moved back from China forever!
December 8th- Cade's 3rd B'day and Chase's work Christmas Party
December 10th- Cade's B'day party
December 11th- Huntsville Stake Christmas Festival
December 17th- Papa and Seth moved back from China forever!
December 20th- Church Christmas Party
December 23rd- Layton Family Christmas Traditions Night
December 24th- Morning- Calderwood Family Christmas and Cody coming!; Night- more Layton Family Christmas Eve Traditions
December 25th- Christmas!
December 29th- Jordan comes home from his mission!

I am out of breath! So many fun things for a kid to look forward to that does not even include putting up the Christmas tree and fun 3 year doctor's appointments (until the shot was actually inserted into his leg). Oh the joy that Christmas time brings!

Chase's work Christmas party:

The best Santa picture ever.

Since October, I was giddy with excitement searching deals for toys for Cade (and Reece, but hey, let's face it, he doesn't know what's going on and I have PLENTY of baby toys from Cade so let's just be practical). I did garage sales, we (meaning Chase, too) did Black Friday (waiting in millions of lines ALL night in the freezing cold, mind you. Millions as in 5, but it felt like millions), I did craigslist and other random sales at stores diligently to make sure Cade had the best, most exciting Christmas of his 3 year old life. What excites him, excites me. When he is beyond happy, I am beyond happy. And that is the story of being a mother.

So we went along our busy and exciting month with growing and growing anticipation for all our Christmas festivities and Christmas day...

Our Layton Family traditions are always (don't mess with them in any way or the Layton boys will give you h-e-l-l for it) as follows:

• the decorating of Christmas cookies, and ultimately trying to make a cookie look like something it is not intended. This year poop was even depicted. For obvious reasons that cookie will not be shown. That is just disgusting. (Chase).

One of Cade's masterpieces. Mmm..

Another Cade creation. Can't wait to take a bite out of that one.

The angel blowing her trumpet that turned into a Piranha Plant from Mario. For this is why we celebrate Christmas.

My beautiful Santa's head and hat turned into a face.

The creativity next year will be better. I already purchased some nice redneck cookie cutter sets in the 70% off Christmas at Kroger. (Sneak peak- what on earth does a bunny have to do with Christmas?! I guess we'll find out.)

• the viewing of the Botanical Garden Christmas lights. Really, it's just sitting in really long lines of traffic for hours, and then driving 2 miles per hour to look at all the commercialized light displays of Santas, dinosaurs, and Humpty Dumptys set up throughout the Botanical Gardens. We make fun of it the whole time, but it's tradition and therefore, it is a must at Christmas. Let me save you 20 bucks and show you the best part of the whole thing:
  

Despite our mockery, we really do enjoy it.

• the wearing of Christmas Jammies. Every year, Roxanne buys the whole family special jammies that we open and wear Christmas Eve. No one knows what they look like except Roxanne. Some years, we all match. Some years, there is a theme. This year, the theme was Super Heroes.
  

We have a Flash, 2 Green Lanterns (Hmm..), Captain America, Iron Man, every woman superhero ever known (because I am that awesome), and little Spiderman and Superman.

Goober

Finally- Christmas Morning! All of Santa's presents were set out for the boys:

I couldn't wait to hear squeals of sheer delight from Cade as he ran into the room. I was so excited. BUT, as he ran into the room, he merely glanced at the toys, and immediately got down on the floor and started playing with his new train set. Didn't look at anything else. Didn't even notice the bike. He was just calm and collected.

HUH?!! Big disappointment! Well, we still have tons of presents to open:

Even with every present he opened, he was calm. He said thank you for everything, but there was no freaking out in excitement. Booo. I think it may have been overload. Next year, we are going to do things differently and I will get that reaction I desire.

I wish I had taken pictures of the presents the boys opened. From what I can remember, Cade got tons of Thomas train tracks (aside from the one set up in the picture), trains, lots of books and movies, a bike, Sally from Cars (he wanted her SO bad for some strange reason), a doctor kit, rainboots, Toy Story figures, Don't Wake Daddy game (which scares the bejeebies out of me), and tons more. Reece got baby toys and clothes.

Family Christmas picture before church. My Reecey always has to be with Mommy.

Ahhh..can we just sit like this for awhile?? Please, for the love, they are actually being still! Cade has never fallen asleep in church, and if Reece gets tired we have to take him out in the hall to bounce him until he stops fighting it. So this was RARE. And although, it looks like a.)I decided to join in on this little slumber or b.)I'm cracked out, the correct answer is c.)I blinked at the perfect time.

After we got home and had naps, the rest of Christmas day was spent sitting around with the family and playing.

Uhh oh...Caught kissing on Mommy.

And that is how we did our Christmas in 2011.