Christmas!

This Christmas was awesome. It was the first time the kids really sort of understood Christmas and Santa. It was a monumental year. First of all, they finally gave up their pacifiers. They agreed to wrap them up (in a gift bag) and put them under the tree for Santa to pick up and give to other babies that needed them. Then, Santa would bring them their presents. So, we are on night 4 without pacifiers. It has been a little rough, but they have survived it!

Jack got a train from Santa and Claire got Barbies and an art easel. She looks like a little artist with her smock and painting pictures! Jack is just sooo excited by his train set. He keeps asking to see it one more time before he goes to sleep. It is so fun!

We had a white Christmas (sort of). It snowed on Christmas night, and it stayed for one more day before melting. Jack loved playing in the snow, but Claire hated it (made her cold/wet/dirty...you name it, she didn't like it). We got some video of it. Very funny.

Jack's Christmas present to me is that he is really learning to read. We have been doing hooked on Phonics, and he is sounding out several words (big, pig, dad, mom, jack, up, pop, top, stop). It is wonderful. He will be reading even more before I know it. Claire is close too...she is learning what every word starts with, and she knows the sounds of all of her letters. They getting so grown up!

Final thing in top 25

It was hard to find the number one thing that you don't know about Jack and Claire...there are so many things I want to share about them. They continue to amaze me everyday with the things that they say and do. We are getting ready for Christmas...I think I finally have them convinced to give up their pacifiers (yes -- I know they are almost 3 and shouldn't have them anymore --in my defense, they only use them at night!). They are going to put them under the tree so they can get presents from Santa and Santa can give them to other little babies...I guess this will officially mean they aren't babies anymore!!! Claire still wants me to rock her like a baby (and sing lullaby and feed her milk). Jack does too sometimes...he is a rough and tumble little boy, though. He is already 41 and 1/2 inches with size 10 shoes...but he is only 33 pounds. Claire has yet to reach the 30 pound mark (28 pounds and 39 inches with size 9 shoes).

So instead of picking the number one thing...I will just add this other fun fact...Claire loves to hoard things. I have attached a picture of her "pile" of stuff. She collects things throughout the house and puts them in the play kitchen (or her little purse that G-ma gave her for Thanksgiving). It is quite a collection. I wonder how much more she will collect of the next year!!