The Christmas Zoo!

There is nothing like a child's excitement Christmas Eve. You can see it in their eyes, a sparkle that won't dull...even when doing those extra chores just to be sure they get on the nice list! That is unless your child is only 18 months old, with no real understanding of what Christmas really is...than it's Mommy & Daddy who are too excited to sleep and wake the kids up first thing Christmas morning!

OK, so I didn't want it to happen, but it was inevitable with 4 sets of grandparents...Samantha got completely spoiled and with one more Christmas celebration to go, I'm sure this wasn't the last of it! But, it was an absolute joy watching her unwrap her gifts. That was the best present a mother could ask for. Seeing the joy and excitement in her eyes. That and that she LOVED the activity book I slaved away on these past months...she wouldn't even put the book down for a diaper change! (Thank you to all my ladies who helped me finish on time!)

She finally understands that beneath all that colorful paper, ribbon and bows is something special...could be a toy, could be clothes, could be a book...I can only imagine what is running through her huge imagination! My favorite part was when she rips the paper little by little and then reveals a little piece of the treasure below...some fur, a box, piece of plastic...whatever it was, that excitement would build in her eyes as she finally revealed the present. This will certainly be a Christmas I won't soon forget!

...until my house became a zoo!

...yup, you saw those pictures right... Grampa got her a 5 foot giraffe, a baby giraffe (the size of Samantha) and a 5 foot long ginormously stuffed unicorn...that she LOVES! This will certainly be that present that she will love for years to come. I would rather her have a gift that she loves through the years, than another toy to throw in "the pile" and never get a second look.

As for next year, I hope that I am able to teach her that Christmas is about love, joy and giving...loving those who are sad; smiling to that stranger with the "scrinches"; and giving to those who need it the most. This year I had her give a toy to the Tree of Angels and a box of chocolates to the mailman. This is a tradition I want her to enjoy and experience, just as I did growing up, and hopefully teach her that Christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps...means a little bit more!