All Things Christmas

The Norman household is getting in to the Christmas spirit.  We've been to see Santa.  We have a tree.  We have lights.  We've been to Longwood and we're going again tonight.  Presents are wrapped and under the tree.  Cookies have been created and consumed.  I think we're all set.  Here's a few Christmas prep photos.

Our first visit with Santa in November at the local toy shop.  Dexter, as you can tell, is thrilled.  But he did tell Santa he wanted some more cars for his train.

Visit Number Two, at John's work.  Good way to win over the small one?  Let him touch your snow globe...

And yet, still not super psyched.  His actual official photo turned out ok, because I was standing by the camera holding up three fingers.  Dex, how many fingers?  It's kind of like "say CHEESE" but for nerdy kids.

I haven't scanned in the official work Santa shot yet, or the official mall Santa shot.  Which is about as stellar and exciting as last years shot.  I'll try to post those before Christmas.

John went to pick up our tree on Wednesday, so Dexter helped bring it inside.

He's tremendously helpful.  Also, still wearing pajama bottoms, left over from nap time.

Dex helped me string up the lights the next morning (he's an excellent supervisor), and has spent pretty much every waking hour since that morning looking at his new animals going up and down.

You're damn lucky, Katie Gehrt, that this child is fond of the animals you gave us.  Because that damn music is annoying as all hell.  John finally put a piece of tape over the speaker this morning, so it's much more tolerable now.

Dex picked a school bus to put on the tree first

And then the train that we got at the train station when we went to see Thomas

That's my tiny carousel.  I sorted ornaments first and let him hang all the unbreakable (ish) ones

Still with the train

Dex and I hang one of the seven katrillion tractor ornaments we have

Crafty old me thought it would be cool to have Dex make some wrapping paper for the grandmas

It took every bit of my willpower to rein in my OCD tendencies when it comes to paint and just let him get dirty

Despite the look in this picture, I think he actually had fun painting.

I only had to shriek "Stay ON THE PAPER!!!" about four times.

And then I carried his painty little body upstairs and plopped it in the tub.  You grandmas had better appreciate this...