Isaac's 1st Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, we got together with Steven's side of the family like usual. Steven had set up a tree in his mom's hospital room. Andre had brought in a radio for Christmas music, and I had put up Christmas cards, pictures, and of course, snow flakes. She had a pretty big room, which she loved.

The Santa hats were a hit. It was a good visit.

We went home and opened our gifts. Usually we wait until the morning, but we were leaving for the airport too early to enjoy it. The funny thing is that I could only fit 6 pictures on my camera card at a time. My mom would have loved it because I only let one gift be opened at a time so that I could capture the emotions. Then I ran into the kitchen to dump the pictures onto my computer. Steven thought I was rediculous but let me be me. My mom likes Christmas to last and last so each gift can be savored.

Steven had gotten me a NEW CAMERA for Christmas but didn't get me the bigger memory card because it's the same card as my camera I had been using. (Same camera too, just upgraded because the other one had a broken part and couldn't go underwater any more.) We hadn't planned on my purse being stolen earlier that day. The two things I miss the most are my extra camera battery and that memory card. I don't care about that memory card now because I bought one at our layover in the airport. I sure do miss the spare battery from my mom and Don though. I was so excited to have a spare camera too because there are times I want to leave one with Steven but want to take one too. Who steals purses and charges $870 before we can cancel the credit card? Sheesh! (We're not responsible for that, it just made me shake and almost cry.)

Since I'm on this tangent, I'd just like to say how blessed I was to have my purse stolen THEN, and not at any other moment. Here's why: I could still fly w/ my passport and I wasn't going to be driving on my vacation, so I wouldn't miss my driver's license for a while. My phone was in my pocket so I was able to call Steven who found time somehow to call the credit and debit card people. My keys were in my pocket (because I left in a hurry and grabbed the spare house and car keys b/c mine were under a grocery bag and I hadn't found them that morning.) The thief could have gone in the parking lot pushing the key remote buttons and could have stolen my car. Even though Dylan said he was hungry and I felt so bad that I couldn't buy him lunch w/o money, we HAD gotten a pretzel earlier so we weren't starving while we talked to the pointless mall security and police and waited to get discriptions of the grinch-lady. I had the stroller so Isaac could sleep while we went to the stores to get details of the female Christmas thief. And, I had just gotten the replacement camera. There was cash and a visa gift card in there, but I guess it's good that I'm not a millionaire, because together that was just over $100 which isn't really that much I guess. I just wish I had blown it that morning instead of being careful with my money:) Kat let me use her money while visiting her. I haven't gotten that invoice/bill/whatever yet kat, but Steven's good for it:) She also took me to get a new purse and wallet. I had had that same old purse longer than I've been married. Seriously, it was time for a new one. Steven's glad I'm not a purse person b/c the girls at his office go crazy over new designer purses which are too expensive for us. I don't like my new one as much, so I still might try another 'til I find one that'll last another 6+ years.

On to Isaac's 1st Christmas Eve!

Brent had given Dylan this Christmas scarf. I put it on him because I had stripped his Santa outfit off of him. He and Dylan were so happy and so cute, as always. Isaac actually knew how to rip open gifts! He started opening his gift from Marcie while I was away downloading pictures from Dylan's previous gift. But Steven had him bring it to me before it was all the way opened. He did so SO proudly:) He took the airplanes on the flight the next day - perfect!

I like the composition enough, but Lacey could have gotten a really good (well exposed/focused) version of this if she had been here: Dylan was so serious about Christmas. He knew he had to wait to open presents and really waited until we gave him permission to open them. They had been under the tree for a long time! And he was so excited with each gift. Thanks again Marcie!!!Marcie got him a flash light, so did I, great idea, yours is more fun, Marcie:)

While Dylan opened his PJs from Lacey, Isaac sat eating grapes. I was going to ask Betsey if Nora eats all of the grapes, or if she chews on them and spits out the skins like Isaac does. Those were life savers on the airplane. Isaac LOVES grapes like Nora does.

Then they went to bed so the sugar plums could dance in their heads.