Christmas

Was magical.  And she totally knew about Santa (or "Ta", as Ava would say), the presents (this one was hardwired in her from birth, me thinks...), and the specialness of it all.  On Christmas Eve, Kent took her to the front window and fireplace (aka chimney) and told her that Santa was coming tomorrow.  She ran to the window and looked, then ran to the fireplace and gave him this look of "what the eff have you been smoking? I know what Santa looks like and he ain't coming in from there".  To which Kent explained the whole magic of Santa and the ability to squeeze down the "chimney".  To which Ava then had a look of horror and ran from the fireplace screaming Mommy.

Ava also participated in putting out cookies and lettuce for Santa and his reindeer, just like her adorable Daddy did decades before.  To further support my gut feeling that she knows, baby girl laid out the cookies, took one hungry glance at them, and walked away.  No pleading, no begging, not even a single stolen lick.  Walked away.  Just.Like.That.  Told you she knew...

Then on Christmas morning we all went downstairs together.  Ava was jittery, nervous, and giddy with excitement chanting "Ta, Ta, Ta!" at the top of her lungs.  It was so precious.  And so we went downstairs to first look at the plate of cookies, and huh, to her surprise they were half eaten and the milk was gone!  Kent pointed out this fact when she was at the base of the stairs, which to her disbelief and wonder prevented her from going any further.  She was literally on her tippy toes straining to see the plate from her spot near the stairs, scared and awed by the fact that yes, she did put out the cookies last night and yes, they were now gone...?!  We urged her to go check, but our little social butterfly stuck to my leg, whispering "Moooommmmmyyy" from behind my knees.  I had to carry her to the table to check, in case that damn Santa Clause was still there and hiding somewhere ready to jump out boo (she kept checking behind her shoulders and into the Christmas tree, like that was the most probable hiding spot).  And after a lot of head scratching and plate lifting (maybe it's under the plate, yes!), we had a delicious Christmas breakfast treat of French Toast, Bacon, and Eggs.

And if the Christmas cookie incident wasn't enough, Oh.Em.Gee.  She literally broke my heart into a thousand pieces opening up her presents.  It was that adorable.  I couldn't stop grinning or snap pictures fast enough to not spend Christmas behind the lens, but with my family.  I wanted to preserve each moment forever and have the chance to see them over and over again, so I tried to do both.  Snap here, clap there.  And if ever there was a holiday meant just for kids, it's Christmas.  Christmas is that much more magical when there are little ones to share it with.  I can understand why Grandma Mo, per Kent, used to make Kent open his present in front of them.  I will be just that way and make sure I have the front and center seat to watch Ava and hopefully one day her grandchildren, open gifts on Christmas morning.

Ava ripped each present with skilled precision and ttotally and utterly savored each one.  It was the best Christmas ever.

Thank you friends and family for all the gifts and making Ava's first "real" Christmas an unforgettable one.  Even though we are a hundred, thousand miles away, we felt all the love from each and every one of you and feel so very blessed.  Merry Christmas.