It's been a nice Xmas so far...

M's had a nice Christmas. She's an interesting kid, she's never been one to be all about the presents. From her second birthday on when she's opened enough presents, has a handful of things she really likes, she's finished and just stops opening gifts. This year was no different. We opened 4 presents Xmas Eve, from us, and that was great! She loved her Etch A Sketch, and we read a couple of the books at bedtime. Xmas Day she got all the stuff in her stocking (including a new digital camera) and her kitchen set, and that was enough! She put on her sticky ear rings, her matching "fancy finger rings", took some pictures of her kitchen then played with her kitchen. At my grandparents' place, with presents from aunts and uncles, cousins, grandparents and great grandparents, it was too much. About half way through she was finished. She opened two or three more because the family members were bugging her about it, then she just stopped with four presents to go. We opened a couple of them the next day, and still have two more under the tree. We still haven't given her two of our presents, and we just might wait for her birthday.

Anyhoo, all that to say she's really been all about the "events" this year. We had a carriage ride to see the lights at the park a month back, where we saw Santa and had cookies and hot chocolate.  We did a Solstice Celebration a couple weekends back, and she really got a kick out of the drumming and chanting and flute playing. She loved the Gospel Xmas Eve at church. She enjoyed our trip to KC and is looking forward to seeing more family in Iowa this week. Right now it's all about the events moreso than the presents, which is cool to see, but makes for a .. different sort of holidays with a little one. I know she enjoys her presents, she's told us so, but her reaction to them has been .. muted I guess.

Oh, funny thing, her favorite present so far? Not the camera, not the kitchen, no, it's the $15 Etch A Sketch! Why? Well, she loved playing with the one at the Panera Bread over Thanksgiving, and she's very good at making things with it, but more than that it's because it was an absolute surprise to her! She said, "Thank you for my Etch A Sketch, I really love it. I was so surprised. I didn't even know I was getting it! I knew what I'd ordered from Santa, but I didn't even think you guys would get me an Etch A Sketch!" It was cute. Particularly the "I knew what I'd ordered from Santa", like Santa = Amazon .... wait ... hmm...