Merry Christmas!!

Christmas was even more magical this year than it was last year. The anticipation built up so exquisitely throughout the month of December as Leila opened up each new window of her advent calendar and eagerly consumed a piece of chocolate within minutes of crawling out of bed. As if chocolate before breakfast wasn't magical enough, Santa's impending arrival inspired magnanimous levels of excitement. Throughout the month, we watched Christmas movies (Polar Express was a favorite) and listened to holiday music (12 Days of Christmas was a favorite, though we struggled a bit getting past the 5 golden rings). And alas, it was Christmas morning. The bike from Santa's elves was definitely the highlight, though she was also a pretty big fan of all things found in her two stockings (one at our house and the other at Nana/Popo's house). And of course, it was great to spend some time with my brother and Leila's beloved Uncle Kris (on crutches due to a nasty skiing accident). Here's a glimpse of Leila's 4th Christmas...