He did it, he did it

Finally, here's the Christmas report everyone (well, at least one person) has been waiting for ... Santa delivered on the fancy guitar and Taylor Swift dress requested by Alena, and she was more than pleased with his efforts.

Jason and I had taken bets as to whether she'd go straight for the tall box standing toward the back of her haul or not. The first gift she opened was a Candyland game. Definitely not a fancy guitar, and she made no bones about it. Dad encouraged her to open another gift and see what else Santa might have brought. Looking at her stack, she eyed the tall box in the box and said, "maybe that's it."

After we had dug it out, she opened it and immediately exclaimed, "He did it. He did it." I suppose she had had her doubts as to how close Santa would come to the coveted Taylor Swift guitar, and perhaps, more importantly, if she had been good enough to deserve her top wish. Several boxes later and she stumbled upon one which produced the black dress, a surprise black headband and gloves, also just like the ones Taylor Swift wears.

And maybe even funnier than her "he did it, he did it" response to the guitar was her reaction after opening a pair of black cowboy boots that she "didn't order." It took her a minute or two to grasp the concept that they were hers even though she hadn't included them in her list of what her dad has dubbed the Taylor Swift starter stalker kit.

She eventually made her way through all of her gifts, but the guitar and black dress are definitely her favorites. I suppose she knows a little too well what she wants.

Alivia approached her pile of loot in the complete opposite fashion than Alena's whirlwind tearing frenzy, you would have thought each was her last. Little Liv would open one, then proceed to play with or check it out, then survey what everyone around her had opened. She needed a bit of prodding to continue on with the unwrapping, or we might still be watching her.

In the Pixie's world, whatever she wants to play with is "hers" at that given point in time, so she spent the Christmas season as interested in what each of her siblings had received as she was in her own gifts.

Alysse wasn't quite sure what to make of the flying paper and ripping boxes. She moved throughout the mess just trying to figure it all out. If she managed to come upon something of interest that wasn't immediately taken out of her sight, she'd spend a little time checking it out.

Trace on the other hand was the Grinch when Christmas morning arrived. Having woken up too early and not feeling well, he wanted nothing to do with any of it. And after much crying by him and cuddling by mom, he conked out before half the gifts were opened.

All in all, everyone was pleased with Santa's visit. We've got toys, games and books galore to keep us busy for the next several months as we wait for warm weather and outdoor fun.