Christmas Morning

There is a turning point in most married couple's lives when they start to ask each other "Are we ready to have a baby?". For Steven and I, this moment was Christmas 2009. Due to numerous reasons, we had to stay in Charleston for Christmas.... alone. Of course we were extremely grateful that we were at least together and Steven wasn't deployed, but there was just something missing. We both agreed that Christmas probably would not be the last Christmas we would spend away from both of our families, so we needed to make our own little family. Sure we had Fred and Jack, who were at the time our children (before they made their plunge to dogs), but it just isn't the same. There is nothing like seeing Christmas through the eyes of a child, and we couldn't imagine anything better than Christmas morning with a little one in house. That's when we decided that we were both ready to start thinking about having a baby.... And the rest is history ;)

So, needless to say, Steven and I were extremely excited for Caroline's first Christmas, even though she wasn't quite old enough yet to really get it. Still, there is nothing like seeing the wonder and awe in her eyes when she sees Christmas lights or a Christmas tree. I just couldn't wait for Christmas morning!

We thought that we would have at least a year or two before Caroline started waking up early Christmas morning.... We were wrong. She woke up at 6:00 and would NOT go back to sleep. It was like she knew that Santa had passed and there were all kinds of surprises waiting for her out in the living room.

Coming out into the living room and seeing everything. You can't really tell because of her pacifier, but she is smiling and her eyes are huge!

This is what was waiting for Caroline! Santa brought her her first wagon.

Testing it out!
Her baby went along for a ride too

I would say it was a hit ;)

She loves her wagon and I know she will get a lot of good use out of it!

This right here is what it is all about. If I could bottle that Christmas morning feeling of seeing your little one so excited about something, I could make millions. There are no words. I think it is one of the best things about being a parent. And I know it will only get better.

Opening a couple other presents

Trying to get her to look in her stocking, but who cares when there is already a ton of exciting stuff every where!

"But why didn't my stocking have a koozie in it???"

(Said koozie was in Steven's stocking... don't worry)

Best Christmas ever ;)