A Wade Family Christmas

I will let the pictures do most of the talking in this post, but I should say that Christmas this year was absolutely awesome. It's the first Christmas we "Seattle Wades" have been able to get home to in the last 2 years. Fortunately, our extreme anticipation was met with wonderful family, friends, food, birthdays, train rides, and a Missouri basketball victory over Illinois.

Before we left for STL, we celebrated our Wade (family of 3) Christmas here in Seattle.

It was Owen's first taste of mountains of packages, and he wasn't quite sure what to do. He certainly needed prompting to tear the paper, and quite honestly, he was usually more interested in the box than in the toy.

He did like this little gear toy from Santa, and he's very good at stacking the gears. He's also very good at moving these gears all over the house, and I find myself stepping on them quite a bit =)

GaGa and Papa Wade gave him this great riding toy. He didn't understand the bouncing OR the riding at first, but he's really getting the hang of it now that we're back home. Quick side note: Thank you to both grandparents for being cognizant of the size of inside toys you sent. Our 930sq ft thank you.

The box is soo cool.

So we travelled home on 12-19 (Monday). Owen did amazingly well on the flight, as he always does. Our first order of business was to introduce Uncle Mike to sweet, adorable, cuddly, calm Baby Ava. It turns out Uncle Mike is a baby hog, and he would hold her for HOURS at a time. I think part of the appeal was that we didn't know some babies actually sleep for hours at at time while being held. It gives us hope that maybe another child of ours could be like Ava.

GaGa Wade is also a baby hog, but she did share some...

She even shared with Grandma Cooper (who it turns out is also a baby hog). Are you noticing a theme here? Ava is the best ever, and everyone wants to hold her. She sucks really aggressively on her paci and then almost twirls her tongue playing with it. I have never seen a baby do something like this. It's hilarious =)

Uncle Mike and sweet Livi playing

Olivia dressed up for baby Owen.

Aunt Heather got talked in to playing horsey.. more than once =)

Thankfully Santa brought Livi a doll horse to play with. Then I was off the hook.

Thursday night 12-22 brought the bragging rights game. Mizzou vs Illinois. May the best team win. And.they.did.

Because we were staying @ the Wades, I figured I should dress Owen in his orange and blue. We've had the discussion that despite his occasional outward blue and orange appearance, he actually bleeds black and gold. Also, he will be attending the University of Missouri.

I love this picture. Owen does love his GaGa.

These Christmas PJs had me at hello.

The next morning we all took turns at opening gifts. Carson and Livi were thrilled to help Owen (and Ava) open their gifts. At the Wade's house, we open gifts one at a time so that you can see what people get. At the Cooper's it is a free-for-all.

Owen received these two cars in his stocking, and he now holds one in each hand everywhere he goes. He enjoyed them so much that we brought them on the plane. (You have to be a very special toy to get to come on the plane). It's a good thing we had lots of toys, because he didn't sleep a wink of the 4.5 hour flight on the way home. I think I'm still tired from that flight.

Playing with the cars.

Licking the snot that was constantly draining from his nose the entire vacation. Fortunately he shared it with GaGa Wade, Papa Wade, Daddy, Grandma Cooper, and Papa Cooper. Oh Owen.

I am obsessed with this little backpack from Aunt Lindsey.

Worn out.

The box really is more fun than the toys.

My Christmas present came at the end of the day. Owen was so worn out (and slightly feverish) that he fell asleep in my lap and then we cuddled. It was the best part of my day =) Well, the whole day was amazing, and I loved every minute with the Wade clan.