Time to Play Catch Up......Christmas in Texas

Christmas we traveled to Texas to spend Christmas with the Kimballs.  We flew in Christmas Eve and that evening was spent with some family friends, the DeMatteos. They used to run a Pizza restaurant in California and have since started the tradition of having friends over for Christmas Eve and sharing some delicious pizzas.  OH MY GOODNESS!!!  This pizza is the best I've ever had!  Pure perfection!  We were so fortunate to be invited! Thanks DeMatteos for including us.  Alex enjoyed running through their house with his pillowcase on his head (he's used it so much it is now so thin he can see through it).

Christmas morning we started out slow.  :-) Steve and I realize that there won't be too many more that we're able to sleep in without having Alex come wake us up to open presents.  Grandma made her yummy Cinnamon Roll Christmas Tree (a favorite from Steve's childhood) and Alex got to watch Mickey Mouse save Santa on his morning Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  :-)  He love'd sitting with Grandma. 

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Throughout the trip Alex enjoyed a few movies.  :-) We brought along his favorites....Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Ratatouille.

 

We then gathered together and opened presents.   

 One of Alex's favorite presents was a Hallmark voice recording book with Grandma & Grandpa singing/reading the story to him.  I can't count the number of times we've heard that book since.  :-)

 Alex loved playing with grandpa!  They'd make faces at each other and Alex especially loved being tickled.  

 Grandma enjoyed looking through the pictures and reading this year's edition of the Kimball Clan Candids. (An annual photo book gift the kids give to parents at Christmas)  Although all of us are spread across the country, these books help them feel a little more connected to each of our lives.

 Merry Christmas Everyone!

 Alex and Steve love to play the hat toss game.  

On this trip Alex started getting really brave and trying to walk more and more steps.  We were so excited to watch him develop this.  He's so proud of himself!

Steve and I rarely get out like we used to, so Grandma and Grandpa were so kind to watch Alex while we went out on a few dates.  We got to see Tron Legacy & Narnia 3 and went to lunch with each. We love Alex to pieces but it was so fun to be out just the two of us; Steve especially liked that he didn't have to share my attention.  :-)  Dad's are sure good sports with how much attention moms give the kids.  :-)

 

Grandma & Grandpa met us at the mall one day and took Alex on the carousel a couple times.

 

 Alex was just starting to learn to wave around this time.  So cute!

Eating time was such a social thing for Alex.  Sometimes he wasn't even hungry but he'd want to sit with us just to be included.  He loved it when Grandpa would feed him because Grandpa made funny faces at him.  By the end of the trip Alex had learned to mimic a bunch of them.

 

Alex loves music!  And what's better then TWO pianos at Grandmas!?

  

It was nice to get out of frozen Minnesota for Christmas!  We were able to go for walks in the evening without snow jackets and boots!  Another face Alex is making now is this squinty laugh one.  When he thinks something is funny, sometimes he just squints his eyes and breathes through his mouth rather then laugh.  It's really funny!

 With Alex getting more mobile, he got to explore more places.  His favorite place in the kitchen was the Tupperware lid drawer.  He thought it was his job to completely empty the drawer and spread the lids across the floor.  Uncle Q (Steve's Brother), loved this too when he was Alex's age.  

We got our first introduction to the ipad and Angry Birds....Alex and I loved it!   

 New Years Eve some friends, the Chiveras, came over. They gave Alex this cute bee pillow pet.  It's so soft and fuzzy, Alex loves it!  Thanks Al, Sharon, & Justin.

 Steve's parents treated us to lunch the day before we left and Alex had a great time sitting in my lap playing games.  Not too conducive to eating, but he had a great time and I love spending time with by little boy!