Today Ava Won Christmas

If Christmas could have a winner, I think it would have been you. 

I've never seen so many gifts for one person, especially at your Grandparent's house. I was sitting on the floor with you and the gifts just kept piling up. 

Once mom and Arlee were up we sat on the dining room floor and opened our gifts. 

The big ticket item from Santa this year was a nice red canvas wagon. Rather than have you open a box, Santa was kind enough to put the wagon under the tree and fill it with gifts for you and Arlee. 

Thanks, Santa! It'll be easier for mom and me to pull you two around the zoo and other places. 

It took a little coaxing to get you to start tearing open the presents. At first it was small pieces of paper and each needed to be handed to mom so she could put it away. 

Once you got rolling, though, you had a great time opening your gifts and helping Arlee with hers at our house.

After we opened Santas gifts and mom and me exchanged ours, it was time to pack up and head to Grandma and Grandpa's house. 

You fell asleep for the better part of the drive and weren't quite awake yet, Gravy Bear, when we started to open gifts. As I mentioned, you had the Mount Everest of gifts in front of you. 

Aunt Casey had been waiting for months to give you a stuffed Olaf from Build a Bear and you wanted nothing to do with it ... Mom and I felt terrible. 

We all thought you'd love it. 

Everyone opened their gifts while you stared at your packages, not wanting to open them. 

We thought we'd give you a few minutes and you' wake up and be rolling. It took a lot fo coaxing from Grandma to get you back in the mood. 

Even then, it wasn't like what we saw at our house. You opened them, but you have a lot of your father in you whereas the more people tell you to do things, the less likely you are to do them. 

Mom and I just might be in for it as you get older ... 

Once the gifts were open and dinner was served, it was time to sit back and watch some basketball and relax. 

You played a lot with the new doctor kit Aunt Holly and Uncle Shawn got for you among the other toys you typically play with at Grandma and Grandpa's. 

Mom and I haven't gotten much sleep lately so before long it was time to head home. 

Luckily we have an SUV now or else I'm not sure how we would have gotten your haul of presents home. 

It might have taken two trips otherwise ...