Gifts

Yule/Christmas is going to be FUN this year.
Abi has figured out that opening the boxes and playing with the contents is at least as fun as playing with the box. Last year it was all about the box.

We hosted an early Yule party last night with a houseful of friends and kids. There was delicious food, tasty wine, rum-raisin brownies... enough said. There were also gifts. When Abi was handed her first gift she knew exactly what to do - open it! Inside were large, stacking, circus cardboard blocks and she immediately had to open the package to start stacking them. Then she opened another gift to find a stuffed cow. "A Moo!" She was happy. So was I. Last year was fun, but this year we will see much more excitement in Abi as she opens gifts.

Already she's playing with one of her Yule gifts because I can't seem to keep it hidden. I knit her a baby doll and she adores it. I'd taken it out of hiding to show a friend last night, then I forgot to put it away. She found it on the table this morning and insisted on bringing it to daycare. The doll still needs clothes (and a name, but I've been avoiding naming any of her dolls for her).

First, Halloween - where people put things in her bag - and now Yule - where she doesn't even have to go door to door (not that she minded - that was half the fun!). It's all so exciting. I'd forgotten how exciting Yule/Christmas can be. So many new things to explore for Abi. I just hope my mother is reasonable in her shopping this year and we can fit all of Abi's gifts in the luggage... Last year's box set of Fraggle Rock was a squeeze. I'm still debating which of Abi's gifts I will bring with us to give at Yule and which can stay here.

As for gifts I have to bring to give to family - I've kept things easy to transport. Some items still need to be finished, but I am hoping I will have a little extra time once we arrive.