Let 'Er Rip

Snugglebug had no issues with wrapping paper this year. Last year, the texture of the wrapping paper was too much for him, and he wouldn't touch it. Everything had to be in gift bags with tissue paper.

But, before he started ripping open the packaging, he helped me wrap almost every present. There were a couple he didn't help wrap (including his own), but for most of the gifts he was right there, lending me a hand.

He learned to pull the tape off the dispenser. This was a hard job for
his low muscle tone. He really had to work at it to tear the tape.
Most of the time the tape did not end up in the right spot. But, I counted
it a success since the tape actually made it to the paper. About half
the time, he would try to stick the non-stick side to the paper. He couldn't
understand why both sides weren't sticky.

He learned to fold the ends and even managed to crease a corner.
That impressed me, since I have trouble with the corners, myself.

He did a great job wrapping. So great, in fact, that I may give
him the job altogether in the future.

When it came to unwrapping, he wasted no time.
He ripped and pulled and didn't worry about the paper in the least.

He was very neat about his unwrapping. With each piece of
paper that he tore off, he handed it to someone to throw away.
When he finished unwrapping, there was no stray paper around
He kept it neat and tidy.

Snugglebug walked away with a pile of loot. The photo above is just what he got from us. With as many aunts, uncles, and cousins as he has, one can't help but make out like a bandit at Christmas. He got so many wonderful books and toys. He should be a happy camper for a while.

My little boy only asked for one thing this Christmas. A football. Pictured above, his eyes lit up when he opened the package. He has been wanting a football for a while (since football season started, to be exact.) Now, the weather just needs to cooperate so he can go outside and throw the ball with his daddy.

Trains, Trains, and More Trains

Last year, we began a family tradition of seeing a model train exhibit in a mall near us. The trains are a fund raiser for a children's hospital and well worth seeing every year. The exhibit is set-up differently each year and doesn't cease to be marvelous.

This year, Snugglebug has been very interested in trains, and we knew this tradition was going to be a big hit with him. It was!! He enjoyed it so much that we circled the room three times before leaving. He kept signing, "More Trains. More Trains."

He was enthralled with every single train, and we noticed that no matter how many times we went through the exhibit we saw more things that we had not seen before. We were just as amazed as he was. This tradition will be one that we keep for quite a few years!


I want this Christmas tree! There are three trains circling this tree. It is absolutely the most magical and spectacular Christmas tree I have ever seen! Whoever designed this gets a huge round of applause from me!!

My favorite pose. He is leaning on the plexi-glass and watching the trains go by.
He would do this for several minutes at a time, just taking it all in.

"Look at that one, Daddy."

"More Trains! More Trains!" Both words signed together
over...and over...and over!! Love it!!

He just assumed we weren't paying attention to the trains.
He pointed them out to us to make sure we saw them.
(I wonder where he learned this.) She asks, sarcastically.

Trains!!

Today, we visited North Park Center in Dallas. The sole reason was to see The Trains! I saw a news story about the trains last year, and this year decided we should go. They charge $6 for adults and $4 for kids over two (making Snugglebug free!), but all the proceeds benefit Ronald McDonald House.

The trains are a collection of model trains that run through cities, around landmarks, and past people involved in their own little worlds. It is so incredible! They had the Dallas and New York skylines, the Statue of Liberty, and Mount Rushmore just to name a few. They had a winter wonderland that looked like you could just step into the snow and enjoy Christmas to the fullest. There was so much to see, we really could not take it all in! We were all three completely amazed!

Our amazing miniature train journey was followed by a children's choir singing in the mall foyer, a puppet Scrooge joking with the passersby in a hallway, and Santa reading a story to a passle of children in the courtyard. I had no idea a trip to the mall could be so entertaining!

As Scrooge the puppet pointed out, Snugglebug won't remember any of this, but hopefully this will be the first of many years to come (and those he will remember!)