Merry Christmas!

I love being a parent. It's so much fun to witness the awestruck wonder Christmas from a two year old perspective brings. Magic, for real. Or just extreme gullibility. But I'll take it. 

We had such a great time with our extended family, lots of traveling but lots of fun to be had. As a bonus Henry learned all about dragon slaying and jukebox playing, skills this nerd child obviously will need. 

Slaying Dragons at Gammie's House

Playing Records at Pappy Rick's

At the Perdue house, we have started our very own tradition with "Gandalf Santa" (Merry he could be, and kindly to the young and simple, yet quick at times to sharp speech and the rebuking of folly; but he was not proud, and sought neither power nor praise...how dorky are we?) watching us and monitoring bad behavior to report to the real Santa. 

Gandalf Santa was found lurking among my Nans treasures when she passed away. He came to life through the hands of my great Aunt Mary Ann as a Christmas gift to her several years ago. He is very handmade in appearance, with a sketched on face, a ragged cloak with fur lining, a long grey beard and a wooden staff. I wish I had taken a picture of him before he returned to his home in the attic so you could see how awesomely Gandalf he is. Something for you to look forward to next year, I guess. 

So anyway, Gandolf Santa witnessed Henry misbehaving on a few occasions which led Henry to believe Santa wasn't going to bring him presents. We didn't realize this until my mom asked him on Christmas Eve if Santa was coming, and he replied "No...Henry was bad. Santa saw him." We tried to assure him that Gandalf Santa saw him being good WAY more than he saw him being bad so of course the real Santa was coming, but he still wasn't totally convinced that Santa would bring presents to his house. 

On Christmas Eve Henry left Santa some cookies and salt for the reindeer, and his excitement starting picking up a bit. Maybe Santa is really going to come if we are leaving cookies for him?

When he woke up on Christmas morning, he was so mind blown that presents appeared out of nowhere (with "SUPERDUDE" WRAPPING PAPER!!) and he found a really sweet note from his pal Santa thanking him for the cookies. (I love my husband! He's such a cute dad.)  It was so, so awesome. I got a little too caught up in the moment and took zero pictures. Fail! Santa brought Henry some new puzzles, books, playdough (already on the carpet) and about a million little guys, who seem to have multiplied since then. I feel like I've stepped on half of them already. Mom the Godzilla monster. 

Henry at Pippy & Pappy's House

I hope everyone had a great Christmas.