Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Opening pajamas on Christmas Eve.

Christmas was so much fun this year because Ayden is starting to understand much more about it then he did last year. My mom gave Ayden a bunch of cute books about Christmas and Santa and we have been reading them since Thanksgiving. He calls Santa "ho-ho" and says "ho-ho" will bring him "choo-choo's." On Christmas Eve we let Ayden open up some pajamas to wear and then he helped set out brownies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. We left a note for Santa, and Ayden colored on it with his crayons.

Taste-testing Santa's brownie.

Train table that Santa left for Ayden.

In the morning Ayden woke up to find that Santa left a train table and train set for him along with some other gifts to open. He saw the train table and looked confused as to how it got there. He then asked where "ho-ho" was and we explained that Santa just drops off the gifts and isn't there when the children wake up. He seemed a little disappointed Santa wasn't there. The train table was a hit and it took him about 5 hours to open the rest of his presents from Santa and from Joel and me. Whenever I asked him if he wanted to open more presents he said no and continued to play with his trains. Santa gave him more trains, a cozy coupe, a little people house, and a few other small things. We also got him some trains, a Magna-Doodle, and some small cars and tractors, but the train table was a huge hit.

Cozy coupe from Santa.

Santa left some suckers in Ayden's stocking too.

Around lunch-time we went over to Joel's parent's house and had lunch and Ayden opened some more presents. The day after Christmas we headed to my parent's house to have Christmas with them and my brothers, sister, and their families. The kids always open presents in the afternoon, and then we have appetizers and soup that evening. This year the adults played the card game 31 and had a gift card exchange. Joel and I won a Best Buy gift card and a Texas Roadhouse one. I've never played 31, but it was easy to catch on to and it was fun. Joel had to go back to work on Monday, but Ayden and I stayed until New Year's Eve and hung out with my parents and sister. We went shopping and out to lunch a few days. It was fun to be able to spend more than a weekend there. Ayden loves my sister and follows her around like a little puppy. He never calls her by her name though (Angie) and lately has been calling her "Buddah" which we think means buddy. It's so funny hearing him yell "Buddah" if he can't find her or calling it out in public.

Ayden playing with the vacuum Grandpa and Grandma Folkerts gave him. It sounds like a real vacuum and the "dirt" spins around. It even vacuums up stuff.

Ayden has been doing much better with potty-training lately. We have been giving him a few

M & M's if he goes in the potty. He will usually go 3-4 times a day on the potty. Most of the time I will ask him if he has to go, and he will tell me if he does. Hopefully he will start telling me more when he has to go. When he does tell me he runs up to me saying " M-M-M," which means he wants an M & M so I take his diaper off for him. He always wants the door closed which is kind of funny since he has a hard time giving me any privacy when I try to use the bathroom without him. I hope he keeps it up. He's off to a good start!

I had my 28 week appointment on Christmas Eve and had to do the glucose test, which wasn't too bad. I just had to drink some sugary Sprite drink and get my blood drawn an hour later. It must have been normal since my doctor said the will only call me if there is a problem. I had only gained 2 pounds in the past 4 weeks, so why do I look like I have gained at least 10? Now, I have to start going back every 2 weeks. My next appointment is Friday. I've noticed that I am a lot more tired lately, and Caelan has been kicking more. I also get heartburn more often, and I notice more Braxton Hicks contractions. I've been trying to walk 2 miles on the treadmill most days and I feel like I have a lot more energy after doing that. When I was pregnant with Ayden I walked Bailey everyday for about 2 miles, and I still think that is why my delivery was so easy. I'm hoping it will help this time too, Of course, the DC climate wasn't as cold as Iowa so walking outside was an option.

The other day Ayden lifted up my shirt and gave the baby a kiss. I asked him where the baby was and he squinted and looked in my belly button and then stuck his finger in. He said it was dark and that baby was "night-night." Then, today I was in the nursery putting something away and Ayden wanted to climb into the crib. I told him no and that it was for the baby to sleep in when he gets here. I asked him if the baby could sleep there and he thought about it for a few seconds and then slowly nodded his head. He then pointed to the living room and said "baby choo-choo?" I asked him if he wanted the baby to play trains with him and he said YEAH! I explained that the baby can't play trains right away when he comes, but when he gets a little older he can. That seemed to satisfy him. It's funny listening to some of the things he says. We've been reading some books about new babies coming to the family and about big brothers. Sometimes I wonder what he is thinking or expecting to happen. Whenever he sees babies in books or on tv he says, "Baby! Awwww!" It's too cute!