Horsin' Around This Christmas

Ever since becoming parents Christmas has taken on a whole new meaning. David and I were discussing the other night on our drive home which we feel is better, Christmas as a child or Christmas as a parent. We both agreed hands down that experiencing Christmas as a parent is better. It is just so exciting to watch your child be so excited about the magic of Christmas and with each passing year of being a parent it seems to be getting better and better.

Last year Morgan understood Santa. She knew what presents were and appeared to be excited, but this year was different. This year she really got into Christmas and was very eager for Santa to come. One of my favorite memories from this year's Christmas will be the songs. I love to listen to the Christmas songs on the radio starting after Thanksgiving and this year Morgan loved listening too. She would try her best to sing a long with all the songs, her favorites being Let it Snow, Oh Christmas Tree, and of course Jingle Bells.

Morgan woke up the morning of Christmas Eve so excited. She knew that Santa would finally be coming that night. Before heading down to spend the afternoon and evening at her Grandparents, Georgia and Lucas stopped by to drop off two presents for Morgan. She was so excited she wanted to immediately open them, but we told her she would have to wait. She then started begging for just one present, "Pretty please, pretty please, one present" she said. She is killing us right now with that pretty please in her cute, sweet little voice, we just can't seem to tell her no. So...instead we told her that since it was part of her daddy's family tradition when he was a kid to open one present at his grandma's house on Christmas eve we would let her open one as well, in addition to her pjs (It was my family tradition and has become our family tradition to open new pjs every Christmas Eve).


With two packages in hand (her pjs and the 1 gift she would get to open, she chose the one from Lucas) we headed down to spend Christmas Eve at Donna and Charley's. Almost as soon as we arrived Morgan reminded us that we said she could open one present. We decided that it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to let her open a toy to keep her occupied (not like Donna and Charley don't have a whole room full of toys just for her, but...).

Opening her gift from Lucas.

He, along with Georgia and Matt, got her princess walkie talkies.
Morgan LOVED them! She couldn't quite push the button down on her own, but with my help she talked with each family member from different rooms. We taught her how to say "roger" and "over", she thought this was hilarious!

Morgan lately is what David has called "the Queen of Random." She will bring up the most random things at the most random times. On Christmas Eve it was her "Buzz" chair. It is a mini-wheelchair that Charley made her about a year and a half ago. Something she hasn't used in a very long time, but all of a sudden that night she wanted to roll around and chase Sophie (the dog) in her "Buzz" chair. She of course needed to wear her Santa hat too.

After enjoying some yummy dinner and a little replay of U of A basketball it was time for Morgan to open her Christmas pjs. Part of our new family tradition has been that my mom buys all the grandkids their Christmas pjs. After a little mishap about 2 years ago when all the packages were lost in the mail my mom now just sends us a check and has us go buy the pjs. This year I wanted to get Morgan the kind of pjs that come with a matching outfit for her baby doll. I just knew she would go crazy for them.

Here she is modeling her new pjs.
Don't mind the left over food on her face.

After getting cleaned up and getting baby dressed too Morgan decided to take her baby for a ride.

Posing with her baby for some pictures.

Before leaving Donna and Charley's that night we tracked Santa online to see where he was at. Morgan was just so excited for him to arrive. We headed home and before we could even hit Sahuarita Rd. Morgan was fast asleep in the back seat. She stayed asleep when we got home, so David and I set out the glass of milk and Christmas cupcake (Morgan made him gluten-free cupcakes) that she wanted to leave Santa.

The next morning David and I woke up around 6:30. Morgan was still asleep, but neither one of us could fall back asleep, we were both just too excited to see Morgan's face when she woke up. We decided to quietly get up (although we wanted her to get up we also wanted her well rested) and start the coffee, breakfast, etc... An HOUR later Morgan FINALLY woke up. She yelled from her bed "It's TODAY! It's time for presents!"

We helped Morgan into her wheelchair and told her that Santa had come. We told her that he had left her a present, one that was too big to fit inside the house. Her face lit up with excitement and she took off into the living room to look. As soon as she rounded the corner from her room and saw into the backyard through the sliding glass door she hit full speed for the backyard. She had spotted what Santa left for her, a new swing set!

It of course was freezing cold that morning, so we bundled Morgan up with her slippers, robe, mittens, and hat, and headed outside. She was so excited to test out her new swings. While swinging she shouted "I love Santa!" It was too funny.

After a few minutes Morgan decided it was a little too cold so she asked to go inside and open the rest of her presents. David and I were freezing too so we thought that sounded like a great idea.

In Morgan's stocking Santa brought her the reindeer she had asked for. She also received a new horse book, some lotion, a recorder, and new hair ties.

From Mommy and Daddy, Morgan got a new hot pink cash register for when she plays boutique, lots of new books, and a new Moxie doll in riding gear. From her baby ??? she got a new snap and style doll.

We finished opening presents as a family (for the last time of being a family of 3) just as Donna, Charley, and Brad were arriving. Every year since Morgan was first born it was become our family tradition that we open gifts as a family and then the rest of the Spies family comes over to join us for breakfast and more presents. Almost as soon as she swallowed her last bite of breakfast Morgan said "It's time for presents!"

Morgan and Uncle Brad opening her stocking from Grandma and Grandpa.

It is part of the Spies family tradition that every year our stockings have the same three things: a new toothbrush, lifesavers, and an orange.

It was then time for the big reveal (well the first big reveal) of the day. Donna and Charley had been working very hard to build two therapy swings for Morgan that we could use with her new swing set. I had asked them to build a platform swing, which is a flat board that Morgan can swing on her tummy on, sit on, or when she is ready stand on. The second swing is called a bolster swing. Morgan however has always referred to the one at therapy as the 'horsie' swing and loves to pretend that it is a real horse. She even asks her therapist to help her feed it pretend treats when they are done riding. So, Donna and Charley worked hard to make these two swings and decided that the 'horsie' swing needed a little special touch.

Can you believe it! They made the 'horsie' swing really look like a horse rather than just a round bolster complete with a real saddle blanket, saddle, and reins!!!! Morgan was in heaven. She immediately decided to name her horse Skittles. If it wasn't for the cold (and perhaps the awaiting gifts inside) I don't think Morgan would have gotten off that swing all day.

Back inside we opened more gifts with the family. Morgan is so loved by everyone that even her therapist from TROT, Jess, bought her a special gift. She knew about Grandma and Grandpa's secret project they had been working on , so she decided to get Morgan something extra special for her new "horse." Morgan opened her gift to discover that Jess had bought her a HOT PINK halter and lead rope. Not having a horse indoors to attach it to her Daddy decided he would become her horse (which she always pretends he is when she rides on his shoulders).

Daddy being a very good sport and pretending to be Morgan's horsie. The rest of the day she kept asking Daddy if she could lead him around the house.

With our tummies full and gifts opened we decided it was time to finally clean up from the morning. Donna, Charley, and Brad headed back to their house to prepare Christmas dinner while David, Morgan, and I finally showered and got dressed for the day. After much convincing that Morgan could play with her new horsie later and that there was one more VERY exciting present waiting at her grandparents Morgan got off her horse and allowed us to put her in her carseat.

When we arrived at Donna and Charley's house Morgan instantly noticed a green and red ribbon that was running along the floor throughout their house. She was so curious about the ribbon and kept asking Grandma what it was for. Grandma explained to Morgan that Santa had stopped by there and left one last toy for her, but she would have to find it. Morgan was so excited to hunt down her surprise by following the ribbon (I would have pictures for you, but after almost 2 hours of working on this blog I just can't wait for blogger to cooperate and upload more pics). Morgan followed the ribbon and found hiding at the back of the house in her grandparents bedroom another new horse. Not just any horse, but an almost real sized pony that you can actually ride!!!!!! To say Morgan was excited would not do it justice. Let's just say that once she got on that thing she did not want to get off. We had to persuade her to get off for dinner and that lasted only about 20 minutes.

Morgan and David taking her new horse for a spin. For the first time Morgan was stumped on what to name this horse. I think with all her new horses she finally ran out of names of horses she knows from TROT. It wasn't until this afternoon (December 26th) that she finally settled on the name "Cookie."

Morgan riding her horse inside. She kept going from the front of the house to the back and then back again.

Finally around 6:30 we convinced Morgan that it was time to say goodnight and promised her that we would stop by the next day to pick up her horse. (We had driven David's car so there was no room, besides, the horse was supposed to have been a present for Grandma's house. There is just NO room at our house). Anyway, we thought for sure that Morgan would pass out in the car on the ride home since she had been so active all day, but once again she surprised us. Instead she babbled about all sorts of things to stay awake on the way home and once we pulled into the garage she instantly asked to ride Skittles.

Riding Skittles indoors where it is warmer.
Around 8 we finally told Morgan that it was time to put her horse to sleep for the night. She was disappointed, but so tired by that point that she didn't put up much of a fight.

When she woke up this morning the first thing she asked for was of course to ride her new horse. Thankfully it ended up being a very nice day outside so we were able to spend it riding!

As Morgan put it "It's a beautiful day today!"

By the way, we did pick up "Cookie" from Donna and Charley's and when she wasn't outside riding Skittles she was inside riding Cookie. I am not sure how long Cookie will last at our house though. I keep walking through the house and catching him in the corner of my eye and he keeps freaking me out.

Okay, after all this I am finally going to hit publish and then hit the pillow. Tomorrow my alarm will be going off at 4:50 am so that we can be out the door by 6:00. We are leaving along with Donna, Matt, Georgia, Lucas, their family, and the whole varsity boys basketball team for four days in sunny San Diego!!!! And the best part of it all is thanks to my mother-in-law, she, Morgan, and I will be flying there non-stop while the rest drive....suckers!!! Since we will be getting there about 8 hours ahead of everyone we are going to spend the day at Sea World!!!! Okay, now I am hitting publish!