Although Lex has been with me when I’ve purchased Christmas presents for him, apparently I can’t get away with wrapping those gifts while he’s in the same room.  A few days ago I ended up giving him this garbage truck early, because he saw it as I was wrapping it and was so overjoyed that I couldn’t bare to keep it from him.  He’ll have plenty of other presents to play with on Christmas day anyway.

Playing with daddy.  Ride ‘em cowboy!

Through the tunnel…

And playing in daddy’s car in the garage:

These last few days have been busy but fun.  On Saturday night we braved the cold and took Lex to see Zoolights.  It was freezing, but we had a good time.  Lex got to ride the train, and the rest of the night he was chanting “Choo Choo…”

We managed to convince Lex to wear his stocking cap, but he refused to put on any kind of glove or mitten.  So to prevent frostbitten hands we had to wrap him like a burrito and carry him around like a baby.  Tim and I traded off, but that boy is heavy!

Then on Sunday evening my mom’s group had a family potluck and white elephant gift exchange.

The kids just played…

Lex and his friend Colby:

Having a serious conversation with an elephant:

Cookies!

And finally last night we had a holiday get-together with the Ramms and the Melloms over at our house.

Here’s Loretta and “Santa Christopher:”

Lex was thrilled to eat at the kids’ table with Gabby and Mia:

Playing with Gabby:

The kids all exchanged gifts, so here’s Lex opening one of his presents:

New cars and trucks!!!  Thanks Gabby and Mia…

Lex is so much more aware of everything going on this season.  It’s really cute to see his enthusiasm for all of the holiday decorations and lights that we’ve put up around the house.

Here he’s giving “Buddy” the snowman a hug:

And a kiss…

He loves looking at all of the decorations on our tree:

This year we gave Lex a little 4 ft fake tree to call his own.  The ornaments and lights are fairly kid-friendly and he can take them off and put them back on whenever he wants.  The first thing he does every morning after he wakes up is come downstairs to light his tree.

We’re hoping to take Lex to see all the Christmas lights at the zoo one of these nights, but it’s been too blasted cold lately!  And tomorrow it’s supposed to snow.  So we might have to wait until next week for that.

Last Saturday our family braved the cold and went to a nearby tree farm to find this year’s Christmas tree.  We had every intention of cutting one down ourselves, but we ended up picking a tree that was already pre-cut.

Lex had a good time wandering around the trees:

Every five minutes fake “snow” fell from the sky over by the barn.

And there was a cool model train running in the gift shop.

Of course I had to sample some hot apple cider…

And here are my boys back at home hanging the lights on our new tree:

Seriously, my son is obsessed with using the laptop right now.  I can’t even sneak some typing in without him dragging his stool over to the counter so he can push me out of the way and steal my computer.  He doesn’t do much…he just types and then points and nods at his handiwork.

But anyway, here’s a picture from when we went to the Festival of Trees in Boise:

Lex liked the Sesame Street display the best:

Riding a stuffed horse:

Watching a children’s violin concert with grandma:

Lex is quite the ladies’ man:

And finally here’s a favorite picture of mine…Lex reenacting Tom Cruise in the movie Risky Business:

Ok.  Phew!  That ends our Boise trip.  Sorry the coverage was so sketchy and drawn out.  But I’m tired and heading to bed now…