Our Christmas in Arkansas was broken down into many, many rounds.
Thank goodness. If we'd opened all the presents at once, we would have been completely overwhelmed died of excitement!
Round One: We opened a few presents at Mark's parents' several days before Christmas. It gave the kids some toys to play with, since their parents hadn't brought any with them.
Round Two: Frances went to see Frozen with Mark's parents. I thought this was a sufficient Christmas present from Grandma and Grandpa. Mark told me it was not. Frances also received a Princess Twilight Sparkle. It lights up and sings. She loves it. I also thought Frozen was rated G, because all Disney movies are rated G, right? Wrong.
Round Three: We opened more gifts with Mark's brother's family on Christmas Eve. We gave Grandpa a coffee mug. Mark's brother gave him a fancy coffee maker. We felt inadequate. Around 10 p.m., we drove up to Fayetteville, with Frances "singing" at the top of her voice the whole way. Joy!
Round Four: More gift-opening. This time with my parents and my sister Lindsay's family.
Don't I look impressed with whatever this gift is? Alas, Frances doesn't. More alas, I'm sure the gift was for her.
Next year, I vow to doll myself up a bit before we open presents/take pictures.
Here's Frances, dear, opening a toy stethoscope her father bought her to make up for the nail polish that I bought her as her big gift. (Mark turns out to be a feminist!)
Again, she looks thrilled.
And here's Chandler, helping herself to one of her cousin's gifts.
Here she is sucking on one of her own gifts. It's a rattle. She'll love it as soon as she realizes it works better as a noise maker than as food.
The most painful parenting moment was when Cousin Zoe opened an Elsa doll, from the Frozen movie. Frances was so overwhelmed with its awesomeness that she held her head in her hands and gaped with her mouth hanging open. That's when Mark and I shriveled a little on the inside and knew we'd completely missed the boat on awesome presents. We even considered going to Wal-Mart on Christmas day to get her one of the dolls. Luckily, that impulse passed.
It wasn't all bad. Frances liked these wings.
They sure weren't an Elsa doll though.
Oh, parenting fail.
Round Six: Chandler went down for a nap, Frances and Cousin Zoe got their nails painted, and Mark and I tried to help a laboring sheep. It wasn't interested in our help. We left our daughters on Christmas day to help a sheep that wasn't interested in our help.
Round Seven: Mimi and Sir present Frances and Cousin Zoe with scooters (don't forget, I gave Frances nail polish as her "big" gift) and...
...the girls went to throw rocks at the frozen pond. Big fun.
We think she survived not getting an Elsa doll.
But, next year, I'll do better?! And shower before we open presents?! I promise?!
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