The Brosseaus: Merry Christmas

Well it was Philip's very first Christmas ever and boy was it exciting! It started off perfect with our trip to Dallas for a full week! Philip got to meet his newest little cousin, Hunter Johnson, who was just 7 weeks old. He also got to spend time with all his favorite aunts and uncles, celebrate two birthdays (Grande and uncle Danny's) and meet more of his daddy's best friends. We went to see Santa twice at North Park, watched the Scrooge puppet show and then Santa even came over to his Gigi's and Papa Doc's house when we got back from our trip... lets just say with four trips to Santa... he for sure knew just what this little boy wanted on Christmas morning. In Dallas, Philip also got to go to dinner with his best friend from Texas, Stephen Head III (they are both the thirds and Philip is just 3 weeks older than Stephen). We of course went to eat Mexican, one of the many times while we were there, and Philip and Stephen were like not a day had passed since they had seen each other last except for the fact that they were both much bigger and both eating in high chairs. We had more cheerios and banana puffs on the floor between the two of them than Phil could spill chips and salsa (and that is a lot I promise you for those who havent ever seen Phil eat chips and salsa :o)). They of course wanted to play together so after we finished eating we let the daddy's hold them for a fun photo op. At first Philip went straight in for one of his famous open mouth kisses and the dad's pulled them apart immediately in terror (I dont know what was more funny, the boys kissing or the look on their daddy's faces). And then when they put them back together so us mommy's could get one more picture, little Stephen dove right in, grabbed both of Philip's cheeks and planted a big kiss right on him - it was like something out of the loveboat (which I must add that I caught on camera... and Philip, you better watch out this one might get pulled out at your rehearsal dinner someday). The night was a blast and ended with Philip believing he was going to pay the bill... how cute. Although I must say just as my parents always told me when I was little... Philip, you are independently poor. Thanks Scott and Katie for a great night and we cant wait for our next trip back so the boys can play again.

Am I a big boy or what?!

I love to rock... this horse was also my daddy's favorite when he was a little boy... so they tell me.

Everyone get ready to sing...

Happy Birthday Grande... I love you very much!

But mom, I want to hold my ticket to see Santa (this was our first visit to Santa of the day)

Playing with my uncle Boonie... I want to eat that hat now lean down just one more time

Still awaiting to see Santa... what is that crazy Claus doing?!

And still waiting with my aunt Avri... I love you Avri, now do you think you can sneak me in that line over there

And still waiting...but having a good time with my uncle Boone and aunt Avri

So is this Santa...

Mommy, I am not so sure about this guy... check out all that hair!

Okay... now hurry, I'm officially ready - say Merry Christmas!

Meet the Scrooge house (which my daddy went to see when he was a little boy at Northpark)

Watching so intensely the infamous Scrooge puppet show with my Mimi

Mimi, how are those puppets really talking... they look like my stuffed animals at home but they can't do that

And now this is my second visit to see the Texas Santa in one day... Hunter, it's okay... trust me I have done this before (just give them their dang picture and it will all be over soon).

Say cheese... what can I say I am looking good in this one for sure!

Hanging out with my new little cousin Hunter. He is just 7 weeks old... now let me see how that hand tastes?!

Daddy, I didn't do it I promise...

See I was just trying to give him a hug... welcome to the family baby Hunter... I love you!

I just love Mexican food daddy... is this mexican dinner number 4 in 3 days (but then again, whose counting)?

Me and my Texas best friend Stephen Head III... are we precious or what?!

Hey mommy... look at us... we are the same size, isn't that cool?

Ummm, what's going on here guys? I think Stephen is coming in for the kill

... and SMACK!

Mommy, I know you said for me not to put my feet on the table... but I just got kissed by another boy, so can we just let this one slide?

Daddy, don't worry... I got this one!

I love you uncle Danny

Hey are you going to eat that?! If not... throw some my way

Uncle Boone you are so silly... now watch me crawl...

Do you think these glasses make me look smarter?

I love you daddy... now when are ya'll going to feed me again?!

I love to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas

Just me and my mommy... life doesn't get much better than this

I love you uncle Ben... now let's talk

Seriously, when are you going to give me another cousin...

Having a good ol' time with my daddy's best friend Will Graham

Just chillin with my daddy's best friend Luke Coffee

Where's Ziggy... uh oh there he is. Hey, how did he get all the way up there? uncle Danny? uncle Sam?

Happy Birthday Danny... I love you very much. Hunter, now when you stop crying... we need to start singing to uncle Danny... it will be fun - I promise, just follow my lead.

Doing what I do best... giving my Mimi kisses

And SMACK... I love you Mimi

Hunter... it's okay... don't cry... just a few more pictures and then hopefully our mommies will stop with those cameras.

I must say mom... it is beginning to feel like the paparazi is here!

My Grande with his two favorite boys...

I love you

Now let's talk... don't you want one of me?!

Me and my daddy with his best friend Jeff Denton

Then the night before Christmas eve, Mimi had a new Brosseau Christmas tradition in store for us all... the Brosseau Scavenger Hunt. It was a blast, followed by embarassing acts which we all had to do to get our gifts (Phil even had to dive into the hot tub in -30 degree weather) only to find out that the clue wasn't really there... it was priceless! Philip and Hunter as the precious grandchildren however were spared anything humiliating and they got to open gifts in front of everyone in the living room. Philip tore open his gift like he had done it before as he loves wrapping paper and of course the bows (he must get that from me). Mimi and Grande gave him a precious little giggle me giraffe with balls playset, a sweet cross-stitched poem that Mimi had made for Phil when she was pregnant with him back in 1978 (oh wow... sorry Phil, that makes you sound really old) which I adore and will keep forever and ever and a walker wagon for him to learn how to pull up and walk on... he absolutely LOVED them all! Thank you Mimi and Grande for a wonderful trip... we will always remember Philip's first Christmas in Dallas and we love you very much!

Look at me unwrapping this present like a big boy...

I can do it all by myself

Yeah... I love it... my very own giggle giraffe

Now wait... don't take away that paper... that is part of the present too

Mimi, this is so fun... now watch me do it

Thank you Mimi and Grande... I love you very much!

Then after our great trip to Dallas, it was time to head home on Christmas eve so we could have our very first ever Brosseau family Christmas morning at home with Philip. We got home and when we went to get Texie from Gigi and Papa Doc's house, something magical happened. Santa Claus was waiting on us there to see the grandkids one last time before his big delivery that night. Alli, Boots and Philip were all so excited (except Boots wasn't so sure she liked this big Santa guy coming to her Gigi and Papa Docs house as she cried through the whole visit). But the little angels got to tell him just what their christmas wishes were one more time followed by lots of picture taking from the mommys of course (I mean what else are we good for really)... and it was great. Then, we went home and read the Christmas Story in the bible to Philip, put out Santa's oreo cookies and milk (oreos... who are someone elses favorite I know), put little Philip in his new precious Christmas pajamas and put him to bed. He of course was so excited about all the gifts under the tree that he could hardly go to sleep and didn't end up actually asleep until 10pm. So the next morning as Phil and I awaited for Philip to get up... it was not to our surprise that our little tuckered out boy slept until 10:45am. I got him up and carried him in to the living room to see just what Santa had brought him with daddy ready with the video camera of course to shoot all the action. We laughed as we probably won't ever have Christmas morning starting as late as 11am again until Philip is in college... but Phil and I enjoyed the extra sleep for sure. When Philip looked under the tree and saw his very own Noahs ark and animals playset and a huge wooden toy chest filled with lots of stuffed animals and toys... he was ecstatic. Wow... someone must have been a good boy this year!! Then we started opening all the wrapped gifts from mommy and daddy to Philip and he loved every minute of it. I think he might have actually liked the paper and bows more than the presents... we probably should have just wrapped up empty boxes this year and he would have loved it just the same. However, he got lots of great gifts... from a new outside swing and puzzles and books to his very first bible and a fire engine red racecar walker. Then, after all this gift opening, we sure were hungry so it was time for daddy to start his new pancake Christmas morning tradition. Phil and Philip made pancakes for breakfast and had a blast... however I think they had more fun making it then I had cleaning it all up... as there was batter from one end of the kitchen to the other but it made it all the more memorable. Gigi and Papa Doc also came over to see all the great toys that Philip had recieved on his first Christmas morning and so we of course in great tradition turned on mommy and her daddy's favorite Christmas movie of all time... A Christmas Story! Philip also watched the "you'll shoot your eye out" movie from his jumper and laughed outloud every time we did. It was the PERFECT morning!

Philip's first year Christmas ornament... Santa's special package (reindeer and sleigh)

Me and Santa Claus... did you know his reindeer and sleigh are on top of my Gigi and Papa Doc's roof?!

Daddy, can you take me to meet Santa's reindeer now?

I just love this... Texie is even getting to tell Santa what he wants for Christmas too

Boots, it's okay... don't cry, it's just Santa Claus, he is really nice and plus he's watching us

Trust me, I have seen him four times now...

Now Santa... we need to talk, do you promise you are coming to my house tonight while I am asleep? I have been a good boy all year... I promise!

Cookies and Milk all ready for Santa...

Of course Santa gets to drink from a UGA cup in the Brosseau household... is he a GA fan do you think?!

And daddy was so very proud of his gift to mommy... the hideous lamp from the Christmas Story

Christmas morning... look what Santa brought Philip... his very own Noah's Ark

and a huge Toy Chest from Santa...

...filled with lots of toys

Oh the Places You'll go Philip... we love every minute of this blessed journey with you - Merry Christmas 2008

Christmas morning... and of course the stockings were hung by the chimney with care full of presents as Saint Nick had been there

And it looks like Santa ate all his cookies and milk... he must have been very hungry this year

Daddy... what are you the paparazzi?

Mommy look... have you ever seen so many animals?

And look at my new toy chest... I LOVE it!

Its... this big, can you believe it?!

Mommy... let's see what Santa left in my stocking

What is all inside... show me everything!

And Santa even brought me my very own tooth fairy angel pillow since I just got my very first two front bottom teeth for christmas... how exciting!

Opening my presents from my mommy and daddy

This looks good... maybe I should taste it

Can I please?

Still opening...

...and opening, I just love Christmas!

Choo Choo... look I can even ring the bell

And crash... look, the train just took out that cow and the big horse

I love my new Noah's Ark...

...it is even bigger than me!

I could stay here and play for hours... just bring me my breakfast in here mommy!

I can't believe all my new toys... this is so fun!

My new walker wagon from my Mimi and Grande

Look at me Mimi and Grande... I am doing it... I am walking!

Giraffey scoot over... all that walking has made me tired

This wagon is the greatest gift ever!

And look there is my special aquarium ornament

Threes a crowd!

Okay... time for another stroll... hold on tight guys!

Choo Choo... I love my new train

And look at my new big boy swing...

I love you Gigi... isn't this your best Christmas ever?!

And I love even more my very first bible from my mommy and daddy

Isn't it so great?!

And there is baby Jesus... it's his birthday today and that is why we are celebrating with gifts

I love reading stories with my mommy

This train really rocks!

And for the grand finale... I got my very own red racecar!

I LOVE it mommy and daddy!

Just call me Mario Andretti

I got the keys...

...so let's roll!

Wow, Look at that mess... whose going to clean all that up?

Will it be my daddy? Let's be serious... who are we kidding!

Opening my stocking from Gigi's house on christmas morning at my house

At 90% in my height bracket, I think I will make a great basketball player... I must take after my Papa Doc

Pancakes, anyone?

Watching the Christmas Story marathon with my mommy and Papa Doc

Guys, are we really going to watch it again?! Seriously!

Then later that day we had the Buckler Christmas and Philip was even more spoiled with more gifts from the people who love him so much. Gigi and Papa Doc made an amazing beef tenderloin dinner and we were all together as a family for the first time in a long time - it was very special. Philip loved playing with his cousins Alli and Boots. And then Gigi and Papa Doc got to play Santa as they handed out the gifts galore. They gave Philip lots of fun toys from a sit and crawl, stand and cruise rainforest musical gym which he plays with every minute of everyday that he is awake these days and a bubble blower to his very own Knowshon jersey! Does it get any better than that?... I don't think so! Philip immediately put it on and wore it while he played trains with his Papa Doc (who built the trainset with his dad (our beloved Daddy Buck) when he was a little boy with trains that are still running from when Daddy Buck was a small boy. It is a generation of trains and Philip is now carrying on the train tradition with his Papa Doc as he sat and played for hours. We all had such fun and it was a time to remember for sure with three little angels under the age of 3. Thank you so much Gigi and Papa Doc for a unforgettable christmas... we love yall very much!

Papa Doc... look at how tall the tree looks from down here

Gigi... I love you and I love Christmas time

Check out that real Choo Choo... it's awesome Papa Doc

How do I look in my Knowshon Jersey mommy? Let's just hope I can run as fast as him someday!

Gigi and Papa Doc's gigantic Christmas Tree

Sporting my awesome Masters hat from my uncle Brad, aunt Britt and cousins Alli and Boots... thank you so much - I love it!

Uncle Brad and cousin Boots

It's mine... no, it's mine

Secretly, will you take me to go play with Papa Doc's trains?

I will give you a kiss if you say yes...

and SMACK... so now you have to take me to play trains... let's go!

Then it was time to go to great-grandmother Mimi's house for the Buckler extended family party. Philip was of course the hit of the party and got to open his gifts first as he is the youngest. He got his very own wooden rocking horse that makes neigh and gallop noises and moves his head and tail... just precious. Philip absolutely LOVED it and was grinning from ear to ear and giggling all the way through the ride... do we think he might be a cowboy? Although he was born in Georgia, he must have some of that Texas blood in him and as you can imagine one proud daddy for sure! And Grandmommie and Granddaddy gave Philip his very own polo sweater outfit and a precious Pooh sit and spin! He loved them all! Thank you so much Mimi, Grandmommie and Granddaddy... Philip is so blessed to have such wonderful and loving great-grandparents as you! So all in all it was a wonderful and unforgettable Christmas! Can't wait for next year...