What a wirlwind of a week. Filled with (tear-free!) long car rides, warm and comfortable family visits, generosity and excitement. Filled with thank-yous and plastic packaging for days. Filled with magic and food and wonderfulness.

Our big gifts were the super-modern dollhouse and the much-anticipated Wizard of Oz snow globe — both of which got lukewarm reactions. (Of course.) But that kitty piano from B.Toys and the giant cardboard play house were huge hits. As was his make-a-snowman kit, and the shiny new train set at Grandma’s. Ironically he wished his dollhouse had less rooms, and his snow globe was a “leeettle” smaller.

“It was nice of Santa to make the snow globe so big, but do you think he could make it a leettle smaller?”

But regardless, he appreciated every last gift — down to the stocking stuffers. And what more can we ask? He also gave everyone a homemade snow globe, hand-picked for each person. (He calls my father-in-law “Papa Two-Dogs” because — yes — he has two dogs. So he naturally made his grandparents a snow globe with two dogs.) It was important for us to let us him feel the excitement of giving someone a gift that he worked so hard on. To limit the gimme-ness of Christmas.

I hope your holiday was filled with warmth and happiness; smiles and cuddles.