Oh my.

The kids thought Daddy was being rather grinchy making them wait until 8 AM to open their presents. And they showed it! Just kidding, they were just hamming it up for me. But they did run into the bedroom about once a minute to update Daddy on what time it was and how many minutes they had left. Did I mention this started just before 7?

In the meantime, they played with one of the un-wrappables - a great big cardboard playhouse for Sophie. Truth be told, this was my solution to a Christmas request I couldn’t bear to buy - a super-large Barbie dollhouse seen in one of the Sunday newspaper ad inserts. So I decided that Santa was a little absent-minded and just thought “big house” instead of “big dollhouse”. I think this is more fun anyway! Luckily for us it folds up flat and fits under a bed, so it’s not nearly as obnoxious as one would fear. And just their size!

“Hey Mom!!! Is it 8:00 YET?????”

Amazingly enough, we didn’t have a single thing under the tree that required batteries! And not even on purpose! Golf clap, please.

After everything was open, Maddie and Sophie got to work decorating the house with the markers that came with it. It’s kind of like having the biggest coloring book ever. I haven’t taken pictures of the inside, but let’s just say at this point it looks…a bit like being under a city bridge. Except with washable markers instead of aerosol spray cans!

Sophie was SO GREAT at sharing the whole thing with Mad - we were really proud of them. There are two doors on the house, so each of them took one and decorated that side themselves. I like how Sophie’s light is completely black…either she loves Halloween or just hates visitors. Don’t know which one yet (wink). That’s OK - we can always go in through Maddie’s door!