This was the best Christmas ever before it even got started. Just seeing my nearly 3-year old son so excited to see what Santa had brought. He ran up and down the hall waking everybody up. And it wasn't about the presents - he was more excited to see Santa had eaten the cookies and drank the O.J. we left out (Patrick's selection, not mine) than he was to see the "car me a wide in" which was the big present Santa brought him.

This was the first year Patrick could really conceptualize about Christmas and Santa and being good and presents and gift giving. His first Christmas was like Riley's Christmas this year - all pretty lights, family in town, new things to play with and wrapping paper to eat. Last year, he got that it was Christmas, but it was pretty anti-climatic as we were all sick - I brought in Christmas dinner from the resturant in the hotel where my parents used to stay.

The only thing I can think of that could top this Christmas is next Christmas.