We just got home from spending Christmas morning with my in-laws. I got to watch my nieces open presents (lots and lots more Fisher Price Little People sets). It was wonderful. They are sooooo damn cute. Valerie got the hang of opening the presents - one tiny piece at a time. Rip some paper, hand it to Daddy. Rip another piece, hand it to Daddy. And then Darcy wasn't opening hers fast enough so Valerie got to open even more presents. And then all the Little People sets had to be opened and played with. Now. Right now. And the waaaay cool tricylce that they got had to be ridden. And the rocking elephant had to be ridden. And then Darcy had to sit in the Flyer/Sled and be covered with toys.

I had a blast. And what also made it special? When Valerie came downstairs, saw all the presents under the tree and was set down to go explore them. But she started for the tree, saw me and changed course. She chose to come hug me and sit on my lap before opening presents.

Damn I love those girls.

Valerie and Darcy's Christmas 2004

(Some pictures of the girls, posted with permission. I particularly like the one of the Dred Pirate Valerie atop Her Mighty Elephant. It's the last one, of course.)