It's beginning to feel like Christmas!

This afternoon it started to snow. Like really SNOW! None of that pretend, fake, tiny little stuff. These were big, fluffy, flakes! We put on some Christmas music and listened to Hayden sing along as we all watched the magic unfold outside. It was really nice to just enjoy the moment for a few minutes before we had to get ready to go to our Christmas party.

...practicing what he's going to say to Santa...

We had a ward Christmas party at our church tonight. They had a delicious dinner prepared for us, and lots and lots of desserts were brought. Hayden had lots of fun running around with his friends. Then when the primary children acted out the nativity, the little kids sat on the floor in front of the stage and watched. Hayden decided to stand in front of these kids and pretend he too was a part of the nativity and acted out the story and pretended to talk on the microphone. He's such a little show-off!

We had a visitor from Santa Claus! Hayden had been looking forward to this all week and knew just what he was going to ask him for. He's been practicing and practicing what he'd say, and he even decided all on his own, he'd better say, "Please" to Santa. When the feeble, not so jolly, old Santa came in, Hayden's face lit up with excitement! It was so fun to watch him. He got really quiet, then said in a wondrous voice, "It's Santa!"

...after he noticed Santa walk in the room, he watched in awe...

...I tried to take a picture of his excitement, but he got embarrassed and kept telling me not to take a picture of him, but to take a picture of Santa!...

We stood in a very unruly line and Hayden started to get a little disappointed. I asked him what was wrong, and he said, "I want to tell Santa what I want, but all these big giant kids are in my way!" Then he started to get really nervous as we got closer. When it was finally his turn, he refused to sit on his lap, and was a bit nervous at first, but with a little prompting to tell Santa what he wanted, he got excited and yelled, "A choo choo train table!" Then he said, "please" and sweetly said, "Thank you" as Santa handed him a bag of goodies. Then he ran away as fast as he could!

...He wouldn't even look at him at first!...

...He was pretty nervous!....

...getting a reminder from Mommy on what he was supposed to be doing up there...

...finally getting to ask Santa for a choo choo train table...

...Thanks Santa!...

After the party we went outside to find lots of snow and still more falling! We got in the car, put on some Christmas music, and went for a drive to look at lights. Hayden loves to look at Christmas lights and gets excited over the most simple and not so well put-together displays. He makes everyone's lights seem fabulous! As the song, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" came on, he started singing along, and as I listened carefully, I noticed he was singing almost every single word on time, not after he already heard it! I can't believe he knows this song already! I guess he really was paying attention when I sang it to him so many times in a threatening voice!
Other favorite songs that he is getting REALLY good at singing along to are "Little Drummer Boy" and "Angels We Have Heard on High". I love listening to him sing! It is so adorable and he is actually figuring out how to carry a tune rather well!

When we finally made it home, we got out of the car and Hayden got so excited over the snow that was still falling. It was such a fun moment watching him play. He didn't want to come inside at all, even though his hands were freezing!

I love this time of year. Having a kid this age makes it so much more magical and fun!