Merry Christmas 2014

 The Saturday before Christmas, we visited the city lights at Honolulu Hale. We knew we were going to see the shaka Santa and the big Christmas tree. We didn't know we were going to stumble upon a major carnival, complete with rides, crowds, and tons of things for sale. I was grateful that I didn't spend all of my cash at the farmer's market earlier that day. X got to ride the swings, merry go round, and helicopters a few times, calling "hi mom! hi dad!" as he went around and around. Other highlights for him were the fountain where shaka Santa was and the fire truck Christmas tree. The entire city hall was filled with trees, one made by every municipal department. It was incredibly crowded. I think next year we will go on a weeknight!

On Christmas Eve, we went to see the local lights show on Namoku drive. No pictures, we forgot. The yards were all done up with light displays, and we drove through slowly while X shouted "Merry Chmistmas!" at passers-by. We watched the Polar Express yet again before bed, and X went right to sleep, leaving us ample time to set up for the next day.

Santa brought X a bicycle, a cement mixer, some DVD's, and a book. X received plenty of additional toys from his family. He savored unwrapping every present and playing with each toy, so they weren't all opened until early afternoon. We kept prodding him to open his cement mixer, and eventually had to tell him that he couldn't have his bike--parked behind the cement mixer--until he opened it.

Between playing with his toys, he has been watching the Polar Express nonstop. He drives his trains around his table, narrating parts of the story. He even pulled the microphone off of his piano so that he could sing the hot chocolate song. Christmas night, he fell asleep while I was reading him the book.

Honolulu Hale

Hi mom!

X rides the swings

X rides the helicopters

Carolers?

Shaka Santa and Mrs. Claus in a mumu

in front of the fire truck tree

another shot of the fire truck tree

Christmas morning

It's a cem mixker!

eating a play cookie

setting up his Thomas and friends track

trying out the bike.

Using construction tools to (sort of) eat Christmas dinner.