Christmas

We had such a wonderful Christmas! It's become a tradition for Cooper and I to "travel" (5 minutes!) to my parents house and stay for Christmas Eve. We baked cookies for Santa (although Cooper really wasn't interested in anything but licking the dough!) Our annual Bates Family Cookie Decorating Contest has been postponed, but not forgotten... Results will be shared! (See here for last year's competition)

Sweet Cooper slept until nearly 8 o'clock, making him a favorite nephew among uncles! I have a feeling this may be a one-year-only thing due to the fact that he doesn't fully understand the 'Santa is coming' thing!

Cooper's favorite gifts were his GeoTracks - a beginner remote control train set and airplane with airport. He played happily ALL day without complaint!

Cooper and his Pop - - best buddies!

My personal favorite gift for Cooper was the "Crocodile Dentist" game. It requires no batteries and no skills, except basic turn-taking. : ) Players take turns pushing down on the crocodile's teeth and sooner or later the croc's mouth snaps shut on someone's finger! Cooper thinks this is HILARIOUS!

In fact, he made everyone play...

More than any gift we could open, we rejoice in the gift of Jesus, whose life was sent to save ours! It is because of his precious birth and death on the cross that we can live with HOPE and PEACE knowing that we belong to the Lord. Merry Christmas!