Not that I couldn’t list many more than thirteen, he is the only grandchild on three sides and makes out like a little bandit at Christmas and birthday time. However, we’ll just pick thirteen to highlight today ;).

1. His iDog, which he is surprisingly gentle with and really enjoys. It’s something I wouldn’t have thought to give him as I think of it as a grown-up toy, really, but he loves it and it is so cute!! He likes to make it growl and dance while he adjusts its ears accordingly.
2. Andy the Airplane who has the added draw of being able to haul things in his nose - the McQueen cars are always hiding in there while it flies around the house. He’s sturdy too, having survived the trip home in the suitcase, several smashings on the concrete lanai and other random abuse (including an accidental kicking across the room when left on the floor in the middle of the night).
3. His very first Elmo, Shout Elmo, given to him by a loving auntie who lives far away and will never have to be tortured by Elmo’s endless singing. I thought that the much-coveted TMX Elmo was rather cute, but this one really is sort of lovable…. for a toy that sings and dances and laughs. Lil’ Duck loves him, of course, especially to knock him over on purpose to hear him say “Oops, Elmo fell down, hee hee hee”. Poor thing.

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“Make da cookie, mama, cook da cookie den frosting and spinkles!!”

He helped put the cookies on the cookie sheet, I baked them, then I ended up doing most of the frosting work while he watched with great interest and stuck a finger in now and then. His special sprinkles, which he picked out in the store with great delight (”want da BALL ones, colorful, wow!!”) were now ready to be added to the much-anticipated cookies. (more…)

Get your own at the signature board!

He LOVED seeing all the Christmas lights out at the Christmas festival in the park. There were lights, snow (shipped in from up north and positioned for sledding down a little hill, sleds and all) and a Christmas fountain, all providing supreme delight for a small little boy. There was even a large bag of cotton candy involved in the festivities, making it truly an evening filled with wonder and joy.

Read more Love Thursday posts… scroll down for our Thursday Thirteen post.

*Edited to say, I’m making this my Christmas Tour of Homes post because alas, I’ve been too busy with orders to decorate more than my tree. I had such fun with the previous Tour of Homes that I couldn’t resist doing this one!*

Nevermind that Lil’ Duck decorated the bottom half, especially the random bits of snowflake ribbon, or that the bookcases behind fail to contain all the clutter in my life. Presents are coming soon, I’ve been too busy to shop or wrap, but I anticipate having more time next week.

I’m just thrilled to have bought my very own tree this year - in the past we have had various hand-me-down fake trees, including a memorable pre-baby year where we literally broke the white tree that has been in my family since I was little. I guess hanging several heavy ornaments on a three-foot tree really wasn’t the way to go. Then there was the hand-me-down tree from the in-laws attic which made me sneeze incessantly, despite vacuuming it several times, that also fell apart at odd intervals.

This year, not only is it a brand-new, 100% ours tree, but it is also pre-lit. No more wrapping, untangling, bulb-finding, tree-tipping nightmares for us, only a beautiful plugging in of the perfectly placed strands and light for all! I’m definitely loving it just for that (storing it might be another matter, but it does fold up nicely back into its box).

Leave me the link to your own tour in comments and I’ll come visit you!