Merry Christmas!

Kate woke up on Christmas morning and for the first time, rushed downstairs to see if Santa had come. "Look! He ate the cookies! And he left a bell! But why didn't he drink all the milk??" Don't let the dispassionate face fool you -- Kate was very excited. Until Mom made her pose with the bell three times. First up was a gift for Nana's dog, Metta -- a Xmas wreath squeaky toy that Kate picked out herself. "So Metta can hang a wreath in her house, too!" Pop-Pop and Grammy Marianne sent Kate a cash register with play money inside. Kate and Nana played with it for the next three hours. Nana continued to be a loyal customer even though all the merchandise in Kate's store was both used and highly overpriced. "That box is fifty dollars, Nana." Among the gifts we gave Nana was a basket carved out of wood, which she loved. She said we "really knew her," and got all verklempt, making Chris and I very happy, and Kate a little confused. "Why is Nana crying?" Next it was time to open Nana's gift to Kate. What could this giant, gold-wrapped thing be? A wooden princess castle! The perfect domicile for Kate's Cinderella action figures. Chris was more than a little embarrassed by how excited I was to play with it. "Look, Kate! A drawbridge!" Uncle Glenn, Aunt Jen, and Cousin Kes sent a bunch of presents to us, some of which were handmade (a wind chime and a tote bag with Kes' beautiful drawing). We also got a "sun catcher" for the window, and a shawl and hair clip for Mom.

Kate loved the toy horse and doll and especially the small music book that plays "The Farmer in the Dell."

She's kept it at her bedside since opening it on Xmas Eve. "So I can look at it when I sleep." Thank you, Funk-n-Weyants!

Kate models the pink hair clip Soo-eemo bought for her. Soo's gifts had a "pink" theme -- the book "Pinkalicious," a pink hair clip, and a pink knapsack! Lucy got Kate a chef's outfit knowing that Kate is very fond of cooking things at her play stove. Kate used the pot holder right away. "The pot is very hot!" The time had come to see what Santa left. Kate tore a piece of the wrapping paper and knew immediately... A pink polka-dot telephone! The one she's been wanting for months! Kate even told Santa at A Child's Garden that she wanted "two candy canes, and a pink polka-dot phone." She was ecstatic. "The elves know how to make a phone, wow!" Here is a video of Kate with her new phone: Emil Samcheon, Lisa Sook-mo, and Emma sent Kate a Hello Kitty CD player and a Disney Princess CD (along with a contribution to her 529 college fund), in honor of their special time at Disneyland together. Thank you, Chapel Hill Kangs! Kate loved the CD. It had all her favorite songs, like "Part of Your World": This was the first year Kate could appreciate Christmas and all its mysterious and materialistic glory. She had several logical questions: "How is Santa going to come inside? We don't have a chimney." (we told her he'd come through the garage...or the window). "If Santa comes on his sleigh, how do the elves get here?" (this was asked after Chris said the elves would come to help Santa deliver gifts. I told her they take the train, round-trip). "Does Santa know how to sew?" (Kate asked this after she eyed a Cinderella dress in a store and wanted it for Xmas). Finally, a little hope for Appa, and all of us, as we head into the New Year. Nana had to go to the airport soon afterwards, and Kate was sad to see her go, but she was able to call Nana the following morning on her new, pink polka-dot telephone! It was truly a holly, jolly, fun Christmas.