Christmas!

So I know this post is a little late, but better late than never eh.

Christmas Morning! Aaaah, the joys and wonders of Christmas... but lets back up to Christmas Eve first...

Me: Now kids, I know in the morning, you will be excited to wake up, and open all your gifts... but there is something very important to remember.
Kids: Whats that Daddy?
Me: If any of you wake me or your mother up before 6:30am, ALL the gifts are going back to the stores!
Kids: Awwwww, DAD!!! 6:30?!
Wife: Awwwww, you moron! 6:30! No waking mommy up before 9am!
Kids: WHAT?! 9AM!?

... Christmas morning... 6:34am...

Pre-Existing Cuteness (aka: Daughter #1): Daddy? Daddy? You awake Daddy?
Me: Yes, of course baby. I could hear you scratching at the door for the last 4 minutes.
Daughter #1: Can we open our presents now?
Me: If you can wake up the Mommy...

... some time (much) later...

Wife: Alright kids! Lets go open our presents!
Me: C'mon Ping! Come down stairs! Lets open some presents!
Ping: No.

Now, on the UP side... she has stopped saying "Bu YOW" everytime I ask her something... The DOWN side however is, I think it's because she learned "NO" in English.

Me: C'mon... its gonna be fun!
Ping: ... no.
Me: Look, Kole, Dawson and Gemma are all downstairs!
Ping: ... no.

Why is this Yeti still in my bedroom talking to me? And why won't he just leave me alone?

So I pick Ping up, tuck her under my arm and proceed to carry her downstairs. Amidst the flailing little arms and legs, protests in both English and Mandarin, we triumphantly enter the basement with the other children.

Oh, look! Shiny boxes wrapped in pretty stuff!

And the kicking, screaming, protesting ends.

Me: See, I think she is warming up to me.
Wife: I think she saw the presents.

Oh look, the Yeti is talking to me again. Really, why dosn't he just get a hair cut! Oh wait, he's giving me something now... a box.
Well thanks you silly Yeti. What am I going to do with a box?! It is pretty though. I think I'll just sit here and look at it.
Oh, whats this?! Why is he trying to take my pretty box away!?
Stupid Yeti!

Me: Ping, stop crying, look, you OPEN it! Kai! Kai!

Oh, look. You open it! The Yeti just could have said that. And whats inside... OH WOW! Toys! Awesome pretty things! This is GREAT! Ah well. I'm done here. I'm taking this toy and going back to my room.

ooooh! Presents!

Me: Oh Ping, wait, just wait... your sister is going to open a gift now.

Oooooh, look at that! Her stuff in pretty too! I'm just gonna hang out here and see what else comes up.

So each kid takes a turn opening a gift, and Ping watches and plays with the gift she has already opened.

Me: Here Ping, its your turn again...

Uuugh, the Yeti is talking to me again.

Ping: Nooooooo.
Me: Here, song gay ni... gay ni.

Oh, this is another gift for me? Theres more?! Wow! OH LOOK! Another pretty head band! This is GREAT! Oh I'm so happy! Back off Yeti! This is mine!

see, pretty!

Another round of toys get opened by the other children...

Me: Here Ping... this is fo...

Ping rips it out of my hands and tears through the wrapping paper.

it was a Hanna Montana Christmas... yay?

Wife: I think she is figuring out how this works.
Me: Um yea...
Ping: Pings turns?!
Me: No, your sisters turn.
Ping: Noooo? Ping NOOOOO?

Her sister opens her gift.

Ping: My turn?!
Me: Not yet. Your brothers turn.

Her older brother opens his gift.

Ping: PING! TURN! YES!
Me: No, your other brothers turn now.

Stupid Yeti! Why can't I open I present! I mean, I see them all there under the tree!

Ping opens her gift, and by now, she has figured it all out. She starts crawling under the tree trying to dig out more presents... and the rest of the day was a blast!

busted trying to dig out more presents under the tree

After the presents, we went sledding...

me and the boys, the pictures are from a couple days after Christmas
when we brought the girls as well

Had some time with friends...

everyone got sucked into playing Twister with Daughter #1. When she opened Twister, her comment was "YAY!!! TWISTER!!! Daddy is going to LOOSE at this game!"

...and everything went pretty smooth for Pings first Christmas with us. :-)

Can't wait for the next one.