Christmas in North Carolina

We arrived in North Carolina late Monday night, so we were able to spend all day Christmas Eve visiting with our family before church that evening. My mom made stuffed shells with homemade sauce with meatballs and sausage! Apparently the stuffed shells were a major hit and the men were all fighting over how many each person was going to get! 

We quickly changed for church; and Brock was able to wear his Christmas outfit again. We were planning on leaving Brock in the nursery during church, but since he was a little sniffly, he stayed with us for the service. During the "Children's Time", Brent brought Brock up to the front so he could be with the other children to listen to the story. It was so sweet to see. 

Then it was back to my mother's house to wait for Santa! (Sidenote, Brock did not sleep that well in a playpen next to our bed, so a lot of the sleeping this trip was all together - in one bed - we were happy to get home and put him back in his OWN bed! (He was also battling the last of his cold))

Finally Christmas Day!! Brock's FIRST Christmas!! He was so proud of himself every time a piece of wrapping paper would rip. I think he was more interested/excited in ripping the wrapping paper than realizing whatever was inside!

Thank you Brian and Nancy!!

Sometimes he needed a little help opening his presents.

The remainder of Christmas Day was lazy. We watched the Disney Christmas parade that my mother had recorded while Brent got to do something he almost never gets to do at home - NAP. Then my mother agreed to watch Brock while Brent and I went on a quick date to the movies to see American Hustle. Highly recommend, but I am slightly partial to both Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams.

On Boxing Day, the "kids" drove over to my Dad's house to do the gift exchange there.

Yay! Uncle David is here!

Brock loved this toy from my Dad. It's a train puzzle where the pieces can attach together and form a moving train! He especially loved taking the wooden dowels out of the top!

I don't have a picture of our present to my dad, but let's just say that ancient relic light box sitting behind my father is no longer there... replaced with a nice 40" version. :)

The rest of the visit in North Carolina was spent visiting friends. First we stopped in to see Adam and Heather and their two girls Kylie and Tori.

Kylie was saying Brock has chubby cheeks! :)

Brock's future girlfriend, Tori

We were able to visit with Caroline and Brett and their three girls - Natalia, Caterina, and Anastasia. I think they all played really nicely together.... except when Brock tried using little Anastasia as a prop to pull himself up on!

Friday night we had reservations at Sullivan's Steakhouse in Raleigh. We had not been able to take photos before on Christmas Eve, so this night was our big photo op.

We also received a gorgeous arrangement sent by Brent's parents and sister. The fruit was so delicious and the reindeer was adorable. Of course, however, Brock's favorite part of the ensemble was the balloon!!

We had planned a playdate on Saturday morning before our flight home. We were able to see Darcy and Jay and their little girl Nora; Helen and Joe and their son Ryan, and Jill and her daughter Alexandra! Ryan just had his second birthday party a few weeks earlier and his parents had purchased a bouncy house for the big event. Oh my was it a hit!

 Then it was time to leave - so long North Carolina, at least for 2013!!