Was it just me or did the holiday season go by SUPER fast this year? I think because Mike is at the age where he ‘gets’ Santa Claus and the Christmas experience, we really had to pack in experiences. And I think we did a really great job of that with going to see the lights at Watkin’s Park and visiting Santa at Homestead Gardens.

Speaking of Santa, he heard that Mike was a VERY good boy this year! Here are the goodies he left (with some of my feedback because, well, this is my blog).

{Fisher-Price Think & Learn Code-a-Pillar} I was really excited about this gift because I think coding is such a cool skill to have and it is even cooler that they are incorporating it into kid’s education at such a young age. First of all, this was WAY louder than I anticipated. And it is a little confusing. I know it ended up under a lot of other trees this year and we are all wondering the same thing – how can you create an obstacle course when you aren’t sure how long each component lasts? Like how long does the Code-a-Pillar go straight? Mike really likes connecting the pieces and jumping in front of it mid-path to make it stop and he called it his ‘skeleton worm’. I think this was a semi-win with a full on win in about six months when he ‘gets it’. 

{KidKraft Table} Poor kid was sitting on his comfy chair pulled up to a wicker trunk we use as a toy box/coffee table to play with his stickers and Playdoh. We are a fan of the KidKraft brand and this was one of the more reasonably priced, not tacky tables for kids. I thought for sure S. would be up all night on Christmas Eve putting it together, but he was done before Mike was even asleep. I am a HUGE fan of the ‘hidden’ storage in the middle which now is where the bad superheroes are jailed. It is a nice finish, seems sturdy and blends in well with our hodge podge furniture.

{Super Hero Books} What is a holiday without books? We love board books because they are sturdy, small and usually pretty short so bedtime doesn’t last longer than it already does. These are a good size and Mike is already reading along with us. The super heroes aren’t of the ‘scary’ variety either, which is hard to find.

{Playskool Friends Mr. Potato Head Marvel} These are clearly Mike’s favorite gift this year. He plays with them all the time and is adamant that they are put together correctly. He throws all the pieces in a mixing bowl, puts them together and starts the process again.

{Superhero Dress Up Costumes} Bubbe got Mike a Batman cape and mask a few months ago and he loves it, so it made sense to get the rest of set so we could all join in! I was really surprised at how sturdy these are, clearly ready to withstand villains … and toddlers.

{Solar System Night Light} We turned Mike’s nursery into a big boy room a few months ago and the theme is space galaxy so when S. saw this, he knew Mike needed to have it. I have to admit, it’s pretty cool! It took some work for S. to mount it on the ceiling, but once it was there Mike loved it. Now he clicks the clicker so the ‘sun’ will come on and then again for the planets to rotate.

Well Mommas, were you a good girl this year? What did Santa bring you?