A Merry Soto Christmas
So, guess what? We forgot to bring our camera to Christmas. Well, to my in-laws for Christmas. So, I don't have any actual photos of Christmas Eve. Which is good, in a way, since we don't open gifts until midnight, and by then Gideon is a bit of a zombie. However, my brother-in-law did take pictures, so as soon as I badger him to death about them, I will post them here. Do not worry, I am very good at pestering.


We usually go to my parents for Christmas Day, and we did. But this year, we decided to open one of Gideon's presents at our house first.

We got him a couch thing. A Backyardigans couch.

It folds out. It's pretty much so he can watch mindless tv in comfort.

Lucia fits on it too. And yes, I own pink cat pajamas.

This year, it was a bit different, since my mom was in Costa Rica for Christmas. My grandmother is really ill, and my mom is actually still there. We miss her, and Christmas was not the same. However, this is the first year that Gideon sort of got what was going on. So, it was fun to watch him open presents. Or watch him watch us open his presents.

My parents obviously don't love me. Or maybe it's some kind of revenge thing. Because they bought Gideon a talking, singing Elmo doll. We opened this in front of the web camera, so that my mom could watch his reaction from Costa Rica. And he was really excited. But not as excited as when he opened...

His Handy Manny Toolset! What!!??!! Talking tools?

The thing that shocked me the most about this, was that he knows all the tools names. All of them. Rusty, Turner, Pat, Dusty, Squeeze, Stretch, and Filipe. Filipe, people. He doesn't know his cousins names. He calls Miggy the cat...cat.
Here he is introducing Elmo to his tools.

My sister also bought him this weirdo dancing, rainbow afro thing. Gideon yelled out "Wow Wow Wubzy!" when he saw it. I am suspecting that he watches too much television.

After the gift opening, we bundled up the kids, set up Alex's new GPS thing that he got from my sister (thank you Andi!) and set off for Chinatown for our Christmas Chinese Lunch/Dinner. This year, I had done some research. After reading one of my favorite food blogs, "The Girl Who Ate Everything", and seeing her mention Famous Sichuan on Pell Street, I decided to trust this complete stranger, and set the GPS to Pell Street. The restaurant was small, and packed. We had to wait about 30 minutes, but it was oh-so-worth it.

We ordered dumplings. And ribs for Alex because he doesn't like dumplings. I know. Crazytown. But I do love him anyway.

The dumplings were really good. Sorry that my food photography is so bad. I never do this, and I feel awkward taking pictures of food in a restaurant.

Gideon needed to bring Turner and Felipe to dinner.
He really loves these toys. Oh, and Pluto totally stowed away in the diaper bag. He must have sensed dumplings were involved.

We ordered way too much food, as usual. But, man alive it was good!
Gideon started playing with his chopsticks, and Alex kept saying that he was going to poke himself in the eye. I was all, chill out, dude, let the kid play with the chopsticks. And then Gideon poked himself in the eye. I hate it when he's right.

The other culprits. They did the majority of the ordering when I was in the bathroom changing Lucia's diaper on the sink counter. When I came back, they looked guilty. Notice Andrea's face. That is the look of a person that has ordered 2 shrimp dishes, knowing we only needed one.

And where was baby Lucia in all of this? Well, she was busy looking like an angel in her carseat:

I have to admit, that I was quite proud of my mommy abilities on this little trip to Chinatown. I knew that Lucia would get hungry, and usually I chicken out and bring a bottle with me. However, I decided to nurse her right in the restaurant. Luckily, we had a corner table, so I was able to discreetly turn around to the wall, and nurse her in relative privacy. I don't think anyone knew what I was doing. AND, I changed both kids diapers in the small restaurant bathroom. Lucia on the counter, and Gideon on the CHINESE RESTAURANT FLOOR. Thank God for the giant changing pad that I had with me, the Patemm. That was one of the most useful baby shower gifts that I received. Of course, I sterlized it the minute I got home.

And then Christmas Day came to an end, and it was bedtime. Gideon's favorite toys ended up in bed with him:

Pure happiness. Oh, and see that St. Bernard stuffed dog? I gave him that from Lucia. He also loved it, but I put it in his crib. Who wouldn't want to snuggle up to that? Alex accused me of buying it for myself.

They kind of creep me out. Look at their eyes.