The next morning, i woke up at 9 to Stephen, puttering around downstairs. a few minutes later, he came in bounced on the bed like an excited Golden Retriever. he is a big kid at christmas, and i love him more and more with each passing year. we snuggled for a couple of minutes and then went downstairs and exchanged gifts.
Now, i've not mentioned what i got him on my blog since i know he's a semi-regular reader, but i must say i out did myself. He got some DVD's (Star Wars Episonde 3 and 4), the new Josh Groban CD, a Soduku book, and my favorite gift of all...the Mukka Express.
a couple of months ago, we were thumbing through an issue of Fine Cooking magazine (the subscription was a gift from his brother, last year) when we happened across the most amazing little gadget since the electric toaster: the 2 cup Stovetop Cappucino Pot, by Bialetti. as if the idea of making cappucino on the stove wasn't fabulous enough, it's got a cow-print finish! Stephen was really excited and kept saying he wanted one, but would never spend the money on it. Imagine how happy he was when he unwrapped it on Christmas morning! i gotta say, i was really relieved that he liked it. since he had mentioned he wanted it in passing and only once since, i wasn't sure if he still wanted it. plus there's the "appliance-factor" of buying him, essentially, a coffee pot; i wasn't sure if it fell into the same category as an iron or washing machine which are definite no-no's when it comes to gifts. suffice, to say he was thrilled to the gills with that and all other little things.
my pile was just as exciting: cologne (D & G Masculine), a couple DVD's (Pirates of the Caribbean 2, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Season 1 of Justice League), a Gameboy game (Spiderman: Battle for New York), and the next Chelsea Boys comic collection. he also stuffed my stocking (stop snickering, John), with a pound of Starbucks Christmas Blend, an ornament, and some candy! needless to say, i'm quite happy.
afterwards we jetted off to my mom's for Christmas brunch with my brother and his family, plus gifts (cologne, a DVD, a pair of ornaments, and a Spode dish) and some winning Christmas Scratch-off lottery tickets (in all the years my parents have been putting them in our stockings, i've never won...this year i won $25). my parents were really excited to get the digital camera from my brother (our spouses) and i; with the baby on the way and our wedding, it should come in really handy. my niece was really happy with the clothes, DVDs, games and scant toys she received. my brother was thrilled to get a watch from Stephen and i and several Velour running suits (de regeur for Staten Island's male residents). Even Stephen, who usually does not like receiving clothes as gifts, seemed excited with the shirts he got from my parents. Brunch (another L_______a family tradition, dating back to my boyhood), was it's usual feast of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, english muffins and bagels which lasted well past noon (it was very casual and laid back, with more conversation and the full recap of the night before).
by the time we left, we barely had time to run home and grab the stuff to bring to Stephen's grandparents' house...
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