our 1st Christmas with Jakob

This was by far the best Christmas ever, and not just because traveling to Grand Rapids only took us 45 minutes, as opposed to 5-24 (depending on where we lived and what weather was like). Jakob makes life better in general. It's really fun buying him presents, and opening presents from others for him, and starting our own traditions with him. This year, from me, he got his very first pair of shoes. I bought him Chucks, to match the ones I also got myself. Sarah got him a very cool duck toy that makes him laugh. It goes on his car seat.

This is him laughing at his new toy:

Jakob's Christmas present making him laugh from Jeff Selph on Vimeo.

He also got a baby's first Christmas ornament and a Christmas tree from both of us.

Here are the traditions we've started and think we'll continue with him throughout his life:

1. He gets three presents from us: one from me, one from Sarah, and an ornament from both of us. He'll get a fourth present later, from Santa Claus. We don't intend to teach him that Santa is real, but since he's my son, and would very likely enjoy telling other kids the truth about Santa, we'll be bribing him to keep his mouth shut. So long as he doesn't blow it for anyone else's kids, he gets a present from "Santa."
2. He gets his very own Christmas tree, which goes in his bedroom. The ornaments we get him will go on his tree. He'll also get to pick out one ornament per year that he thinks is really cool to put on his tree.
3. We got up on Christmas morning, watched a Christmas movie, and read him the Christmas story. This year, we read from the Jesus Storybook Bible. Here's the video of that:

Jakob's 1st time hearing the Christmas story from Jeff Selph on Vimeo.