The most indelible image of Christmas Eve 2005 will forever be the sight of Aiden running his new toy vacuum cleaner all over his grandma’s rug. It’s his favorite present (so far), and he takes his job very seriously. (You’ll have to take my word for it, because my camera’s battery died after five shots today. It’s recharging for tomorrow right now.)

Aiden wasn’t nearly as impressed with the tambourine I gave him. (Nor were his parents, for some unknown reason.) He liked the flashlight he found his stocking. Everything else was shoved aside, though, when the bright red upright vacuum came out from under wraps. He turned the “motor” on and off and pushed the thing all over the house, making sure not to forget to go under the coffee table and behind the rocking chair. He didn’t miss a spot, although some limits had to be put when he wanted to bang the vacuum into the hall mirror or the sliding glass door.

He even allowed his oldest brother to help him. “D.J. vacuum,” he said, and the two of them pushed it across the floor together. It was very cute. I wish I had a picture.

Tomorrow will be another Christmas for Aiden (and Kylie and the rest of us), but D.J. and Dakota will be going to their father’s house, so this side of the family gave them a preview visit from Santa today. All in all, things went pretty well. D.J. got a basketball and Dakota (who will be playing T-ball in the spring) got a baseball, and a bit of coaching from his Uncle Eric. (“Catch with the glove, throw with the hand.”)

Kylie, as usual, was perfectly content to sit on someone’s lap and watch the football games on TV.

D.J. came into some money (twenty dollars) late in the holiday season and wanted to spend it on us. So his mom took him shopping a couple of days ago, and those were the first presents distributed today. He would hand his gift to one of us and then stand a foot away, watching eagerly, as we opened it. Mine was a stuffed frog (“for your car!”) which (if my camera were working) I’d gladly show you.