Too Much

This photo sums "too much" up:

I think the holidays can be a bit too much for children. There are so many people and so many presents and so much going on. I know Ayden has been overstimulated, overwhelmed, and certainly exhausted. He has cried over the simplest things (usually not getting his way), and while his smile still lights up our lives, his blubbering makes me want to scream. (Wouldn't that be fun for Bryan?!?!) We learned very quickly that we need to occasionally let Ayden figure out how to play with his new toys, rather than trying to teach him how to use everything (or at least give him some time with the toys, so he can experiment), and we decided to unwrap presents very slowly with our little man. He averaged approximately two presents per day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, for several days in a row. I put away many of the toys as he received them, so he could enjoy them over the coming months. Bryan and I got him a slide (to satisfy some of his desire to climb objects or people, to work on his mobility, and to do something actively fun during the winter months), a dumptruck, two DVDs, a book, and some activities that appeal to his developing occupational skills. He also received some sweet gifts from friends and family. We, of course, took way too many pictures of his second Christmas, so some are on this page, and more are after the break.