i think holidays that include presents are awfully exciting. :) ellen's birthday is coming up next week and she's been getting some presents in the mail. it took me a little bit of doing, but i convinced dave that it would be more exciting to have a birthweek - we should let ellen open one present a day until her birthday. besides this way, she'll get to play more with each individual thing and won't be overwhelmed. so we've been opening things and ellen is having a blast playing with her new toys.