Whirlwind Holidays

Bael just had her 5th birthday party last Sunday. Somehow I think I managed to pull off about 12 kids bowling happily together, for the most part. I've put up new birthday pictures on here (see left column of pix).

This past month has been a blur, even as we go into the long holiday weekend after Thanksgiving and I was thinking it's no where near over with. It's been Bael's birthday, Thanksgiving, and coming up PRI (Tommy's annual racing conference), Christmas and Colorado, then finally New Years. I don't mean to make the holidays sound like it's a burden or a chore but as I get older I'm beginning to feel that way, and it bums me out. What happened to the excitement? Tommy and I woke up yesterday morning, and I said "It doesn't feel like Thanksgiving to me, does it to you?" No, he answered. It just crept up on us. It just seems to go by faster and faster every year.

This is always a frustrating time of year for me. Tommy's a Bah-humbug and we argue every year on how many decorations he'll have to put up outside and how long he'll have to listen to Christmas music for (I'm one of the few that counts down the days to 97.1FM's month long homage to Christmas music). I'm the total opposite. I love the decorations and the music and just hanging out with friends. I think he'd rather curl up and just sleep through the whole thing (once again where his nickname comes from - think hibernation). But the other reason is because it's what I grew up with. The holidays were and have always been a big thing in our family. And, I want that very much for our kids. The big breakfasts in the morning, running down the stairs to jump in the pile of presents to open, the fire crackling, the hugs hello, catching up with everyone, playing games, the laughter, the lights, the decorations, Santa, everything. Love it. Bael is at that perfect age with Santa where she finally understands the concept and it's just so much fun to see. She asks me constantly if Santa is watching. Now, I just need to figure out how to maintain that in a way that I'm not totally overwhelmed and from a different vantage point.

So, here's best wishes to your families as well as you plow through the holidays and think where did all the fun go. I'm right here with you, wading my way through a new process, new traditions, new memories.

Desperate Measures

When Gavin's had enough of his jumperoo or just wants some attention, he pulls out of his arsenal a cry that is so high pitched and desperate sounding it vibrates through your ears and brain. We refer to it as "the girlie cry". Pick him up and he's totally fine. Magically.

Although this little clip doesn't capture the magnitude of Gavin's desperate little cry, but it was too funny not to post. And will remain in Mommy's black mail vault to produce for said girlfriend or friends in teenage years. Guess who Gavin may have voted for to Tommy's chagrin.

The Princess and the Monster

Last minute we decided that it might be easier to go down to the Church of the Chesapeake to do the "Trick-a-Trunk" event than to go door to door. The very idea of buckling and unbuckling two kids and chauffeuring them around to a bunch of strangers in our neighborhood, let alone the absolute-must stops to family was tiresome just to think about. It turned out to be a lot of fun, especially for Baeleigh, who I barely saw the whole time we were there. She was on hayrides and sliding down the inflated slide, making crafts, having a ball basically. Meanwhile, I tortured my son in his monster costume, a big hit in itself.

You will notice the snake painted on my son's head. Not my idea. That was G. She thought that Tommy would be ticked about it, when in all actuality she had the wrong ticked person. Luckily, my fear of it not washing off wasn't so. So, crisis averted. All in all a great Halloween for all. And, Trick-A-Trunk is the best idea they've thought of yet.

The Accident

Unfortunately, last Thursday G (aka Carol, mother-in-law) got into an accident with both grandkids in the car. Everyone's ok, and it wasn't her fault - a car hit her in the median while she was stopped - but it certainly has shaken Baeleigh. The car didn't hit her side, and she came away from it with only minor bruises from her car seat and seat belt (G has a very sore shoulder), but it has definitely been traumatic for her. She has consistently asked/said things like:

-G can't drive us any more because she had an accident.
-We can't drive over the "bump" (median is a hill) or we'll have an accident
-Will na-maa and pop-pop have to pick us up because G is hurt?
-If we drive, are we gonna have another accident?

Do you know how hard it is to explain an accident to a 4 year old? Difficult. I tried to relate it to when she has an accident, unexpected and rare. I think she sort of understood but I can tell she's still leery of driving. I'm sure it'll pass in time, but in the interim G has decided to forego the median an make a U-turn at the light to make her feel more at ease.

For me, it just underscored how far away my job was. It took an hour and a half for me to get to them, only hearing bits and pieces of what was going on. It drove me crazy and it was difficult for me to not drive 80 to get to them. In retrospect, what good would it have done for me to have an accident getting to my kids? I had to meet them at the hospital (to get checked out). Luckily my parents were both home and able to get to them in about 15 minutes. I'm not sure how I woud have handled things if it didn't work out this way. So, thank God that it did and everyone is alright.

When I grow up....

"I wanna be a race car driver." Hmmm. Who do you think said this? Yep. Baeleigh. And unprompted. Her teacher asked everyone what they wanted to be when they grow up, and this is what my daughter shouts out. Skeptical, the teacher says, "are you sure, Baeleigh?" But the director of the daycare knows better and says, "Oh, yeah, that family. I believe it!"

Well, there are more and more girls joining drag racing now. Maybe she'll be the next SUPERSTAR!

Columbus Day Fun

Ok, for a 3-month old this is fun - and I had fun watching him. Gavin was busy bouncing in his too cool jumperoo and talking to his "friends" to even notice that mommy was recording him. He's starting to "talk" much more to the little friends, Froggie, Birdie, et al on his jumperoo. And, whatever they say or do must be down right hilarious because he smiles and giggles at them constantly. We've got a little pillow under the seat so that his feet actually touch the ground. He's still a little too short to reach on his own. Regardless, he has tons of fun....

P.S. I found out that someone has very ticklish feet after rubbing lotion on his feet last night.

The Yardboy

Look at my honey's great job on the front yard! After years of watching the grass encroach ever farther into what used to be our sad little front landscaping, Tommy finally dug it all out, put in some pretty new encore azaleas, japanese sky pencils and some much needed mulch. And, let me tell you, this took a lot of convincing on my part. Tommy would have rather hired someone to do it, but I think this just goes to show that he's very capable.

From ghetto to gorgeous, I'm proud of our front yard once again!