Posted on November 28, 2008
Normally, one would think that one week would be long enough for a visit with the family. But, its just not. This has been one crazy week, and I have enjoyed every minute of it. I do feel bad that we didn’t get to spend as much time as we would like with our families and friends. And sadly, I don’t know when we will be back. I am sure our families will come out and visit, but with our trip to Italy in January, and now we are planning a trip to Disney World in June, its going to make it difficult for all of us to come out.
Chloe and I obviously have a more flexible schedule then John, so we’ll probably come by ourselves for a visit, but I have NO IDEA when that will happen. And airline tickets are a lot more expensive now that we have to get Chloe her own seat. Plus, she’s in school now, and we can’t always make up those classes. As she gets older, traveling gets more complicated.
Sadly, I think our month long trips to Colorado will have to be a thing of the past. I guess we are going to have to get better at the week long visits of doom! Oh, we will have pictures up when we get home.
(in unrelated news, Chloe has done exceptionally well with potty training out here. She only had one accident and that was the first day we were here. She was just too busy playing with all the new toys to be bothered! She’s also starting to wake up dry, so things are progressing quite nicely.)
Posted on November 25, 2008
One of the things I love about being at my parents house is the absolute absence of “should be’s.” At home, when Chloe is napping or at school, I always feel like I should be doing something productive. Should be doing the dishes, laundry, reading, whatever. But here, there is no should be’s. I should be sitting here on this sofa waiting for my baby to wake up. I should be relaxing, cat napping, watching cheesy movies. I should be lazy. And that’s what I am doing. Being 100% lazy, and enjoying EVERY MINUTE OF IT.
Which, is why I am not writing.
But, I’ll get back to it. As soon as I am done chillin’.
Posted on November 22, 2008
I am terrible at keeping secrets. Don’t tell me ANYTHING you don’t want anyone else to know, because I will talk. As much as I day dream about being a spy, there is no way in a million years I could be. For one, I could never pull of a “secret” identity. Someone would ask me, “What so you do for a living?” And I would spill it. “By day I am a mild manner house wife, by night I am a bad ass super ninja spy. What do you do?” Plus, if I ever got caught, well Imagine me tied to a chair with a sweaty and unwashed bad guy with some sharp implement watching me from the other side of the room, then imagine that scene from Goonies where the Fratelli’s were interrogating Chunk. That would be me. “So, don’t even bother with the torture. When I was in 1st grade I…”
For the last two weeks I have been planning a surprise party for John’s 30th birthday. I was doing SO good. I made babysitting arrangements, sent out of the Evite, figured out the venue (Rock Bottom, one of our old haunting grounds when we lived in Colorado,) and told John we were going on a date. Then, last night after a couple of REALLY strong White Russians, John asked if we should change our date to the Chart House (where we got engaged, and then went to for all of anniversaries when we ived in Colorado.) A very sweet thought, but not at all in the plans. Now, I could have told him it was too far away. Or that traffic to get there would suck. Or even that I had my heart set on Rock Bottom. But no. Not me. I tell, “We have to go to Rock Bottom because I am planning a surprise party for you and everyone is meeting us there.” I. Suck.
So, John knows. However, there is a little element of surprise to the whole thing. He was surprised I kept it a secret for as long as I did. So, that’s something right?
The good news is he is really excited about his party. He’s really happy its going to happen. The bad news is I feel like a tool. Oh well.
Posted on November 21, 2008
I have been bouncing this idea around my head, and I am not sure what to do about it. Chloe, at this point, really doesn’t have an idea who Santa Claus is. I just recently busted out the Christmas DVD’s my mom gave us last year, and she has been obsessively watching “Frosty the Snowman.” At the end of the movie, Santa shows up to save Frosty, and Chloe turns to me and says, “Mommy, what’s that?”
Last year, we didn’t tell her Santa brought presents, and we have never explained to her that if you ask him for something for Christmas, he just might bring it. I think it was just easier, considering the likelihood of us EVER spending a Christmas at home, to just skip over that part of the myth so we didn’t have to answer any questions as to how Santa Claus knew she was at Mama and Papa’s house.
I think this would be the year to introduce it. She’s a lot more aware of things, her memory is improving, and we are going to be home on Christmas Day.
But, I have to admit, I never really believed in Santa, and it didn’t bother me. I still enjoyed “playing” for my sister who did believe. We still got what we “asked Santa” for, and I always loved the stocking presents. Now, as a parent, I have a hard time lying to my child. I have heard stories of kids who found out Santa was a myth and they would be angry. For the first time, they realized that parents lie, and they had a difficult time trusting their parents after that.
We’re not religious people, and I already have a hard time with Christmas in general. I have to admit that I feel like a total hypocrite. I justify by telling myself that we celebrate the meaning of family on Christmas. That we celebrate loving and being loved, and all the trappings are just symbols of that. We don’t believe in ghosts, but we celebrate Halloween. We don’t believe in saints, but we celebrate Valentines day. We’re barely Irish but we celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. So, Christmas is just another holiday that is an excellent excuse for everyone to get together.
Santa is definitely an important part of the Christmas tradition. But I am still on the fence. I think we could go one more year without having to include the “he brings you presents” part of the myth, but some day we are going to have to discuss this with Chloe, and I am just not quite sure what I am going to say. Thoughts? How important is Santa Claus? And if we tell Chloe the truth, how likely is it that she will ruin it for some other child who does believe?
Posted on November 20, 2008
This is what happens when you leave a toddler in a room alone with a bunch of Christmas stickers.
Yes, i realize she has chocolate pudding on her mouth, what-r-ya-gonna-do?
Posted on November 20, 2008
She inists on dancing to the last song on Sleeping Beauty.
Next Page »