Christmas:a prologue

I think I've reached that point where I haven't blogged for so long that I don't know where to begin. So much happened over our Christmas vacation. As is the case with ALL four of my tips home, I learned so much about myself, my family, and my ability to cope with a toddler away from home.I would make a feeble attempt to summarize our visit, but I fear I would end up leaving gaping holes in said summary. Instead, I will slowly fill you in on the key points - over the next week or so. The other reason for stretching it out is that (since we've returned home) Levi isn't taking naps much longer than 75 minutes. Also, my unpacking is FAR from complete. Add to that the fact that we shipped a relocube to ourselves (of things we've been meaning to get from home for many years. great company, great prices, third time we've used them.) and I have very little time on my hands. So, these posts shall have to be short and sweet if I have any desire to actually complete any of them

First, I shall share that on Christmas day my son took a diving leap from the doorway down into the garage at my mothers home (about a 6" step). He landed squarely on his nose. Which might not have been a bad thing, but that little nose skidded on the wipe-your-feet type rug, and he had a nasty rug burn for the following week. He earned the nick-name "faceplant"

That nick name served him well as, not 10 days later, (the very night before we arose at 3:30am to catch our flight back to NE) and in a VERY irritable state, my 19 month old climbed over the side of his (formerly MY) crib, and fell to the floor. Terrible mother that I am, I did not make note of his falling until I went in to check on him 30 minutes later and found him asleep. On the floor. Insert call to pediatrician, mommy tears, and feelings of all-over guilt. Wow.

We met some woodland creatures at my grandfather's home. He feeds them. The return every night. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd capture a picture of my toddler THIS CLOSE to a pair of racoons.

Jonathan and I also celebrated our 5 year anniversary with a trip to a local irish pub (similar to one we frequented during our short honeymoon in Victoria BC, 5 years ago) and dessert at the Cheesecake Factory. Nothing like bumming around Downtown Seattle during the holiday season to remind me why I strongly dislike big city traffic. Our anniversary was wonderful - each year when we celebrate together, it reminds me how happy I am we married during the Christmas season. Not only do we get to celebrate the holidays with family, but they get to celebrate our anniversary with us. We have so many fond memories of anniversaries past!

I said earlier that I would make due note of the mistakes we made in our trip TO Seattle by plane. I do not need to use many words to do this. First, DO NOT plan on stretching out a toddler's bedtime during a layover. overtired is never good, and overtired does NOT mix well with benedryl. "nurse, nurse, doze, AWAKEN, SCREAM, ARCH, nurse nurse, doze..." for 3.5 hours. Ick. If you plan to use Benedryl, do what we did on our trip back to NE. Give it right before the plane takes off, and plan your departure during a normal going-to-sleep time.

Since we've been home (what, almost a week now?) we've been the gracious recipients of said relocube, and also (on the same day) 7 inches of snow. I was beginning to think we scared the snow off by purchasing a snow blower before nary a flake fell. Not so. Don't get me wrong, I think the snow is beautiful and all - and by now, I'm pretty darn used to the stuff - but I'm not a fan of traveling around the city in it, nor is my marshmallow-of-a-bundled-up-child. Today's high is negative two. I seized this opportunity to clean out my deep freezer, moving all of its contents to the detached garage while it thawed in our basement. So, you won't catch me saying the cold isn't good for something!

if these photos don't finish uploading soon you're going to have to endure a photo-less post. The child shall wake anon, and when he does, I shall post regardless.

Alright. There's my post, photos included. And there's my waking toddler. Adios.