A pregnant Christmas ramble…

I’m not really sure how it happened, but Christmas is in 8 days. Originally I had felt a bit panicked as the holiday season approached, what with being an enormous preggo and all. That combined with shopping  is just a pile of no-fun. But as it turns out, there isn’t anything to worry about.

After much conversation, Edward and I are (in a way) opting out of the majority of the hype shopping-wise. Honestly, there isn’t anything that either of us want. And really all I like is presents in my stocking, that’s my favorite.

And plus, what is honestly more fun that watching your child’s face on Christmas morning. Much more rewarding that watching your partners face as they open socks (or whatever awesome techno-giftie you got them this year).

So I low-keyed it, bought V a bunch of Star Wars books. And a few other things as well, it’s hard not to… And Edward is having a hard time resisting the lure of purchasing Star Wars action figures for Vince, especially since Vince is taking to it like a duck to water. Isn’t that funny? He learned about Star Wars 3 weeks ago and practically has memorized every characters name, declared favorites and is thrilled that Daddy and him have a ‘date’ to watch the movie in the next few days…

Total digression, I know, but sometimes a Star Wars digression is worth it. More so when ones child declared to Santa that he wanted a Jabba the Hutt present from Santa and sent Daddy scrambling to eBay to hunt one up since it is not possible to find anything like that 10 days before Christmas. Ha!!

Anyways, so I find myself in a pleasant situation of not needing to do any more shopping. Which is a relief since I don’t want to. I barely mailed cards out this year and feel like a huge holiday slacker. And I don’t care.

I couldn’t have appreciated it any more than today when I woke up WAY too early to the sound of someone crying “I HAVE TO DO A POO!” at some ungodly hour. Preceeded by a coma-like sleep which started last night at about 8:30 when I passed out on the couch trying to spend a nice evening with E watching a movie together.

So pretty much I’m a big, tired loser. But while I’m that, I’m also a stress-free loser because of our mini-opt out.

And guess what? I’m going to bed. Right now. Before I coma-out on the couch again…

xoxo a.m. (

3 more sleeps

To be honest, I am not sure if I am really prepared. And also is it really Christmas on Saturday? I’m feeling a little unnerved by that.

Usually I am more organized. I always send cards out on time, I make a lot of lists (which annoy my husband), I get a little whirlwindish. This year I am the Queen of Lackadaisical-land. I am halfheartedly mailing Christmas cards. I am feeling slightly detached from all of this.

And at the same time? Super involved in it for Vince’s sake. Multiple attempts to see Santa, lots of shopping, many hiding places around the house, tons of lights, tree up since pre-Thanksgiving, too many singing animals and one ‘Santa Paws’ aka ‘Kwismas Dog moobi’.

It’s almost like I am two separate people.

Tomorrow is my last day of work this week. It’s been a LONG week so far. Working in the type of industry that I do, this time of year is a time of desperately needy people who NEED to have emergent surgery for issues that have been plaguing them for months. Mostly because they have met their insurance deductible. Forgetting, of course, that hundreds of other people have had the same brilliant idea way earlier than them. It’s just weeks of constant arguing and really crappy attitudes.

Ugh. Ok, enough of a mope Jame!

Tomorrow can’t come fast enough though.

Anyways. Mope finished. I do deserve a high-five for mailing my Canada packages out in time (or so Edward says anyways).

I have half of my presents wrapped and all my shopping done. I am 3/4 finished mailing holiday cards. I have successfully visited Santa with my son. I am going running tomorrow (and by writing that down, that means it’s true).

This evening, V turned to me and said “Mummy? Tell Santa am I good boy.” Wow. An almost grammatically correct sentence. “Well honey, if you can be a good boy, I’ll tell him”.

“Mummy. Am I good boy” (This is how V says ‘I am’). But sentences like these are often followed by complete and total out of control bad boy behavior. And, in this particular case, by Vince’s new favorite sentence:

“Mummy? Am I poopin’!!!!”

“You are?”

“Yes!! Need change!”

Damn that makes me laugh!

Oh V-monster, how I love thee. You cannot help but lift my spirits with every little thing you utter…

3 more sleeps, my sweets. Santas coming!

xoxo a.m.

Broken

The end of another busy weekend, which was at the tail end of a very busy week which was at the end of another busy weekend. Busy. Things are buys. This time of year is busy. V is busy. Edward is finally not busy (Winter holiday). Everything else seems to be getting increasingly busy.

Last weekend my most lovely in-laws took my exhausting son to SeaWorld and I went finished my Christmas shopping. How delightful.

Last week was the beginning of that wonderful time of year where absolutely everyone attempts to take a holiday at the same time at the office, which results in never enough people to cover everywhere, which makes things feel a little frantic.

Makes some people a little cranky. I, however, have been annoyingly chipper which probably means some coworkers are cursing me. I am on a vitamin/exercise high, man! I am running like a freak, doing daily vitamin D and flax seed oil and am getting B12 injections. I feel freaking amazing. And have a retardo amount of energy. And have no patience for people being shitty or cranky (unless I like you).Then you can be shitty or cranky all you like, I’ll just laugh at you a lot more. But still love you.

Anyways. Busy. Things are busy.

My son is quite busy. Here are some things that are increasing his busyness:

“Mummy!! No kisses! No like it!!”

“Mummy!! No hold a hand! No like it!”

“Mummy, am I good boy!!!”

“Uh-oh. I broked it.”

“Mummy? It’s broken”

“Mummy? Chewie broke it”

Our poor Christmas tree. It is slowly getting denuded.Well, the top is decorated with everything really fragile and the bottom holds the majority of the non-breakables. Or so I thought.  I had to trash 3 ornaments this week because they were broken beyond fixing. One Chihuahua with absolutely no legs (and I don’t know where the legs are). One snowflake. One train with numerous missing pieces.

And, brave soul that I am, I put presents from his Auntie Tamsin under the tree. So far they have survived 2 days of not being opened (apart for that one I opened as it clearly was Cheezies and I needed to eat them).

Edward gave me the raised eyebrow when he saw that. And also an almost undertone “Are you a crazy person?” chuckle. Well I’m not! NOT!! So there! They are still there. Even the one that makes noise, that got accidentally kicked this evening. And then kicked again so it made more noise. And then kicked one more time, at which point it was removed from the general vicinity to curious eyes and will not be seen again until this coming Saturday.

Anyways. I am about to embark on a super busy 2 weeks. Will post more.

love you! xoxo a.m.

 

 

Ornamental

I honestly cannot believe that Christmas is 2 weeks away.

Last weekend, my in-laws took V to SeaWorld for hours. I went shopping. And today my father-in-law did the same thing. I went shopping again. So I am now feeling like I am capable of facing the holidays with shopping under my belt. I might have even finished it all. Not really sure, as I sort of threw it all in the closet upstairs without looking at it and rushed to grab my vacuum and clean my sofa before V was dropped off.

But I think I am on the right track. Now if only I can get my Christmas cards in the mail the beginning of this week and also send things to Canada in time for my family to open them, I’ll be set!!

So our tree has been up for about 2 weeks now and is substantially less decorated than it was last year. This is something that has slowly happened over the course of the last 2 weeks. Sadly some of our special holiday gifts to each other have bit the dust.

The beer mug, the glass pickle, something else that was unrecognizable as it was in such small pieces. This morning V asked me “Where his leg? Where is it?” while holding R2D2 (don’t judge). And indeed he was missing a leg. Poor R2.

Hopefully this year’s ugly ornament contest will remedy the damage that V has caused. Not that I really mind. We didn’t really need to have a complete set of StarWars figurines hanging on our tree anyways. There are many, many, many more ugly things that one could hang from their tree anyways.

And I might have found the ugliest of them all today by random. Who knew that JC Penny’s was such a treasure trove of the hideous?! I can’t believe I overlooked them for years.

I am feeling confident. Could I win 2 years in a row? Could I be on a streak? Could I be jeopardizing my win by talking about winning right now? Am I now not going to win at all??

xoxo a.m.

Delightful V

Ever since V was born, Christmas as been a real trip.

2008 he was 6 months old. I snugged him up in the cutest red plaid pj’s you have ever seen and we admired the tree and it’s twinkley lights together. We ignored my morning hair.

2009, V was 18 months and had been walking for about 2 of those. That year, we got a real tree. And put it up on a table to avoid curious fingers. We had a Christmas Elmo doll and V was spoiled rotten by everyone. And we ignored my morning hair again.

Here we are again. V is 2 1/2. Our fake tree has made a reappearance. All of my ‘special’ ornaments (the ones that my Grandmothers both gave me as a little girl) are on our mini-tree that is WAY up high on the top of a bookcase.

“Santa’s coming Mummy!!”

“Mummy look!! Santa lights!!”

“Mummy? Santa, reindeer, snowman, candy, two three FOUR!!”

“Mummy? Am I good boy!”

“Chewie good boy too. Santa coming!”

Honestly, he never stops talking about anything ever. But Santa is a new, interesting and obsessive development. He sees Santa everywhere. And he wants to ‘find’ him everywhere we go. Either him or The Grinch. Although, we are only allowed to just find The Grinch. God forbid that we should watch a movie with him. Or see him in person. We are only allowed to see him on billboards and look at him on the Christmas tree.

This is the year that I think will be completely different from the last 2. And I am pretty excited to be honest.

The baby is finally not a baby anymore. He is a miniature person, with big big thoughts and ideas. With curious eyes and mind. Watching him, you can literally see the creation of ideas, dreams and memories.

What a marvelous time of year to be a child! All I want to do is spend every minute of this lovely season with him. Building gingerbread trains, Xmas painting, cold late night walks for Santa light viewing, hot chocolate with marshmallows, endless never-ending cold weather snuggles…

Oh god, I love this time of the year…

xoxo a.m.

ps: I haven’t forgotten my morning hair. Although this year, there will be two of us with matching locks that are mess-tastic… Finally my son, finally…

Swift Thoughts

Despite my assurances to post with a little more regularity, I have yet to really do it. I am clearly ‘not making an effort’.

I feel like I am. I think about it constantly. I also think about other things constantly. I blame those other things, getting in the way of me writing about whatever. Damn you other things!

One of those other things is the bag of craft supplies that are in my downstairs closet. This bag contains all the things one needs to craft a pint-size cowboy vest and belt for a 2 year old who will be dressed as a cowboy (just like Woody) for Halloween. It’s been in the closet for about a month now. I have good intentions. I really do. So there’s that…

The only veggie V will currently eat are peas. Despite my good intentions with broccoli, zucchini and other things of a green nature. This is very frustrating. Must make balanced meals. MUST. This too….

I started Christmas shopping.

I am running  5 k in 1 1/2 weeks.

Edward will be 35 in 2 1/2 weeks. I have a plan. A plan that I am over thinking.

I have hardwood floors now and have to sweep them every 2 seconds.

Vince is almost 2 1/2.

I had a dream the other night that I was pregnant.

I’m not pregnant.

See? Too much on my mind. Vegetables, babies, running, Halloween, Christmas.

Pictures to follow of Vince in his cowboy costume. Please passionately admire them…

xoxo a.m.

 

Sparkle!

Please bless this home with sparkles and multi-colour shoes.

Things we do to our children.

For example, the things I do to mine.

Friday was a short day for me. Christmas party at work, a luncheon with ‘games’ and in my excitement at leaving work early I planned just a few extra things. Things that, in retrospect, should have just been ‘fit in’ on their own day. I was a wee bit determined though and we all know what that’s like.

Xmas photos at the mall (in the tropical thunder-storm that hit the area?! Sure! No problem!). Late night trip to the grocery store (late being 7 pm). Dinner at 7:30. Bed at 8 pm. This is all very unusual for all members in my household, especially the dog. I think he relies on routine and gets confused when things don’t go according to his plans.

I stayed up way later than everyone else.

And thought about things.

About the lady I met in the photo studio last night who exchanged Iphone apps with me. Thanks for ‘Hatch’! Her son was roughly the same age as V and I couldn’t help but notice that she was loosing her hair. She was much older than I am/was/will be.

Whatever that means.

Anyways…

About the photographer that made the most interesting noises I have ever heard in order to gain and keep Little Man’s attention. Good job! I didn’t even know those noises existed! And how do you learn them? And oh, how I don’t want to ever be a photog working at a place like that.

About how crappy driving in the rain is here. It might be the equivalent to driving in the snow on Vancouver Island. Despite the fact that it rains here a lot, no-one still knows how to drive in it. Hence my Island reference. Re: snow.

About how letting Little Man stay up until 8 pm equals me getting to sleep in until 9 am. Not such a bad thing.

Anyways, we got home late. The only thing he wanted to eat was banana and milk. Who am I to argue with him? We were waaaaaay beyond that point. We were at the point of  ‘nobody matters at all’,  least of all Mummy. At least he ate.

And Sunday was the same… but slightly more of ‘Things we do to our children’ and ‘What the hell were we thinking!’.

Both of these topics seem to come up rather often.

We went to Downtown Disney. For those not in Florida, it is a cute area, on Disney property but not attached to any of the parks. Movie theatres, shops, Lego stores, McDonald’s (apparently an essential), it’s all that kind of thing.

It was a no-nap day. Just a light snooze in the car, followed by french fries and chocolate milk (which is the hugest treat ever). V, in his sweater, had the run of the place. And then M had the brilliant idea to see if he liked cotton candy.

Well, he does. And sugar gives him energy despite the lack of nap.

We got back to Hunters Creek around 4 pm. And then home, after a stop at the grocery store around 5 pm. And what did we buy at the store?

A roast. Because on a Sunday night, around 6 pm, this is clearly the perfect thing to slide in the oven. At the time we were discussing it (3:30 pm) it was! And sounded so delicious!

When we got home (5 pm), and put it in the oven (6 pm) it seemed like the beef was a dream. And a stupid dream at that. We had sushi for dinner while the roast cooked.

And we had Roast for dinner tonight. Way to plan!

Things I thought about today…

About how demanding people are. Is it an American thing? Not sure, but the kind of screaming that I face on the telephone is the equivalent to a toddler tantrum. People pout and fight when they don’t get their way. To be honest, it’s rather annoying. I would rather V have a temper tantrum in the middle of a busy street than talk to some guy who can’t understand why his post-nasal drip isn’t cause for National Concern (sometimes you can just hear the capitals).

Or why we can’t see you ‘right now’. Or why you can’t  ‘just come in and wait….. it will only take “5 minutes”‘. Pretty much this is every conversation that I will be having until years end.

About how I missed my BF Shanaenae* today at the office. Naenae, you know I need to see you every day.

It’s moving into that time of the year. Yes, that’s right. It’s Nature’s Menstrual cycle. Everyone gets bitchy. And the closer it gets to Xmas and New Years, the worse it gets for all of us making appointments and doing things of other Nation Concern to random people. Bastards.

How I felt sad that V ran into daycare this morning without a care in the world. I literally was like “Oh. Ok. Um….. Um. I guess I’ll go now…” Meanwhile V is happily playing without a care in the world with another little boy. My feelings were just a little bit hurt. Just a little. *sigh* Ok, a lot.

But miraculously, I felt waaaay better this afternoon when I went and picked him up and he immediately dropped everything he was doing and ran to me. And then clung to my legs.

THAT’S what I want to see!!!! Pure dependency!

All it does is cement that my little man is growing up. And that, probably, I need to have another baby.

Lord, please bless this home with a feminine child.

Mumma needs to buy sparkly shoes for someone…

*Girl, I am only using your Ghetto name for privacy reasons….

Epic Lighting

As this Christmas season pulls up, M and I are gearing up for ‘YAY!’.

With our first house, we both really feel like we can really put effort into outside house decor.

So.

We went to Home Depot. And then to Lowes. And then back to Home Depot again.

Eventually we emerged with lights. The selection of lights involved us breaking out the calculator app on M’s crap phone to estimate if our choice was a ‘good buy’ or not. It was. Only took 35 minutes to decide upon.

We got home, V went down for a nap and M broke out the big ladder and started hanging lights for the FIRST TIME IN HIS LIFE.

And I watched him FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE.

We have no idea what we are doing. Other people on our street have such nice displays, we are rather jealous. How do they do it? Do they plan? Diagrams? Blue prints? What exactly?

Anyways, we just went and bought some stuff… And some hanger-ish things.

We had a few issues with, well, lots of stuff.

And so I was sent off to Home Depot to ask ridiculous questions while M made festive beef stew for us to enjoy in this cold Florida weather.

Ridiculous Question #1: “Where do I find a double ‘male part’ extension cord?”

Ridiculous Answer #1: “Um. They don’t exist. Did your husband hang the lights up backwards?”

Me: “Maybe. I don’t know and I am not going to ask.”

V was currently on one hip, runny nose and one sticky finger up one nostril (Yay discovery!). My other hand was clutching a few packages of window clings. I was wearing slippers.

Ridiculous Question #2: “It looks like we are going to end up with some dangling male-parts hanging from our roof. I don’t want to leave it so exposed. Is there anything I can insert it into to protect it?” (I was actually talking about extension cords. I realize I should now not ever use the term ‘male parts’ ever again)

Ridiculous Answer #2: *blank stare*

Ridiculous Answer #3: “Just use some tape.” He then shook his head and walked away.

V, our window clings and my slippers left Home Depot quickly. I called M.

“Hey. It’s me. It doesn’t exist. Ya. Next time, YOU get to ask… *click*”

Our lights are slightly crooked and not as beautifully blue-printed as some of our neighbours. And there still are ‘dangling male parts’ hanging off of my roof.

Looks so gorgeously amateur, it really couldn’t look any more beautiful.

xoxo a.m.