Santa Baby

This will probably be my final post until after the new year, as I am sure the cabin in GA does not have internet connection, so my trusty little laptop will be sitting at home collecting dust!I will try to think of something insightful or profound to ring in the new year upon my return, but that does not come as easy as witty banter, so don't expect too much. I just want to use this time to say how excited I am for Christmas this year! I know Grady does not get it at all, and will likely spend most of the morning in his exersaucer knawing on the wrapping paper. I will know, though, that this is his very first Christmas. Well, unless you count last year when he was the size of a peanut...literally. It makes me think of all the Christmases yet to come. What traditions will we start? What will be the hot toy item that I am waiting in line for at 5 am the day after Thanksgiving? Will Grady creep down the stairs at 3 am and look at the presents under the tree as my brother and I used to do? I can see him in a few years when we will possibly have another baby, he'll really love it by then, and he'll be not only tearing into his own gifts but "helping" his little brother or sister with theirs as well. I have always loved Christmas, and last year when we went to see Polar Express, I could not help feeling like standing up and shouting "that's right, you have to believe, people." (I am sure Chris is extremely glad I did not do that, he dealt with weird enough emotional outbursts.) I cannot wait to see Christmas through Grady's eyes. I can't wait until he understands about baby Jesus (I think it's so cute when kids say "baby Jesus"). Or until he starts counting down the days until Santa comes. But this year I will enjoy him being little and the pictures and memories. And taking advantage of the fact that this is the only year I'll be able to dress him in a Santa suit without him protesting. Enjoy this Christmas, from our family to yours!

Fun little test

Thanks to APC for this idea. You can find the test on OK Cupid. Just search Sesame Street in the user made test field. Big Bird You scored 68% Organization, 75% abstract, and 64% extroverted!

This test measured 3 variables. First, this test measured how organized you are. Some muppets like Cookie Monster make big messes, while others like Bert are quite anal about things being clean. Second, this test measured if you prefer a concrete or an abstract viewpoint. For the purposes of this test, concrete people are considered to gravitate more to mathematical and logical approaches, whereas abstract people are more the dreamers and artistic type. Third, this test measured if you are more of an introvert or an extrovert. By definition, an introvert concentrates more on herself and an extrovert focuses more on others. In this test an introvert was somebody that either tends to spend more time alone or thinks more about herself. You are very organized, more abstract, and both introverted and extroverted. Here is why are you Big Bird. You are both very organized. You almost always know where your belongings are and you prefer things neat. You may even enjoy cleaning and find it therapeutic. Big Bird is never sloppy and always under control... pretty good for a 6 year old bird living without a family. You both are abstract thinkers. Big Bird is a dreamer who always wonders what the world is like. You definitely are not afraid to take chances in life. You only live once. You may notice others around you playing it safe, but you are more concerned with not compromising your desires, and getting everything you can out of life. This is a very romantic approach to life, but hopefully you are also grounded enough to get by. You are both somewhat extroverted. Like Big Bird, you probably like to have some time to yourself, but you do appreciate spending time with your friends, and you aren't scared of social situations. Big Bird is always very comfortable around others, but he often prefers the quiet low-key presence that Snuffleupagus provides. The other possible characters are Oscar the Grouch Bert Snuffleupagus Ernie Elmo Kermit the Frog Grover Cookie Monster Guy Smiley The Count If you enjoyed this test, I would love the feedback! Also if you want to tell me your favorite Sesame Street character, I can total them up and post them here. Perhaps your choice will win!

Quick update

Well, I have been busy with all of the Christmas season stuff, as well as still trying to get Grady to take a decent nap, so I will revert to the list update format.

1. After Christmas, we are going to a cabin in the GA mountains with my in-laws for a little R&R, which my husband especially deserves right now.
2. After that, Chris, Grady and I are driving up to Jefferson City, TN for a day to see the people I used to nanny for and to prove to Chris that Jeff City is really as small as I say it is.
3. I cannot stand my hair right now. I have tried to get it fixed, but it is currently too short to cut what I don't like off without looking like Demi Moore in GI Jane.
4. My boy is sitting up! All by himself. I can plop him on the bed with me and he will sit there for a good 10 minutes without toppeling over!
5. Yesterday, Grady ate a jar of sweet potatoes, a jar of squash, rice cereal and more formula than usual. He must know it's the holidays.
6. Right now I am watching Johnny and the Sprites on the Disney Channel, and boy is this guy weird. He reminds me of when Freddie Prinze Jr played the male nanny on Friends...I am sure apc knows exactly what I am referring to.
7. Today I have to go take the car in to get an oil change and the tires rotated and balanced, which means I'll be at the mall for at least an hour....and school's out. Kill me now.
8. I kept saying once we moved in here, I would exercise every day. I have gone for like 3 walks in 2 weeks and that's it.
9. There is spit up on my brown shoes. At least they now match every other piece of my wardrobe.
10. I have the cutest baby ever.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Joyous Festival, Happy Kwaanza, Happy Hanukkah, Feliz Navidad, Joyeux Noël, Vrolijke Kerstmis...ummmm that's all I know, so if I left you out deal with it!

Baby, it's cold outside

Ok, I have to preempt this by saying that I am not trying to make Chris feel bad, because I am really excited about all of the cool things happening in our lives. BUT... I am sitting here watching the Today Show and the snow is so beautiful. I am totally jealous! They are throwing snowballs in the plaza and building ice sculptures in Central Park. Here today it is going to be 75. But Sunday it may be 68....brrrr. Literally, when it gets down to the 60's we have to bundle Grady up, because he is a Florida baby from head to toe. One day he'll see snow, I know it. Gosh that huge tree in Rockefeller Center is so darn beautiful!
Here's a pic of Grady the last time we had a cold snap.

Fatigue- or as jack McFarland says "je suis Fatty-Gay"

Well, I have not posted in a while. We have been in the midst of the move from our apartment into my in-laws house. On top of that, I got sick. Moving is hard. Moving while sick is difficult. Moving while sick and still trying to take care of a 4 month old is next to impossible. It took way longer to pack than I thought it would. We are still not totally done, plus, we still have to clean the place up. I am considering searching to find someone I can pay to go clean the empty apartment just so I can spend the weekend with my husband. Not that he won't be there helping, but I don't consider cleaning quality time. The move has pretty much uprooted Grady. He's doing better than I thought, but whatever nap schedule we had is totally shot. I thought it would be ok, when the first three nights we were here he pretty much slept through the night. He did wake up once or twice looking for his paci and then went right back to sleep. So I thought to myself, "hmmmm, maybe he has outgrown his nighttime feeding." Well, then came Monday night. Grady decided to wake up at 2, and stay that way until 4. He was not acting hungry. He was just like "Yo, mom and dad....are ya there?" Well, we were there. But then he did the same thing last night. I held off feeding him because as I mentioned before, he had gone several nights in a row not needing it. Well, Chris was up with him for an hour, and then I heard the telltale "why am I not eating" shriek. So, I got a bottle and fed him. then he stayed up until 5 just talking to himself. I just slept in the bed in the room where his crib is located, and thanked God and anyone else who was listening when he slept until 8:15 am. But the late night wakings and up and down naps are definitely taking their toll. The problem seems to be his hands. He'll be totally asleep, and then Chris and I will watch in horror on the video monitor as his hands creep up into the air and then fall down into his face. Then he wakes up. I just put him down for his nap 4 times until I felt my nerve unraveling and wrapped him straight jacket style in a blanket. We haven't swaddled him since he was about 2 weeks old, but we may have to pick it back up again, just so we can all get some sleep. I think it was better when I couldn't remember what a decent night's sleep felt like, but those 3-4 days spoiled me. Add this onto the normal holiday stress and I'm going nutty as a fruitcake. Ahhhh.... this too shall pass. I wonder if the baby Jesus had to be wrapped like a burrito?