Day LXVI

I know everyone is waiting on pins and needles to hear about our trip to Maui. I have decided to wait until I get pictures back so I can fully illustrate our adventure.

Instead, I will dedicate this entry to my favorite holiday character:

RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER

Tonight marks a very monumental evening for my son and me. Tonight we will share a holiday moment that I have lived for my entire life. Tonight we will watch the best Christmas special ever.

It airs at 8 p.m. on CBS.

Tonight we will rush home, eat dinner, play a bit. Then we'll get Jack in the bath and pjed-up. Together we will cuddle on the couch to start the tradition that I so enjoyed every year I can remember as a child. There's nothing better...

Let's talk a bit about my serious love for Rudolph .

The majority of my Christmas decorations continue to be reindeer related. But that's nothing amazing.

How about leaving carrots out for Rudolph only when most kids left cookies for Santa? Or how about the fact that last week I bought myself a tee shirt from Walmart that has a big picture of the red-nosed hero? But perhaps the best is the fact that as a child I asked for an autographed picture. Yup. I was in elementary school and that's what I wanted. And I got it!!

I really believed it was an actual picture of him. I didn't care that it was a black and white shot. My Papa (maternal grandfather) told me he only did black and whites. I didn't challenge that his nose wasn't a light bulb. Papa told me he was able to "save" the red in the off season. And I certainly didn't think it was strange that he was able to sign his name (in red ink of course) though he didn't have a thumb. I actually took it to school to show everyone.

Recently (in the last five years) I bothered to flip the picture over. On the back was a stamp from National Geographic. And it's strange how similar Rudolph's handwriting and Papa's handwriting were... really strange.

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By the way, yesterday Jack went to the doctor for a well-baby check-up.

His measurements: 34 inches tall, 27 lbs.