27 December 2006

60


Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

20 December 2006

59

So we are 5 days out now. Jack won't know what hit him.

I mean he's excited about Santa Claus and the Christmas lights and Rudolph but he still doesn't get what's going to happen Monday. I am really excited for him. It's going to be a whirlwind couple of days as both sides of the family merge into one. Our head count is up to 10 now. That's a lotta people in our house. It should be interesting and cozy. We've been talking about who is coming. Brushing up on names and titles has been fun. He's getting prepped.

Last weekend we went to Detroit to visit with my aunt and uncle from Colorado. They were in town to see my dad and we hadn't seen them since Jack's first birthday. For three days Jackie and I practiced their names and titles. I explained who they were. He was excited. But when we walked in the door of my parents house he was instantly shy. For anyone who knows my kid, he is not shy. He acted like he didn't know their names -- I don't think he said them once the whole visit. But he did warm up. Once my uncle played "The Claw" with him it was all over.

We went to a 3-year-old (second) cousin's birthday party Saturday. Jack was very reserved and everyone commented on how well he behaved. Truthfully, I had no idea who he was. He just sat back quietly and watched the craziness unfold... that is until his cousin opened Buzz Lightyear. Jack was thrilled. "Buzz Lightyear, Mama! Buzz Lightyear!"



There were so many great gifts that Jack got to play with that action figure for the majority of the evening. He was thrilled. His Lightning McQueen was quickly forgotten, tossed on the floor with Tow Mater. (Mind you, his entire Christmas this year is Cars. My parents and I began to panic over this neglect.)

Things were going well. Unlike at another family birthday party, Jack was a good boy, the cousins were happy. The parents and grandparents were sitting on the couches watching the madness. Then the Birthday Boy came up to and asked, "Is the Buzz Lightyear Jack is playing with mine?"


Da-da-da-dum.

I knew this was going to be rough. Jack was in love with that little guy. So as he toddled off to find his toy, I ran the other way to find my kid and hopefully prevent a fistfight. I sat there trying to rationalize with my 2-year-old (yes, that is an oxymoron) when my cousin appeared with a Cabbage-Patch sized Buzz. Jack was thrilled. A big Buzz!I knew right then that leaving the party without Buzz was going to be a nightmare. And I was right.

My two aunts, two uncles, parents, two adult cousins and I sat there trying to get Jack to let go of the Buzz or to get the Birthday Boy to let Jack borrow it for the night. We came up with as many scenarios as we could. (Truthfully, the Big Buzz wasn't Jacks. I should have just taken it away, handed it to his cousin and apologized.) But we try to be sensitive, right? That's when my Colorado relatives stepped in. They wanted to get Buzz for Jack for Christmas anyway, so they suggested we get it now.

So I leaned over to Jack and said... "Hey Jack. Why don't you leave this Buzz here and we'll go to the store to get you a new Buzz?"

His face immediately lit up and he didn't hesitate to hand that Buzz back to his cousin, give my cousin a squeeze and grab at his coat.

"OK! New Buzz."

It was classic and made us all roar. Of course, logically, why take a "used" Buzz when you could just get a brand new one? We raced to the nearest Target. I was worried they would be sold out. Toy Story came out more than 10 years ago. And it was a week away from Christmas. Could we be that lucky? Meanwhile my kid was chatting away about the new Buzz. My uncle and I ran into the store going up and down isles. With a little help from a wandering worker, we found a big Nighttime Buzz that includes the flashy lights, buttons that say, "I'm Buzz Lightyear!" and "To infinity and beyond!" (Thanks for that by the way!)

When we got back to the car, I handed it to Jack.

He literally lit up and gasped.

"Big Buzz! There he is! Thanksss!"

Then about 2 minutes later he told us he wanted to take it to school. He was already excited to show it off to his buddies. It never ends.

13 December 2006

58





57

I seriously know like 10 people who are expecting babies starting from March through the summer. And let me tell you as one of the only people in my age group with a child: the whole pregnancy-to-birth-infancy-to-toddlerhood-to-little-boy goes insanely, INSANELY fast.

Case in point? Today I received emails with pictures taken over the last two years collected on an uncle's camera phone. He was switching phones and wanted to be able to save and share the priceless shots. Be prepared to be shocked by how much Jack (and Husband) have changed. It's sad. My kid is no baby anymore.

And I'd like to say: it only gets easier. But so far, that's just not the case. The kid gets old, more mobile and more tricky everyday. Sure, now he can run and talk but guess what? It's a whole different set of problems. Like when he ran away in a store and nearly killed his grandparents. He thought it was funny, Ga not so much. OR when we used to be able to tell him Barney was "night-night" and he'd stop wanting to watch the dumbass show. Nope. Now he just looks at you like you're on drugs and hands you the DVD -- or just puts it in himself. These are special treats for all of you to look forward to -- Hi, I've become my Dad.

When we were growing up and my parents would see a young couple with children younger than we were at the time (and it really didn't matter if the other kid was months or years younger) my Dad would go up to that family and say, "This is the best time of your life... It only gets harder! Wait 'til they get older." And the three of us would groan and roll our eyes reminding our father that we weren't on drugs, we were all productive in school and overall good kids. And he'd just nod and move on.

Now I am him. I am the (basically mean) woman who goes up to people in baby carriers with infants sleeping through dinner at restauarnt and tells them how lucky they have it. And I find myself saying, "Just wait until they are mobile. Wait until they fight you on what they want to eat for dinner. Wait until they say no or have a fit in the store."

Joking aside, it's been amazing. Wonderful. We have been so blessed with a smarty little boy who personally I think is gorgeous. He is just such a clip. I have no doubt the next years will continue to be a challenge -- but in a blessing-from-God kind of way. He will never let my life get boring again. And isn't that grand? Who wants a boring kid? He's too stinking smart.

And just you wait, the first time Freddie or Baby C, Baby W, Baby K, Baby B, Baby H and all the other babies on their way say "I love you" or "Hi Mama!" or "Bless you" when you sneeze you'll wonder what the heck you ever did without them.

11 December 2006

56

In Jack's world there is no Santa Claus.
Nope, he's known as "Fanta Claus" in these parts.
And there's no correcting Jack.

Everything Christmas related is now "Fanta Claus."
Lights... "Look, Mama! Fanta Claus lights."
Evergreen trees... "Look, Mama! Fanta Claus tree!"
Wrapped gifts... "Look Mama! Fanta Claus happy tu-tu!"

We watched Rudolph this weekend. And unlike last year where he fell asleep, he was estatic to watch it on TV. He was jumping on the couch and left a vivid message for Ga telling him "Ruldolph Red Nose" was on TV. (Mind you, we own the program. Last year, his aunt got it for me because it is my favorite. He has seen it a few times over the last year and recently watched it like 3 times in a row. But there's just something magical about seeing it on CBS.)

Christmas is only 2 weeks away now. Insanity. Spent the weekend as sick as ever. I didn't even go to work Friday. I suppose it could be all my travel for work. It could have been the nasty hackers on the planes to and from Jackson, Miss. who sat right next to me. It could have been because my flight home was delayed 2 times and then the cab took an hour to get me home. Not sure.

I am now about 40 percent done shopping. I was thinking I was done but I have no idea why. I am done for Jack. That's it! Of course, I keep adding on to his list for him. We still have our secret Santas to tackle and all those helpful people who say they don't want anything but they know we are still going to buy for them so by not saying what they really want it just really adds to the process. (You know who you are...)

We had planned to go to the mall to visit Fanta Claus this weekend but I just couldn't peel myself off the couch or bed. That's the plan this week -- between shopping, cleaning and working. We'll see how it rolls out.