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Jack's Christmas education has begun. It's funny how quickly he has caught on -- to the gift-giving part.

This past weekend we began to clean and decorate for the upcoming holidays. Some people may think it's crazy but it's already halfway through November and Thanksgiving is only a week a way... so I say: start spreading the Christmas around.

The tree is up.
The garland is looping.
The stockings are hanging.
Now is my yard winterized? C'mon, that doesn't sound like fun.
Is my garage cleaned out so we can park the cars inside when the snow starts coming? That's just funny.

On Sunday Jack found some of his gifts. I caught him climbing on the dining room table and digging through a box to find stuff. I couldn't believe it! I heard the crinkle of a plastic bag, ran in there to find him holding the prize in the air and yelling, "Happy Tu-Tu Mama! Happy Tu-Tu!" Terrible hiding job by mom. I am actually hesitant to hide things too well because I know I will forget where I put them. But if @ 2 he can already find stuff what will happen when he's 8 and actually searching?

As of now, he gets Santa Claus. Every time he sees a picture, he calls out his name and shortly follows with the "Happy Tu-Tu Jack!" I am trying to talk to him about the true meaning of Christmas but I think the whole Christianity thing may be a little heavy for his age.

Of course, he was playing with the figures from my nativity scene the other day. I am not really sure if that's what the monk who made it for my Papa had in mind. Pretty sure a red sports car was not at the manger when Jesus was born.

52

We've just learned my maiden name will continue! Brother and his wife are having Jack's first first cousin on my side ... a boy! How exciting for everyone. I had a premonition that she was pregnant and then I had a premonition they were having a boy. No clue why, just knew.

The baby was given an A+ report. He should arrive in Chicago by the end of March. Although I doubt he will be allowed to be a fan of any Chicago team. We'll see how that rolls out. If that happens, I can only imagine the Tigers/White Sox games in 2014 -- there may be no talking between father and son -- not to mention the games between the Pistons/Bulls and the Bears v. Lions. Yikes, that could be rough. And if he chooses over any college team over OSU, his mother may die a little.

Seriously, our family couldn't be more thrilled by the news. And boy do we have hand-me-downs to pass on!

51

I have become a via mom.
I learn what is going on in my family and home life via phone and via email.
My kid gets on the phone tells me about his cars, Lion King and that he has to go because he's watching "Over the Hill." And then the phone gets handed to whichever adult is taking care of him and they give me a play-by-play.

Yup, he ate something... grilled cheese, meatballs, cookies and donuts
Yup, he was a good boy at school -- though he still thinks he's a lion.
Ahhh, no he didn't take a nap.

Sometimes the adult says: "Jack, do you want to talk to Mama?" and I hear him say "no."

That's nice. It's not even that he is embarrassed of me yet. He's just indifferent.

I am in day 3 of my west coast trip. I fly back Monday. Last week I was in DC for 5 days.

I was home for Halloween which was a fantastically wondrous experience that I will forever file in my heart. Seeing Jack stand on our porch with his lion costume on waiting for his Daddy to go trick-or-treating was one of those mom moments you dream about when you are pregnant. It was a moment that will certainly flash in my head at his graduation, wedding and at the birth of his first child.

"Hi Daddy! Roarrr I'm Jack the Lion King! Let's go trick-treating!!"

Watching them walk down the street holding hands was an instant of pure, unaltered happiness. It was such a precious moment I nearly tipped.

And the next morning by 7 I was off to Cali.

Last night I caught up with old friends from college and brought a work friend into the weird cult of The State News. Another person exposed to something that is really hard to explain. It was great to see the bunch -- everyone looked healthy and happy which maybe comes easier since it's been sunny and around 70 everyday we've been here -- it's snowing at home. I was happy to see their lives firsthand.

We went to a local place, had amazing (and inexpensive) food and I got a chance to catch up with a set of parents who actually live in MI. Kinda funny we had to both be in LA to see each other but such is life.

Then we hit their favorite waterhole that I had read so much about on their blog. Pictures were taken with promises of preapproval before publishing. It was nice to catch up and talk about all the exciting news in everyone's lives and all be happy for each other.

Today I am back to the Expo. 10-5. It's fun but draining. Tonight is a work night. You gotta have them when you are on the road this much.

It's a weird day when I yearn for the Mitten.