Wow, have we had a busy week! The Christmas season is always so FULL for us- full of parties, presents, and projects- LOTS of projects. It is my very favorite time of year: I love the energy, activity, food, everything! Somehow I always manage to plan for more than any one human being could be capable of accomplishing in such a short period of time and there's usually a moment of panicking when I realize everything won't get done just like I want it to... and then somehow it all works out anyway. This year maybe I was a little more reasonable with the number of "projects" I hoped to complete, because one way or another, I've managed to get everything that was really important to me done. The gifts are purchased (and after today they will be wrapped), the Christmas letter is out, I've baked more than I even want to think about, and as of this week, the Bows are DONE! Yay!!
There were a few stressful moments of wondering if I'd just end up with disappointed friends and a bunch of halfway finished bows, but I am very pleased with how they turned out. :)
On Wednesday we had the annual residents' Christmas party: our last as a resident! Hurrah for that! They really have a great group of residents and they have a fabulous training program going- if you are having a baby at Metro anytime soon, you couldn't hope for better care than these fine doctors will give you. :)
Here's our family. Carolyn announced shortly after we arrived that she needed to go to bed. She didn't even want to eat. She just wanted to go to sleep. They sure do tire her out at "school!" She was in bed by 7, which turned out to be a blessing because then we could just enjoy the party. Coincidentally this picture will also serve as my "32 Weeks" picture. I'm sure I'm carrying Nora differently than I carried Carolyn because I can still breathe- but I feel like the baby might fall out if I squat down to pick something up. I've been measuring smaller than I did with her, which causes me some anxiety but doesn't bother any of the doctors in my life, so I suppose I should just can the crazy fears and trust them. But I'm experimenting with trying to drink more water to see if that might be contributing- it can't hurt her and will only help me- but I think the extra intake of fluids might be causing me to swell up a little more, which is a bummer of course. Well, it COULD be all the extra cookies, etc... but I'd rather think it's water weight. :)
Earlier this week we went on our major grocery run for the month and I had to have words with the store manager (fortunately I happen to know him because I was shopping at the Meijer where I work and he is my boss) about these wickedly red donuts they have displayed in the case. If you ask your child which donut she would like, of COURSE she will choose the violently red one- and then it will end up EVERYWHERE. Whose bright idea was that? Tom (the store manager) just laughed at me. :)
On Thursday Carolyn had her very first school Christmas party. I only take her there on Thursdays so I was excited that the party was on a day she'd be there! Her wonderful teachers took pictures for me so I could see how much fun she had. :) I didn't want to post any of the ones with the other kids in them because I can't ask their parents... but here she is opening her dinosaur book (they had a book exchange) which she LOVES! I really can't say enough about how wonderful this center is and how good it has been for Carolyn and our family. I want to keep her there once a week even after Nora comes and I'm on leave because I think it is such a benefit to her socially and developmentally to have this day away from me and interacting with so many other kids and teachers.
Yesterday we were snowed in (I think we got close to a foot of snow! The snowplows were so busy all day that they didn't even get to our house until about 8pm- maybe if we stay in Michigan we will have to get a snowblower). I thought it would be a good idea to attempt the last of my major Christmas projects for the year. I wanted Carolyn to make Christmas ornaments for our family members. It was an admittedly ambitious project for a 2-year-old's attention span, but she did great and really seemed to enjoy it!
I don't want to post any pictures of the completed products because essentially all her recipients read this blog... but she had a wonderful time making something for each of the "families" in our extended family. I wanted her to just begin to capture some of the joy of giving. She will GET so much at Christmas that it will always threaten to blind her to the other, even more wonderful side of the holiday- having the chance to GIVE. Of course two years old is much too young to really understand a lifetime concept like giving is better than getting- but my hope was that if she could give something she made her very own self and see the joy of others at receiving it, it might plant the beginnings of a spark that will help her grow into the kind of person who sees opportunities to give and gets excited about it! There is no better way to live. :)
There were a few stressful moments of wondering if I'd just end up with disappointed friends and a bunch of halfway finished bows, but I am very pleased with how they turned out. :)
On Wednesday we had the annual residents' Christmas party: our last as a resident! Hurrah for that! They really have a great group of residents and they have a fabulous training program going- if you are having a baby at Metro anytime soon, you couldn't hope for better care than these fine doctors will give you. :)
Here's our family. Carolyn announced shortly after we arrived that she needed to go to bed. She didn't even want to eat. She just wanted to go to sleep. They sure do tire her out at "school!" She was in bed by 7, which turned out to be a blessing because then we could just enjoy the party. Coincidentally this picture will also serve as my "32 Weeks" picture. I'm sure I'm carrying Nora differently than I carried Carolyn because I can still breathe- but I feel like the baby might fall out if I squat down to pick something up. I've been measuring smaller than I did with her, which causes me some anxiety but doesn't bother any of the doctors in my life, so I suppose I should just can the crazy fears and trust them. But I'm experimenting with trying to drink more water to see if that might be contributing- it can't hurt her and will only help me- but I think the extra intake of fluids might be causing me to swell up a little more, which is a bummer of course. Well, it COULD be all the extra cookies, etc... but I'd rather think it's water weight. :)
Earlier this week we went on our major grocery run for the month and I had to have words with the store manager (fortunately I happen to know him because I was shopping at the Meijer where I work and he is my boss) about these wickedly red donuts they have displayed in the case. If you ask your child which donut she would like, of COURSE she will choose the violently red one- and then it will end up EVERYWHERE. Whose bright idea was that? Tom (the store manager) just laughed at me. :)
On Thursday Carolyn had her very first school Christmas party. I only take her there on Thursdays so I was excited that the party was on a day she'd be there! Her wonderful teachers took pictures for me so I could see how much fun she had. :) I didn't want to post any of the ones with the other kids in them because I can't ask their parents... but here she is opening her dinosaur book (they had a book exchange) which she LOVES! I really can't say enough about how wonderful this center is and how good it has been for Carolyn and our family. I want to keep her there once a week even after Nora comes and I'm on leave because I think it is such a benefit to her socially and developmentally to have this day away from me and interacting with so many other kids and teachers.
Yesterday we were snowed in (I think we got close to a foot of snow! The snowplows were so busy all day that they didn't even get to our house until about 8pm- maybe if we stay in Michigan we will have to get a snowblower). I thought it would be a good idea to attempt the last of my major Christmas projects for the year. I wanted Carolyn to make Christmas ornaments for our family members. It was an admittedly ambitious project for a 2-year-old's attention span, but she did great and really seemed to enjoy it!
I don't want to post any pictures of the completed products because essentially all her recipients read this blog... but she had a wonderful time making something for each of the "families" in our extended family. I wanted her to just begin to capture some of the joy of giving. She will GET so much at Christmas that it will always threaten to blind her to the other, even more wonderful side of the holiday- having the chance to GIVE. Of course two years old is much too young to really understand a lifetime concept like giving is better than getting- but my hope was that if she could give something she made her very own self and see the joy of others at receiving it, it might plant the beginnings of a spark that will help her grow into the kind of person who sees opportunities to give and gets excited about it! There is no better way to live. :)
1 comment:
What a great entry! I love your family picture, it turned out great. By the way...is that belly button I see?.... :) See you soon, for yet another Christmas celebration!
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