We Love Aglets

My little fashoinista with pink cowboy boots, borrowed sunglasses and a pink slinky as an accessory flashing her Perry the platypus invitation on the way to the party. I have amazing friends who hand make felt Perry face invitations and scour the interenet looking for the coolest theme related decor and favors.

Jack's mommy did a beautiful job start to finish. Phineus and Ferb would have been proud. The kids had an inflatable bouncy thing and lots of space to run. There was lots of pizza and amazing platypus cupcakes too! It was a fun day. I think every birthday should be special and it's nice to know I'm not alone in going out of my way to see to it.

As it started to get dark the Christmas lights came on in the park it was a magical way to end the day. Well, that and bouncer deflation duty.

New Years Eve?

Who? Me? Well, I'm going to Jack Jack's Phineous and Ferb 2nd birthday party in the afternoon. Yay!! After that I plan to hit the grocery store and come home. I don't want to go anywhere. I want to watch movies and put Miss Roo to bed at a reasonable hour. Maybe something fun for dinner and then left over Christmas goodies?

I remember the first New Years Mike and I were together. I told him for over a month to get a sitter and in the end I was willing to take Isaac somewhere family friendly just to get out. It was a strange night. Last year my Dad and his wife volunteered to babysit. Mike and I dropped the kids off in their PJs around 8pm. We went out to dinner and picked up the kids before 10:30pm. Party animals, I know. I feel asleep before midnight and Mike woke me up at midnight for a kiss. It was a good night.

We'll ring in 2012 quietly, I think.

Stage 5 Clinger!!

My kids have been sooooo needy over the last two weeks. I thought incorrectly that all the holiday goings on and then new toys would keep them busy. I also thought, as they had in the past whenever Isaac was off from school, they would play together. Things have been very different this time. School and dance classes ended and Riley became my shadow. Meanwhile, Isaac became a disembodied voice from another room.

Nothing I did or said made Riley want to leave my side. I even got dragged out of the bathroom once or twice. Isaac on the other hand, must have gone into his room that first night to discover his legs had fallen off. Between his computer, 3DS and all those new books he had little use for us girls. It was really maddening at times. The age difference strikes again. I think they played together less than 15min in the last week and a half. Bah.

I am partially to blame, I wasn't physically up for the backyard or driving so that seriously limited the activities this go round. It was also hard because the friends they normally play with on weekends were otherwise engaged or out of town so there wasn't a lot of the normal social time to break things up for us either. I can't wait for Riley to start spending time with her friends and going to dance class again! As for Isaac he needs his routine. He is super grouchy without his schedule. His regular homework was done the first week of break because I made him do a page a day during his lunch time computer hiatus. There was a "forgotten" gifted project has had me kicking his butt for a few days. I'm tired, I can't wait for school to start.

I know it sounds funny, but I miss the predictability of our day to day schedules. I love my kids and quality time has been great, but I still don't feel recovered from the weekend yet. I need a break.

Holiday (Mis)Managaement

There are generally two kinds of holiday stress I experience yearly. The stress from my expectations of myself and the stress from other people's expectations of me. The first is by far the most hazardous. I'm a bit of Chevy Chase's character from National Lampoons Christmas Vacation as it is, but throw being a month post op in there and I really don't cut myself any slack.

Mike grew up with one set of traditions, I grew up with another and now we have a family of our own. For the past several years we've failed to mesh everything very well. I started formulating an idea over the spring to give my parents a chance to join Mike's extended family goings on separately. That way it'd be less segmented and fewer stops for the kids. In the end the schedule worked out that we'd see my Dad and his wife the afternoon of Christmas Eve, Mike's Dad's side for dinner that night and I'd forgo my midnight mass in favor of rest. My mom joined us Christmas morning for Mike's Mom's side's brunch and for dinner with just our family.

I always got up in my PJs and opened presents and had breakfast with my family before I went anywhere on Christmas. Mike always got up took a look in his stocking and rushed out. We've been doing it his way, because he has more extended family here. It was really tough this year, I don't know if it was the toddler or my post op status or all of the DIY projects leading up to it, but I was really worn out by it all!

I busted my butt shopping early to make sure the kids had a good Christmas and got lukewarm reactions from Isaac which hurt. I had my DIY gifts done 2wks early and Mike waited until the last minute to finish up which was stressful. I took the time to put rollers in my hair, but it wasn't all the way dry and my curls fell out before dinner. We had to run back to the house between the restaurant and the family gathering to grab a missed gift and Riley announced as we were pulling out the driveway she had to potty and then didn't make it to the toilet in time. We didn't get home until 11pm on Christmas Eve. So, logistically I feel I missed some things.

My kids who never sleep past 7am, ever, woke up at 8am Christmas morning (brunch started at 8am). All that being said, while it took me years to get melding the families down I do feel we were successful this year. Now if I can only work out the logistics of getting us where we need to be on time, looking pretty and feeling less exhausted by next year we'll be golden.

The End of the Magic?

2008, Our first Christms together

Isaac was just turning 5 when I came into his life. He was just leaving toddlerhood and full of enthusiasm for everything. While enthusiasm is just a part of his personality what elicits it has changed over the years. We used to load the DVR with Christmas movies all December long and watch them together. We used to decorate Santa's cookies together every year. He used to start his Christmas list before his birthday in November.

I really enjoyed my first Christmas as a mother. I really loved having an appreciative recipient for all my Christmas spirit (as a former elf it is considerable). I did find it a little sad that he was all by himself Christmas morning opening gifts. It just didn't seem like Christmas without a sibling. I guess Santa heard me because by the next Christmas Isaac had a sister.

Christmas 2009, Ta-da our tree

It was different the next year, but Riley was only three months so we still did the movie marathon, cookie decorating, tree decorating, Santa visits and all that fun stuff. It was a good year. It very much the Isaac show despite it being baby's first Christmas. I was glad to have a "big kid" to do crafts and cookies with.

Christmas 2010 decorating the tree with gusto

Last year Riley was 15mo old and much more aware. It was my first Christmas with two kids to do Christmasy stuff with. It was a really fun year, but I had no idea it was the last year Isaac would fully engage. He participated in everything with an ear to ear grin and a heart full of faith in all the magic of Christmas. Meanwhile Riley was vaugely aware.

This year's sour reaction to a Santa gift.

I know what they say about how fast children grow up and where expectations get you, but my fond hope was that Riley and Isaac would have one or two Christmas where they experienced the magic together. Their 7yr age difference means they'll never go to the same school or experience certain things for the first time together I understand that. I just didn't know this was the year it would start for Riley and end for Isaac.

This year Isaac had to be dragged from his room for the two or three Christmas movies I got him to watch. Even though they were picked for him (Unaccompanied Minors, Home Alone, Home Alone 2). He was rushing through tree decorating to get back to his computer or DS or whatever. He just isn't this little boy marvelling at the tree any more.

I already told you how he rushed through cookie decorating even with 3 other kids still hard at work. He visited Santa and was very worried about the naughty list situation. This year I talked to him about choosing to always hear the bell ring (Polar Express) and how I've visited Santa every year for 29yrs (even when I was single) even if it was just to say hello and thank you. I never let go of the magic of the whole experience but it's clear he has.

He was out for number one all weekend. He opened the Santa gift he suspected was his main request and turned his nose up at everything else. He opened that awesome ball blaster weapon and said "I didn't ask for this." When his turn came around again he opened a light up glow in the dark Slinkey and tossed it aside with a frown. I was heartbroken. I busted my butt making this Christmas special despite budget constraints with the wedding approaching and my limitations from surgery in November and now he was completely ungrateful. He'd turned his nose up at all the pre-Christmas activities and now he was acting like a brat. I was over forcing either of the kids (Riley was happily playing and didn't need any more toys at the moment) to open gifts.

It was the last piece of evidence I needed Christmas was forever changed for Isaac. There would be no bright eyed wonder next year, just greedy scanning of the packages under the tree. After a break we reconvened to finish opening gifts. Largely, due the fact that we didn't have batteries for Isaac's robot dog he engaged and was smiley and polite for the rest of the gifts.

It goes by so fast, especially because I missed his early Christmases. He'll be ten next year and in the fourth grade (woah!!) and honestly that's when I expected the shift. It was just hard timing, but it makes me appreciate how little Riley is. Riley has lots of magical Christmases left and lots of wonderful friends her own age to appreciate my baking and crafts for the next few years.

We Came, We Saw, We Christmas-ed

In no particular order...Christmas 2011

I have more to say then will fit neatly into one recap post. So, I'm letting my exhausted self stew a bit more. I'll carve out time over the next few days to find words for it all, but in meantime enjoy these pictures.

Christmas Eve Cuteness

Enchanted Forest Photography

This morning Riley woke up crying which was very unusual for her and even odder given that it's Christmas Eve. After she'd been awake a little while she seemed in high spirits. I asked her if she dreamed about Santa.
She said "Yeah, dreamed about Santa!" With a huge grin.
So I asked, "Did he come and leave you presents?
Jumping up and down, "yeah, left me pressssssents!!
"What else?"
"And I played in the cold cold cold snow!" Hugs herself like she's cold
"You did?"
"Yeah and I made a tiny (s)nowman and a biiiiig (s)nowman! Ever. in. my. life."
What a funny girl!

A few hours later I was trying to explain how our day would go today.
"Today's Christmas Eve, Riley. We're going to visit Grandpa and Grandma and open presents and eat cookies. Then we'll go to dinner with your other Grandpa and Grandma and Aunts and Uncles. Then we come home and go night night. When you go night night Santa will come leave presents under the tree."
"Yeah! At the doctor's office"
Laughing "No, sweetie Santa's going to leave presents under the Christmas tree at our house."

"You Have Such A Pretty Face. You Should be on a Christmas Card!"

Yay, Elf! Also, yay Christmas cards! Who doesn't love mail that isn't bills? Growing up my mom always sent pretty store bought cards. As did I when I was single. I suspect photo Christmas card have grown substantially since the invention and common use of digital photography and the internet. We began the tradition of a family photo Christmas card the year Riley was born.

We hosted Thanksgiving that year and used it as an excuse to get a tree very early. We had it up and lit by Thanksgiving so we could take a family photo for the Christmas card. Lara graciously accepted the task of taking the photo that year (and each one since, so far).

I put it on a green and blue background with reindeer and sent it out. Notice we chose a seated pose. Everyone in my family towers above me. It was very simple. Seated in front of a Christmas tree in holiday clothes. Classic. I think the card said Merry Christmas and our names.

Last year I had this idea to take a picture of Mike & I unwrapping the kids. Sounded fun and fairly simple.

First of all, Lara is amazing some of the best pictures of my kids ever taken came from this Christmas card photo session. Amazingly, good pictures. Second, nothing is ever as simple as you think it will be. Getting four people to smile and look at the camera at all is a challenge let alone getting a 1yr old and an 8 year old to pop out of a box. Sigh.. Like I said despite all the work getting the group shot we got a lot of beautiful pictures.

I put this one a red background that said This is What Jolly Looks Like! It came out nice. I decided I really enjoy knowing we'll have a family photo once a year. Just look at the difference from 2009-2010. The kids grew a lot and I no longer have the ragged look of the mother of a newborn.

This year I told Mike over the summer I wanted to do something different. We'd had an inside joke for awhile about being Mr & Mrs Nerdelmeier. So we decided to take a nerdy family photo. It wasn't that big of stretch

This was our best idea, yet. It's different, but not over complicated. It wasn't a Christmas-y picture so we took it right before Halloween (before my surgery). A+ once again for Lara's photography. We got a few really fun pictures of the kids and Mike and I.

The pictures were really fun. This year for the first time I didn't choose a ready made layout from CVS. In past years at Mike's insistence I always started making the entire card myself, but gave up. The first year I just didn't have time with a 3mo old. Last year I found out that there wasn't an upload your own option in the Christmas card section of the photo sites and 5x7's in the quantity I needed for cards was ridiculously expensive.

This year Mike and I made our card in photoshop and uploaded it to Vistaprint which does have an upload your own option. I had a coupon for 20 cards for 1.99. I got 40 cards for $4 and it was exactly what we wanted because we made it ourselves. It was so freeing to do a non-dressed up, Christmas themed photo. Best card experience so far start to finish. It really got my wheels turning for next year. The response has been wonderful.

The Big Man

Love at first sight, Christmas 2009 3months old.

Two screaming toddlers and a partridge in a pear tree... Christmas 2010 1yr and 3months old.

Thoughtful hugs for Mr. C. This was Riley's first of two Santa visits this year (2yrs and 3months old). This gorgeous photo was taken at Enchanted Forrest Photography. It was a visit with Santa with all her buddies in their jammies. Riley wasn't her normal smiley self, but she was super sweet and left saying "Yeah, Santa's a nice guy. Yeah."

Right to business. We let Isaac go first so she could watch and I talked her through the procedure a few times before we left. She got right up on his knee and whispered "I want a dolly, a big girl bike and a (s)quid". He gave her a candy cane and she gave him a big hug.

I'm pretty sure the look in this picture is because Mommy's picture taking is interrupting her Santa business. What a big girl!

Santa's Cookies

I have always baked cookies for the kid(s) to decorate. We always choose the best two or three to leave out for Santa. It's just a fun tradition. I had always done sugar cookies, but last year I wanted to make a gingerbread house. It was a complete failure. Very sad, but after three attempts we at least had some gingerbread men to decorate. Here's our cookie art from 2010:

This year I was bound and determined to make a simple batch of gingerbread. I botched it by accidentally following the cake rather than cookie directions. It was tough to take. I bought some blank gingerbread men at the store and invited the neighbor children to come decorate with us.

Supplies!Those markers are food coloring markers. We discovered them at the craft store one Easter, love those.

Riley's sprinkle laden ginger girl

Isaac's marshmallow heavy creation.

The finished products.

Two things are evident: First, we're going back to sugar cookies next year and second Isaac is growing out of these kinds of activities. I'm ill equipped for him to be so Grinch-y at 9yrs old. Even with his friend decorating along side him and all that candy at his disposal his patience for cookie decorating was worn thin after 2 or 3 min. I hope this is just a boy thing and not the end of the Christmas magic...

Toilet Paper Roll Christmas Figures

I saw these on Pinterest and had to try it. Feel free to skip this post and go to Disney's directions. They call it Christmas Crew and I found their directions incredibly vague. Maybe it's because I'm bad at folding paper.

Materials

• Toilet paper rolls
• Construction paper
• Glue
• Scissors
• Cotton balls

Plan ahead unless you have a craft supplies drawer filled with toilet paper rolls. I let Riley decide how many and which characters we'd make. She wanted a (S)nowman and a Santa. So that's what I set out to do with a picture on my laptop for inspiration.

We started with Santa. I cut a strip of red paper and measured by wrapping it around the tube to make the pants. I used glue stick for all the paper pieces except the hat. I just laid it out glue stick-ed and rolled it on. Then I added a black piece for a belt. I was confused by Santa's flesh colored face in the picture because that certainly isn't a standard color for construction paper. I used white paper that I colored with a peach crayon. Than I used Elmer's glue to attach the beard.

I drew his face on rather than cut tiny pieces of paper. My assistant was happily directing me and coloring, but I knew it wouldn't last. I had a lot of trouble with the hat. I used glue on that too. I lined the bottom with cotton as well. I just cut my Jumbo cotton balls and kind of rolled them into shape. I kept trying to fold the top of the hat together and glue it, but it kept popping apart. It was at this point that I lost Riley, but Isaac upon hearing my frustrated groan at Santa's hat commented "Don't give up, Mom." In the end I just folded, smooshed and glued until it stuck.

Next I made a very simple snowman. No cotton balls just white construction paper. I drew on the face even though Disney's directions talk about making a tiny carrot nose from paper. I copied their little scarf. I used a strip of red paper that I crossed in the front and cut the ends. I tried to follow their directions for the little top hat and failed so my snowman has a graduation cap.

New Treatment

My physical therapist asked ages ago about using "electrical stimulators" to help relax my muscles. I didn't pay much attention to this because growing up this meant TENS units:

They have large sticky pads and a heavy control box. In my experience the low settings did nothing and the high ones hurt like hell. Even when it felt good while it was going I never had lasting effects. I never liked them.

Well, apparently technology has taken a leap forward in the years I wasn't having surgeries. What Steve (my PT) showed up with today was something I'd never seen before which is saying something. It more closely resembled Mortimer the Marker from Picture Pages than a TENS unit.

It was a large pen like object. It had a small display screen and a few buttons, but the end looked like the tip of a pen.

He had me sit in a chair at the dining room table while he used it starting with my back. It felt like nothing when he pressed the end against my skin for the most part, but it was noisy. It's high pitched squealing would change key suddenly and I'd feel a strange vaguely painful sensation.

Apparently, it's a biological stud finder. It's yells until it finds a nerve ending and then it sends feedback. The idea is based on reflexology principles that if you can find the nerve endings you can effect the muscles of the body profoundly. I had a lot of luck with reflexology, but I could never go regularly. I learned why I hate people to touch that spot on my ankle (it's linked to my low back).

While he was using it on my feet and toes to relax my hip muscles I noticed the more it hurt when he found the nerve ending the more dramatic the muscle release I'd feel very shortly after. It was like Kerplunk you knew the microsecond after you begun to pull that stick those marbles were about to rain down. When I stood up after less than 10min with this crazy thing my left foot that has been turning in because of hip tightness since surgery wasn't. It was pointing straight and my foot felt soft. Loose, I'm never loose. It was surreal and lasted until I went to bed.

Big Family Trips

Perk number one of a big family vacation (as in a large group of relatives attend) There are lots of adults all too happy to supervise and entertain the kids. Which is especially true when you have the only kids on the trip and your toddler is potty trained. Don't get me wrong I didn't peg our nearest and dearest as free babysitters or Suckers, but when I got to eat a meal and the opposite end of the table from my kids it was a huge treat. Don't worry I'm pretty sure that isn't Riley's beer.

Isaac sat between his aunt and his uncle and did pretty well considering I wasn't giving him dirty looks from across the table for breeches of etiquette. It was surreal to just eat. I could converse with other adults without rushing through my meal to tend to someone else. I didn't have to share it with a demanding toddler, not one bite. Woah!

It was incredible, really. It was like being on a date. I know that being in a party of 9 makes that comment weird, but not having to worry about my kids really is a change of pace. I'm always on high alert in restaurants and self conscious of their behavior. Not last night. I look forward to them growing and mature so that it doesn't take an army of family to make me relax in public.

ICE! & Snow

We arrived at about 9:00pm Friday night with a wired 9yr old and a sound asleep toddler. We were pulling around the curves of the expansive driveway that led to the lobby of this castle aglow with white Christmas lights when Riley woke up begging for her own bed. We tried reassure her that we were at this pretty castle and she'd have a big princess bed (to share with her brother)to no avail. She was cranky and tired until she saw the afore mentioned princess bed and then she was gitty and awake.

After a reassure from Daddy that Shrek was sleeping too she finally fell asleep. In the morning we went to Shrek Feast. Riley enjoyed waffles with whipped cream and fruit. Isaac heaped a whole mound of breakfast food on his plate. They even got to wash it down with neon green swap juice in Shrek cups. While we ate and waited for the characters to make the rounds someone came and administered the Ogre Oath. All honorary ogres received Shrek or Fiona ears.

We met Puss in Boots first. Mike and I enjoyed Puss the most, he was by far the most animated of the bunch. Then we met Shrek. Isaac showed off his fart noise effect skills, having just taken the oath. Riley was star struck, but a little overwhelmed by his size in person. It reminded me of the old Disney commercial where the older brother explains to the younger one that even though Goofy is only a few inches tall on TV in real life "He could beat up dad!". We also met Fiona in her human form. Isaac got all bashful it was a preview of adolescence for sure. Riley was happy to stand with Fiona for pictures, she even hugged her!

After a wonderful breakfast experience we suited up for the ICE exhibit. It's 9 degrees in there. I don't care where you're from that's cold. They loan you parkas (and sell gloves and scarves). This year it was Shrek The Halls themed. As you can see from the photo that's Mike I in front of a giant ice Shrek. We're actually standing behind a book called The Village Idiots Guide to Christmas. All the Shrek stuff was big and colorful. Near the end of the Shrek story there were huge Ice slides. Even Riley took a turn on those (with Grandpa). After the Shrek displays there was a room with a huge Christmas angel and a Nativity Scene made out of clear Ice. It was really impressive.

After a break for hot chocolate and perusing the gift shop we went to play in the snow. Snow was just a big room with a playground and snow on the ground. Riley made a tiny snowman with lots of grown up help. Isaac went down the big slide on a burlap sack and threw snowballs at targets. I was very proud of Riley she stopped in the middle of all that fun and asked Grandma to take her to a potty. What a big girl. We didn't have a single incident the whole trip. She burst back through the doors ready for more snow play. The best part was coming out into the warm weather. We went from jackets and hats to swim suits. Ah, Florida Christmas.

And We're Off!!

A Christmasy weekend trip to Orlando to see ICE and play in the snow.

Packing

The last time I packed for a family trip it looked like this.

That was last November when we went on a cruise. This time I was thrilled not to have to consider diapers or cribs. Also this trip is only a weekend and we won't be at sea so if we need something we can run to the store. All that being said I despise packing. My ex used to say "When you pack, Evil Katie come out." He wasn't wrong.

I enlisted my mom for 48hrs of laundry, folding and packing. I packed the kids and myself. I then proceeded to pester Mike until he packed his clothes too.

I knew I could manage the car ride and the hotel would be a nice one so I had good odds of maneuvering in the bathroom. I was just nervous about everything else. I read the website site over and over looking at the pictures of the exhibits carefully. I was pretty sure I'd be ok, but I had to call Mike's Dad (trip organizer) for reassurance.

It's just packing that does this to me. I love to travel, hate to pack. I'll be thrilled once we hit the road, but the potential to forget things is stressful. So many logistics and the worst part is now that we're packed all I can do is wait. Wait with impatient kids.

Deck The Halls

Christmas table runner, pretty green bowl of Christmas ornaments and Riley's Little People Christmas Set. Perfect.

My DIY Christmas card holder. A Christmas sign I hang every year (Thanks Alison!), some plaid riboon, clothes pins and Viola!

Some small stockings in the archway (the real ones are by the tree). Although Mike turns them backwards everytime he bumps them walking through I like them. I wish I had some mistletoe for that doorway.

The hand print wreath Riley made last year.

Kid Art! Foot print reindeer with hand antlers and a hand print snowflake.

Lots of happy Christmas friends here and there, like Mickey and Minnie.