Christmas Joy!

My heart is so full. I can remember last Christmas when all of our thoughts were on Dreamsicle and wondering where she was. Wondering if she was warm, and well fed. What a difference a year makes. We now know that she is warm, well fed, well loved and oh so funny. Dreamsicle received a Tickle Me Elmo doll which we can't figure out if she loves or hates. She sort of laughs/cries as he rolls around on the floor, but she will ask you to press his belly again and again. She does seem to enjoy him more if she is safely ensconced in her daddy's arms. We started the morning out in our Christmas PJ's. The festivities began at 7:30 am. Grandma and Aunt Genious came over to watch the opening of the gifts for the babe as well as having the boys, Princess and Pixie present. We may have gone a little overboard in the gift giving dept but I put about half of her gifts away and will bring them back out over the course of the next year.

We all opened gifts, ate breakfast and changed into our clothes. After about an hour of downtime it was on to Grandma's house for lunch with Grandma, the cousins and aunt. She received more gifts, ate lots of green beans (my girl is a veggie lover, that is for sure) then we left for home and nap time.

Once Dreamsicle woke up, friends of ours came over for a Christmas night bite to eat and much frivolity ensued as the little kids played with the big kids and made me laugh until I cried.

It was a great day but I now think I had better make friends with my eliptical machine fast.

Christmas pictures!

More pictures soon, I promise!

So Much To Say, So Little Time

I am sitting here with butterflies in my stomach. Chester just touched down at the airport we use that is an hour away from home. His fiance, Princess, will be bringing him home. I am giddy like a school girl. He will be home until January 1st and I honestly am considering sewing my fingers together to make a continuous loop of my body. That way I could throw my arms around him and he could just drag me around wherever he goes over the course of the next week. I can't get enough of that kid when he is home. OH! And he finally gets to meet Dreamsicle for the first time. Cannot wait.

Gramma's in 'da house! I picked my mom up at the airport (she has been enjoying herself in Texas this winter but came home for Christmas) two days ago. When we entered the house, she yelled Dreamsicle's name. Dreamsicle RAN into her arms and it has been a mutual love fest ever since. She loves herself some Grammy, that is for sure. The three of us spent the day shopping and she would just fall into little giggle fits whenever she made eye contact with her Grandma.

What was supposed to be a "smallish" Christmas-intended because Dreamsicle is still so tiny and the boys are now men (ha! I just called my boys men! or would that be boys to men??) I was going to take it easy on the pocketbook this time. But the tree is big and looked sorely forlorn without many pretty, pretty packages underneath it so that problem has now been rectified. Bring the day on!

Much cooking will be done tomorrow and much feasting the next day. Pictures early next week, I promise!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Ho-Ho-Holy Cow I Am Tired

Wow, this rushing around trying to get everything done is really taking a toll on me this year. Could be the 17 pound piece of velcro that I am currently wearing. Dreamsicle has decided that she must be attached to me physically whenever we go shopping. I love, love, love the fact that she wants to be close and quite frankly, I would be lost without the baby carrier I purchased before we left for China. BUT! Trying to carry packages through the mall with a baby strapped to my chest has really been quite good for my cardiovascular system. I'm huffing and puffing as much as Santa. I keep telling myself that by the time the holidays are done, I could lose another 5 pounds if I keep this pace up. Hmmmm.

Speaking of Dreamsicle-she continues to amaze us. She has added the words, UP, HOT, Woof-woof, I-oww-u (I love you) to her ever expanding list of words. She is really into "sneaking" around the couch to "scare" us. The only problem is, she cracks herself up so much that we know where she is even before her body appears at the edge of the couch. She makes us laugh until our eyes water almost every day. She loves books. I mean, LOVES books. Every day we read no less than 10 books (maybe the same book over and over 10 times, depending on her mood) but she loves to be read to.

I am so happy this year. This baby is incredible.

I feel so terrible for those still in the wait. I see this little girl, and my heart literally hurts that my friends don't have their daughters yet. This holiday season is going to be extremely hard on a few people that I have gotten to know. Please know that my thoughts are with you.

To my friend Holly-hang tight my friend. This will be your last Christmas without your sweet baby and I cannot wait to celebrate with you next year!

Dreamsicle and Chester

California!

I arrived safely yesterday in sunny California. My flight left the mitten state an hour and a half late and ended up being one of only two planes able to make it out before the airport was shut down due to weather. When I caught my connecting flight in Minneapolis I was upgraded to first class. Sweet! Sure made the 4 hour plane ride much more comfortable. Chester and I met up last night, stayed in a cheesy motel and headed to Disneyland first thing this morning. I did not make hotel reservations ahead of time because I wasn't sure if we would end up at Disney for sure. After spending the morning in the park, I told McGyver that we should check room availability just for kicks and giggles. We walked into the Disneyland Resort, was quoted the standard room rate, I agreed to the rate then turned to Chester and told him happy birthday. The desk clerk then began a conversation with us and found out that not only was it Chester's birthday but that he was stationed out here in the military. She excused herself for a few minutes, came back and handed us the keys to a gorgeous suite! She had upgraded us and while she was giving us the keys she thanked Chester for his service and wished him a happy birthday. Go Disney! We have spent the entire day and evening hopping between both parks and shopping at Downtown Disney. It was a great day and I'm so glad I got to spend the day of my son's birth with him. We leave tomorrow. I'll take him back to base and make my way back to San Diego for my conference. He's coming home for Christmas though so saying goodbye won't be as hard as it could be.