Christmas Come and Gone

I can't believe the holidays have come and gone without a single post - apologies!

Well, Thanksgiving was great and Christmas was even better! I actually got all my shopping done early, so I could really sit back and enjoy the holiday.

After Thanksgiving, during a day of watching Hailey walk into things and roll around on the floor, Hubby and I decided that it was time to throw in the towel, face the music and come to terms with reality. We made the decision that no true advocate of the winter holidays wants to make....we bought a fake tree. I made peace with the decision after envisioning picking pine needles out of my daughter's hair. Nathan was agreeable immediately after realizing he wouldn't have to pay $60 to pick pine needles out of his daughter's hair. We ventured to the local home store and purchased a reasonable size tree which, on the ride home, grew three sizes to completely envelope our living room. It was beautiful - that much I can say...at least the top two-thirds was beautiful. Knowing that I didn't want to buy all new ornaments, we only decorated the parts which were out of little arms' (and dog tail's) reach. Still, she kept wanting to put the tree lights in her mouth.

Christmas was fun. Spending time with the In-Laws was nice, as was watching my Brother-In-Law play with his niece. We got a chance to make gingerbread cookies with the new Sister-In-Law - that was a riot.

Christmas Day, Hailey ripped open her gifts (because, at 16 months, ripping things without getting scolded is 'the best gift ever!'). She got a lot of great toys and clothing but the pinnacle this year was FRIDGE FARM! This is a toy at daycare that my daughter covets...she LOVES Fridge Farm. You place animal halves in the barn door and it tells you if you made a match or not (... "A sheep-cow...that's silly!"). I love this toy...all the pieces are magnetic so they stick to the fridge - not that she actually plays with it on the fridge. This morning on the way to the bathroom, I stepped on a duck butt. Still a great toy!

I had a good amount of time off over the holidays and during that time I found a greater respect for my daycare lady (not that I didn't respect her before). I absolutely ADORE my daughter, but...Holy Plastic Cow Butt...she is a busy, busy kid!!! At one point I was fixing her lunch and she was in the living room, separated by a baby gate. She went to the back bedroom, dragged out a laundry basket, put the basket in front of the gate, climbed onto the laundry basket and tried to scale the baby gate. I was laughing, proud, nervous and telling her 'NO!' all at the same time (is that what parenting is all about?). That is pretty much how things went on a daily basis. I am totally exhausted from my vacation.

I was so tired that I did absolutely nothing for New Year's Eve - we turned the channel two seconds before the Time Square Ball landed, kissed and went to bed. That's how old we are.

Well, here's to a New Year - with a gate climbing daughter, a husband who is just as tired as I am and a house littered with animal halves - how could it be anything but an adventure?!