Promises

December 21st - December 27th

Best 

For 27 years of my life I have had a Christmas tree to wake up to on December 25th.  Beautiful presents tucked away underneath.  Ornaments collected over the years dangling from the limbs.  Strings of lights shining softly casting a glow around the room.  One of my favorite things to do during Christmas time is to sit at night with all the lights off and look at the Christmas tree.  But in the 28th year of my life Christmas I did not have a tree.  It made me sad, but there was nothing I could do.  I just didn't have the extra time or energy to put up Christmas decorations when we would be spending Christmas in LAX anyway.  

But what is even sadder than missing out on my 28th Christmas tree, is Tavian missing out on his 1st.  I had nightmares of an older Babyhead coming to me and saying that for his 3rd grade art project all the kids had to bring in pictures of their first Christmas.  And me trying to explain that Momma just couldn't cut it that year and there is no picture of an adorable baby sitting in front of the tree trying to eat the wrapping paper off his presents.

Luckily, Fabulous Neighbor Laura rescued me from my Christmas-tree-less nightmare.  Her and the hubby Russ had a fantastic Christmas tree and suggested I bring Babyhead over with some of his presents, we'll snap some pictures, and boom...Tavian's first Christmas...with a tree!

So from 8:00 am to 8:30 am, Tuesday December 22nd became December 25th at #105 on Chenault St.  Not only was it a huge relief, but we captured some great Babyhead moments...and even had a very special visitor. And I promise Babyhead that next

 year we will have our own tree!

What is all this stuff?  Why is there a tree inside the house?

Are all these presents for me?

But who brought me all these presents?

Hey I really like this Santa guy!

Oh you mean we open the boxes too? I just like to push them around the floor.

My first Elmo from Great Uncle Les and Aunt Terry...yessss!

Mom this one is too big!

Thanks for all my wonderful presents everybody!

Worst

Traveling with a baby can be very challenging.  We can all recall the horrible flight Babyhead and I had on our way home from Colorado. As mothers who brave the task of keeping a baby happy for hours on end in a small space surrounded by strangers...we are bound to run into some problems.  So conisdering our flight to Costa Rica was departing at 1 am and usually Babyhead would be comfprtably snoozing in his crib, I was expecting the worst.  

But I am happy to blog that this was not another sky high nigtmare.  Although it took a lot of work, Tavian was very good on the plane and even slept for long periods.  This "Worst" is about the other screaming baby on the plane...correction screaming child.  Now I know how difficult it can be so I hate to rag on traveling families, but this incident was just wrong in every way.  Since it was a red-eye flight everyone was trying to get some sleep as best as they could, but periodically it would be inturrupted by the screams of what I can only desicribe as a demon child.  Literally it was the exact same sound as the kid from The Shining in that creepy voice.  But instead of "Red Rum, Red Rum" it was "No, no, mommy, no, mommy, etc." I have to think that if your child (this boy had to be at least 5 yrs) is able to verbally communicate at that level than he can also understand what his parents would try to communicate with him.  The problem being there was no parental commuicating going on...no trying to find out why he flet the need to scream...no explaining to him that it was time to be quiet now...or no even taking him to the bathroom and giving the rest of the passengers a break from the devlish howls.  And as the man in therom in front of me had to order another Jack and Coke in order from going back there and smothering the child and the parents with his airplane pillow, he turned to me and said "my mother would never let me get away with that."  To which I replied "Me too, and I won't let him (Babyhead) do it either."  And that's a promise!  I'm not saying Tavian will never cry or get frustrated that he is uncomfortable and wants to run around and play, but I am promising that I will do everything in my power to make sure we don't drive a plane full of passengers insane.

Bowling and Closets

December 14th - December 20th

BEST

Bridelorette Sharty.  That is what you get when you combine a Bridal Shower and a Bachelorette Party into one fabulous night out with a group of wonderful ladies.  And that is how I spent my Sunday night.  Strapped into some bowling shoes at Lucky Strike, sipping on cocktails, munching on food that is not so good for me, and overall just letting loose for a little while. 

Bestie friend Rachelle planned the whole thing, even down to the cute gift bags with hand sanitizer and colorful socks, perfect for a bowling party.  And I couldn't have loved her more than when she brought out a box of mini cupcakes from Yummy Cupcakes...yes I DID eat two of the chocolate peanut butter ones in case you were wondering.  Not to mention Rachelle topped it off with a gifted waffle maker, the only item I said I would register for if I did a wedding registry.

Being with good friends and hearing the roll of the bowling ball took me back to my Whittier College days and I reminisced with Natalia and Melissa about the dive bowling alley I would go to back in the day.  At the time I wasn't 21 yet so those who were would order my drinks.  Not really knowing what to order I remembered that my Grandma liked to drink Kahlua and milk.  So this is the only thing I could think of to order.  So my 21 year old friend ordered one for me at the bar...but in a dive bowling alley what they pour you is Kahlua and Half and Half. The thought of it now makes me gag a little, but oh boy did I think it was good back then!  And I wondered why I gained 20 lbs in college...

And of course after sharing this story with the ladies and having a good giggle as soon as I finished my next turn up to bowl and returned to my seat...sitting on our table was a Kaluha and Cream for me to enjoy, which I did...just like I remember.  

I have the bestest girlies in the world! Thanks for a great Bridelorette Sharty.

WORST

Exhaustion can make you desperate.  Everyone has had a moment in their lives when they would do anything just to get some rest.  If you had a million dollars you would give it away just for one more hour of sleep.  This was the level of desperation I felt Friday morning.  

It all begins with bargaining.  As you lay there listening to the alarm you start to tell yourself "5 more mins and then I will get up."  Then "if I skip the workout this morning to sleep in, then I will go for a jog this afternoon," even though you never go for jogs in the afternoon...ever. And the reason you are so tired in the first place is because you have way too many things to get done in one day, so why would you think you would have time to go for a jog later in the day? Irrational bargaining sprouted from desperation.

Even when I was already dressed and driving to the gym to meet my trainer I was till bargaining.  "Maybe I could just pull over, tell my trainer he could still charge me for the session, but just let me sleep in my car. One glorious hour of uninterrupted sleep in my car...it would be our little secret, he would totally understand."  We laughed as I told him about my temptation to call him on my way to the gym...then he continued to kick my ass in the hardest workout ever.

Then as the exhaustion deepens and the bargaining stops desperation leads to desperate acts.  By the time I returned home and Babyhead went down for his nap I was near tears of joy knowing that I too could take a nap now.  But looking at the clock I realized that our cleaning lady was going to be here in 20 mins and she would be needing to wash the sheets on the bed I so desperately wanted to crawl into.  So desperation leads to creativity and I grabbed a pillow, a blanket, and the baby monitor and laid down in the bedroom closet.  Almost as sad and desperate as sleeping in your car, but it was actually nice and dark and pretty quiet. So I slept in the closet for the next 45 mins before I heard little Babyhead sounds coming from the monitor. And even though I felt a little better I knew I had hit a low point.