Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Christmas Week

Christmas week Monday, sonigram shows everything to be in normal "perfect" progression for Fiona's sibling. Recent scene in the kitchen, child on a stool in front of pregnant mama. She alternately pats, hugs, jiggles the obtrusive abdomen. "I want the baby out noooow, she says. Chuckling, "well, you've got to wait a bit longer. Babies come out when they're ready to." "But I want my baby nooow!" push-pulling on my stomach, gently enough and yet with that almost 4 urgency that she's demonstrated as I-wuv-you-so-much-I-want-to-eat-your-face-take-off-your-head intensity. We're working on new, creative, different ways to show love rather than tackling at full speed, love-wallops, or suffocating whole head hugs.

Tuesday, Wednesday, baking baking baking, shopping Toys for Tots, food, baking baking baking. I was volunteered by Gary to bake a bit for a straggler's Christmas. I enjoy baking and I really like to give things away---that way I get to taste'em but they're not in the house for weeks tempting us. So I baked up a few pies, double batch of cookies, pudding-filled cupcakes, brownies & gingerbread. Gary got his apple pie out of the deal so he was happy. Everything went over well I'm told, and I'm quite content.

Thursday...rest & illness??
There was an illness in the house. Fiona had an odd off and on fever for almost 4 days, but she wasn't especially cranky or otherwise affected. Then she threw up eve of Christmas eve, fever broke, the illness appeared to have passed. But then there was me, and I don't think I realized how out of it I was until I started to feel better post-Christmas. After obligations we attempted to get to Mile Hi for an afternoon Eve service. We were running later than expected and had an 'agent' working for us already there, he said after a certain point that there was just no way to get in, the sanctuary was at total capacity. And if you could see how big the place is, well, it's impressive. So we had to let that go, which was just as well as Gary had plans to hit the mall also. Although we planned to have Christmas Eve dinner, it was a bit late and we decided to flex it--plus Gary said he'd cook. I was pretty near cooked completely out. Made lite supper, reindeer food & left pie for the jolly man in red. Opened our Eve gifts, watched It's a Wonderful Life, and Santa was on his way as soon as Fiona's head hit the pillow. The tactic of keeping her awake all day worked like a charm.

Friday, oh, happy day!
WE were actually up before the child. It was Gary who eventually woke her. She seemed a little disappointed at first 'cause she didn't walk all the way around the tree and almost just went right back to her room. But when she did see the gift Santa left, she was agape for a few moments before diving right in, playing with & inspecting the jogging stroller-with-smashed-handles. Several other of the toys have been great hits, thank goodness. Oddly (we thought) she was definitely not into wearing the white coat that came with the Doctor dress-up set. The tools, yes. The coat, almost a fearful aversion. I feel fulfilled when I get to watch what Fiona does with a toy, to see her gaining enjoyment in simple play causes a sort of sublime contentment within.

Saturday...resting the rest of illness.
Whatever it was started to pass. It's been cold outside so there hasn't been much out-door play. I really miss chilly winter running. Fiona is enamored of her jogging stroller and decided that she needed to go out for a run. Ah, were it somewhat warmer I'd definitely be up for a long walk outside. For now, my workout wear is starting to, er, pull a bit around the middle. I'm not sure how much longer it'll last. I could rant here about maternity clothing options, quality, availability, but I'll save that for another post.

Sunday, lovely MAXIMIZE at Mile Hi. Finally! I was able to sit through almost an entire service without crying too much. Then home again, relaxing and ham-bake casserole.

All in all a lovely, sweet, simple Christmas. I wouldn't trade it for anything, and I hope we can repeat it in spirit. Much gratitude for a wonderfully blessed 2009, may the New Calendar Year be joyful and productive!

Monday, December 14, 2009

Tantrums---they're not just for kids!


I had a tantrum, a glitch as someone called it. It happened this weekend, in the midst of pregnant hormones hindering prep for departure to Christmas Party at a friendly home. I have been having a bit of a rough time adjusting to new circumstances. Circumstances, that, while offering opportunity can deliver a great deal of stress. Growth can be painful, and life is not promised to us without pain or loss. Emotional and spiritual growth effectively are loss in very particular ways. Leaving old behaviors behind and trying out newer healthier habits, well, it can be unsettling to say the least. My loving husband treated the situation with grace, and eventually I was able to relax and enjoy the rest of the evening. Fiona, a rarely seen level of CUTE all night, ate too much sugar, vomited some, and as finale to her all-evening dance, crawled under a coffee table looking at the action from an angle I well remember from childhood---we decided it was definitely time to call it a night.

Last week we did make a trip to see Santa Claus. A great Santa---I think we found the real one! When he made his appearance from his break, Fiona bounces up and down, piping "Saaantaa! Saanntaaa!" Now that the tree is in the house, and the decor has been spread about somewhat, I have to keep reminding her that Christmas isn't here yet, but it will be soon enough.


Friday, December 11, 2009

Holidaze

Well, the Turkey was yummy. There are still leftovers in the fridge that I'm supposed to make Turkey Pockets with---'cause pot-pie pans are silly-expensive, and we're on lock down.

We actually spent Thanksgiving at a friend's house, chatting and eating all afternoon. Fiona running about making the teenagers tired. The following day, at some ree-diculous hour of the morning Gary woke me with a spray of bubbles. He was so excited to be awake, I suggested he get some black Friday experience. So, brave soul, he ventured out in the frozen dark to vie for a few gifts for Fiona and returned triumphant. (Thank-the-Goodness for forethought of a Christmas jar.) Now that I understand the reasoning, maybe I'll take advantage next year. Our turkey-day friends related how they have a plan: she meets with sisters-in-law, sisters, & friends, he makes the breakfast burritos and gets the coffee. This year, I stayed in and got the oven going with breakfast and then the turkey. Turkey for us is somewhat a compulsion, we cannot go without leftovers on the holiday weekend. The turkey was particularly potent, and every time we ate it, we passed summarily out. Kinda makes me wonder if Butterball does something to their birds.

We enjoyed our holiday repeat-meal. Fiona likes to say prayers at the table when we're all sitting there, grateful that our needs are met today. She typically thanks god for Mama & Papa, Mercy & Jack, and sometimes even dinosaur bones & The Fishes.

Hopefully this weekend we'll get a tree and pull out the decorations. Which I'm positive will only further the Fiona-fervor about Christmas. She could barely contain herself when some gifts arrived from Gramma. She insisted on calling to say, "tell her what book this is" translated, "ask what the book was." Gramma was accommodating enough to give me the title as to avoid a duplication in our in house library. Little Girl decided she wanted to shop for a new book rather than donate the duplicate to the library, and later victoriously called Gramma to report what books she got in trade for the dupe-Where the Wild Things Are. Though I'm not sure that Gramma understood all that she said---"Berenstein Bears" is a mouthful, but "Dinosaurs" is rather easy.

The gestating sibling has been along for the ride of course, and I'm feeling well. We've a sonigram scheduled in a couple of weeks, looking forward to the added security that all is well in there. I'm shocked at how commonplace all this "peeking" has become. It seems, just 20 years ago, none of the technology was in standard use, women had only instinct to go on, and may have been lucky to listen to a simple heartbeat. Incidentally, we will not find out baby's gender. I prefer the surprise, it's a carrot for successful labor. Gary and I also believe that some things in life were meant to be a surprise.

Next post, Christmas decor & cocoa. Until then keeping warm and doing the next right thing.



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