Kistmas!

Whew – we finally made it through Christmas (or Kistmas as KEW says). The days leading up to the big day and the big day itself go by faster are much more busy than you ever want (or remember)… and that is even more true when you have a busy toddler. Loads of fun were had by all… but there were more than a few challenging moments. Lots of sugar and so much stimulation make for many an adventure to get a young girl to nap or go to bed at her regular time. This has a tendency to make a Mama more tired and irritable than usual… which ultimately makes for a roller coaster ride of a holiday season. As much as there were moments of amazing joy and laughter experiencing Christmas through the eyes of my girl… there were moments where full on exhaustion and frustration and just too much to do brought me to tears (go figure, the mother of a toddler in tears… what’s new?!?!). As has been said by many an adult in this world… Christmas really is for the kids. Never before have I realized or truly understood what toll this takes on the parents of said kids. I have and will continue to sacrifice pretty much anything for my kid and to keep us both healthy and safe… but this holiday season has reminded me (once again) of how different my life is from a few years ago.

Santa… and lessons from a cook

So I finally made it back to the mall to go and pick up the Santa pics. I decided Tuesday afternoon was not going to be the day. Kaia woke up kinda cranky from her nap, and I had no desire to get myself cranky in the afternoon traffic. Besides, I already had a cranky morning after getting a phone call from work asking for my help. I ended up spending about an hour and a half online to fix someone else’s mistake. Actually, two other people not really doing their job at all… but that is a whole other story.

Anyhow, after fuming a bit, I saw the Chatelaine magazine that I read last week… including an interview with Nigella Larson, the British TV and cookbook star. In the interview they asked how she comes across as so comfortable on her shows. She explains that she started the TV bit right when her husband was dying from cancer. She learned very quickly that her job was just a job… and to let it stress her out so much that it carried over in to her personal life was not going to happen. She wasn’t going to waste the precious little time she had with her husband stressing out over work. Wow – what a reminder and an amazing lesson. I’m truly thankful that I haven’t had to learn that lesson first hand… but I am thankful that she shared. I don’t want to even consider how many hours of my personal time have been wasted (lost, caput, gone forever) being stressed or worried about work. Don’t get me wrong, I know that just having a job is a blessing… and I do like to work (most days even where I currently am)… but wow - that job has no right to invade my home life! I’m not really one for New Year’s Resolutions… but I think this is one worth trying!

Ho Ho Ho!

I’m SOOOOO happy to be off of work right now! Lucky for me that daycare closed on Friday and I need to take this week off of work as I’m without childcare (dang). With all of the rushing around and so much to do and so much excitement, I actually need these few extra days to get things finished and get organized! And to sleep – no really – KEW and I are BOTH tired! With all of the crazy energy at daycare and all of the running around, neither of us has been getting great sleep… or even rest. The last two nights she has taken a bit to settle down, but has then slept like a log and even slept in! Yes, when you are normally awake anywhere from 5am to 6am, waking up after 7am can officially be called sleeping in!

We went to visit Santa in the mall today… which was making Mama nervous. No, I don’t want to force my child to go and sit on the lap of a stranger… but I look back on many a photo from my own Christmas’ past and see my own growth at those milestone events. So of course I want the same for KEW. Last year wasn’t so pretty… much screaming was to be had. This year we have been building our way up to a visit with lots of references to the man in red and even an e-mail from him! The RRU Christmas party was not such a great experience with the Ho Ho guy… so I wasn’t optimistic. Then there was the line in the mall today… lines aren’t good. No, really, 2 year olds do not do well in lines. Lucky for us we had a wonderful 5 year old (another beautiful young ginger) in the line in front of us who became fond of “The Piya”, so we had some entertainment to help get us through. Then the girl in front of us had her turn as we waited on the sidelines… and all became silent. Oh oh… was this going to go bad? Our turn was next. Out of the stroller… Jerome in hand… and yippity do – right on over to Santa! She jumped up on his knee and had a little chat. There weren’t a lot of big grins… but there wasn’t fear either. Pictures you ask? Yes, there are pictures! I ordered them and paid for them… but the catch with Mayfair is that you have to go back the next day and get them. Oy… it’s going to be a long week!

'Tis the Season...

…to be DANG tired!

I’ve become my mother! Calm down - I mean that in a good way. Or at least I think it’s the good way! I don’t stop… I barely sit down anymore… my brain doesn’t stop. I haven’t yet asked if they’ve landed on the asteroid, but I do find myself paying less and less attention to TV and movies (gasp!!!). Me… I know… I LOVE TV… but Frack, there is a hell of a lot of stuff to get done in a day! And did I mention I’m tired!?!?!

Ok, so what has kept me busy… well there is that whole toddler thing (my girl has energy to burn!), and the whole Christmas thing (oh so much to see and do), and the whole work thing (crap I hate budget season… and organizational awkwardness – make a decision already!!!!) and then of course my new obsessions with two blogs.

First there is Bakerella. Man oh Man this chick is amazing – full of so many creative baking ideas! A friend e-mailed me her site on Sesame Street’s 40th Anniversary. Yes, my friend is another Mom… and we Moms have a lot to celebrate with Sesame Street! Anyways, Bakerella has these AMAZING Cake Pops. No really, this girl is GOOD. I do plan on recreating (in my own special way) some of the Elmo and Cookie Monster pops for Kaia’s birthday... and in the meantime, did some Christmas Reindeer Pops. I learned a lot about cake pops on Sunday. First of all, not every thing is better bigger… especially when it comes to cake pops. Secondly, the suggestion to COOL the pops, she wasn’t kidding. Thirdly, those candy melts do eventually harden… and if you don’t clean up as you go, you have a big hard crunchy mess! But from all accounts (so far everyone at daycare) the treats were great! Not hard to please a crowd of two year olds when sugar is involved… but I’ll take it!

So my second blog addiction is The Pioneer Woman. When I grow up, I think I want to be this lady. Although she is currently giving me a bit of an inferiority complex (how the hell does she do all that she does?!?!?), I’m hooked on her. Cooking, photography, animals, kids and of course the Marlboro Man. The more I read, the more I get hooked. Maybe one day I too will get to go from Black Heels to Tractor Wheels!