Pictures...Finally!

Just a small taste of what we've been up to. There's been lots of baking, cooking, visiting, shopping, wrapping and unwrapping over the past couple of days. Plus a lil bit of knitting...as usual :). The knitted gifts have been sent out without a single picture taken. Socks for my brother (which you can check out on his Facebook page), a vest for Corbin, gloves for Maren, and a hat for Todd. This is the first year I tried to crank out the handmade goods and I have officially learned that I need to start earlier...like now :). Norrin insisted on helping me with all the cooking and baking. To quote him exactly- "Norrin do it! Norrin do it! NORRIN DO IT!!!". Santa was very good to him and he opened each gift with enthusiasm. Even the shirts, socks and pajamas got an "Ohhh, clothes!" out of him. He's been playing his Melissa and Doug piano every day at least five times a day. He flips through the songbook as he plays, like he's actually following the notes. Its pretty cute. He also got some watercolors and paintbrushes from Stubby Pencil Studio and they are such a quality product that Da has all but stolen them away :). The best result of Christmas has been the empty wrapping paper tubes. We've had a couple of sword fights already that always end in a fit of giggles. Anyway, that's the condensed version of our holiday. We also have a new camera, so I have high hopes of getting more photos on the blog...before the grandmoms start to get violent :). Hope everyone had a great holiday filled with love, happiness and lots of yummy food.

And now, last night's adventures :

Holiday Preparations

We are all finally cough-free and have been attacking our holiday to-do lists. Unfortunately, that means more nights apart for Todd and I. We've tried to take Norrin out and about and have more or less ended up with more gifts for him. In fact, on Tuesday night, Norrin demanded some stackable blocks (have I mentioned how block obsessed he is right now) and even had the nerve to walk to the front of the line and push his blocks up on the counter with someone else's purchases. Thank goodness he's so gosh darn cute. Those blocks did end up coming home with us...his Christmas Eve present from us :). Last night Todd went out by himself. Norrin and I had a big bowl of broccoli, some chocolate milk and decided to spend the rest of our night in a warm bath (Norrin bathed while Mama knitted outside the tub) followed by some reading in bed. I didn't realize how much the TV was being utilized (or maybe I was in denial) until he was requesting every Christmas special we've DVR'ed. I told him the TV was sleeping and closed the cabinet doors and we had a nice evening together. He's much less wild when the TV is sleeping :). Tonight is my turn to be absent from our lil home. I have to work ten hours and then I'm doing some grocery shopping. In a perfect world, I'll get out early and I'll get home well before 6 pm...it is not a perfect world. I have off from work Christmas Eve and Christmas, so there will be lots of family time. Todd and I always have Christmas Eve together. I make a nice dinner and some dessert. We have a little wine and we open some gifts. This year we're starting the Santa Claus thing. I'm not completely convinced that I want to tell Norrin about Santa, but its part of the magic of Christmas and I just have to hope he isn't as completely heartbroken as I was when the truth is revealed. Something tells me that I'm just a lil over dramatic and that my son will be just fine, but as his mommy I can't help worrying about the state of his heart :). Anyway, tomorrow there will be cookies to be made for our dear Santa. And as for his reindeer- eight carrots or are we including Rudolph in this ruse :)? Norrin will love the cookie making and he has told me almost every day for weeks that Santa is bringing him "Christmas tandy". Add candy obsession to his list, as well. And that's a quick update. As soon as I figure out how to put photos on this handy dandy laptop, there will be pictures (I'm sure its quite simple, but who has time right now?). Happy Holidays!