Twenty Five Days of Christmas!!

So with all the hustle and bustle of the Holiday Season, I really try to stay positive and focus on spending time with family and doing the little things that really matter this time of year.  It can be so easy to get caught up in the commotion and forget to just STOP and ENJOY the holidays instead of being stressed.  You know, especially when some jackhole infront of you cuts you off so he can get into the same store you are going!!! 

(sigh)

Last year was rough.  Even on Christmas Henry was sick and in the ER a few days before Christmas and then again December 30^th AND 31^st.  He was sick for EVERY holiday or special occasion for about 8 months.  (This is no exaggeration) 

This year I think I am trying to make up for so many days where Henry was sick instead of doing fun things with his family and friends and even just T & I getting to relax and enjoy this time.

So, I have decided to try to do something fun every day during the 25 Days of Christmas!! 

Yeah, I know some of you are laughing to yourself….”Oh, you want to enjoy yourself and relieve stress and you want to do something EVERY day.”  Yeah, my logic isn’t always sound.  And lets be honest, not every day is going to be elaborate and I know I will miss days….but we are trying!

Here is what has been done so far (most of the stuff is with Henry, but some things just me):

1^st – Put up and decorate the tree. It spins. Go ahead...be jealous.

2^nd – Watch a cheesy Christmas movie and drink hot chocolate – Santa Baby 2 infact :-)

3^rd – Order Christmas Cards – DONE and RECEIVED! (Thank you 1 hour photo from Walmart.) 

4^th – Put up decorations around the house.

5^th – Terry’s work Christmas Party. OK, this one is more of an obligation but still festive and fun!

6^th – Family in Town!!  We found ways to be festive when we were at Levis Commons!!  (Henry took the picture of me!)

7^th – Watched Love Actually…I actually Love this movie.  (See, see what I did there.)

8^th – Go look at Christmas Lights in the car while drinking hot chocolate and eating snowman cookies! (from Starbucks of course)

9^th – Call Santa.  We left a message, he was busy.

10^th – Christmas note from Santa!! (Yeah, move over Elf on a Shelf, we have chalkboard on an end table!) 

11^th – String popcorn for the tree and make snowflakes.

12^th – Christmas Concert at school

13^th – Mailed (nearly all) of our Christmas cards!!  Still have a couple I needed addresses for, but they will ALL be out by the 17th!  Henry go to his friend’s house for some Christmas fun!  Made handprint dough ornaments.

14^th – Gingerbread house & Christmas list to Santa!

15^th – Henry & I went shopping for gifts for his friends & some family

Here is a list of all the possible stuff left to do before Christmas!  We won’t do them all, except on Christmas Eve we will get in PJ’s, have popcorn and watch a Christmas movie!  But these are all possibilities!!

Ø  Make cookies for friends and family.

Ø  Send a card to a stranger

Ø  Buy a small Christmas tree/Wreath

Ø  Paint nails a festive color

Ø  Hang a string of colored lights somewhere unexpected in the house.

Ø  Donate toys & clothes to local charities.

Ø  Make Christmas crafts

Ø  Pay for someone's coffee in line behind me in a coffee shop or drive through.

Ø  Buy a toy for someone

Ø  Make treats for neighbors, co-workers & friends.

Ø  Henry make Christmas Cards for friends with treats and deliver them

Ø  Lights Before Christmas at the Zoo (We did this in November)

Ø  Go to a Christmas Tree Farm

Ø  Grandparents take Henry shopping to pick out gifts for mom and dad.  Mom and dad take Henry shopping to pick out gifts for family.

Ø  Wear Christmas pajamas Christmas Eve and watch a Christmas movie.

Ø  Christmas card for a solider

Ø  Read Christmas books

Ø  Call Santa at the library

Merry Christmas!!!!

Diagnosis.

(I am writing this down also for my records)


So I talked about the fact that Henry has been having seizures HERE.  After the first of the year we got to talk to a Neurologist about the seizures and what steps to take.

Then we waited.

The end of February Henry had an EEG.  (What is an EEG’s HERE) 

At the appointment Henry did AMAZING!  Which was surprising and awesome!  I was SO proud of our little man.  It is good that he laid still for the hour because it yields more accurate results.

Then we waited more.

From the Mouth of Babes

So remember when I was blogging about how Henry was a late talker HERE and HERE?  Well if not at 18 months Henry wasn't talking much and by 20 months getting VERY frustrated communicating to us.  And then by August, a month before his 2nd birthday, words started spewing out of his mouth!  I mean he was learning and/or saying new words pretty much every day!  And then by the end of 2013 this child, who was a late talker, was talking NON-STOP!!  Phrases, trying to say words, repeating.  It is awesome :-)

So for my record and hopefully your entertainment, here are some of the funniest things he has said or things I enjoy hearing him say.

....

He says his name in the sweetest of voices!!  He pronounces it Hen-nee.  So cute :-)

....

This kid loves books (which makes me so happy as I am not a reader) and he loves to read books.  His version of The Monster at the End of This Book is FANTASTIC!!  I am trying to record, but normally it is a bedtime book and no cameras at bedtime.  But it goes something like this, turning pages as we go:

"Monster end book.  So scared! Shhhhhhhhh.  ALL RIGHT!!! NO TURN PAGES!! ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT!!  No turn pages.  Scared.  OK, ALL RIGHT ALL RIGHT ALL RIGHT!!!  Scared. Monster book. No Turn pages. ALL RIGHT ALL RIGHT. All done."

You guys.  I could listen to his version over and over!! (and yes, the ALL RIGHT part is his favorite!)

....

Along with that he mimics everything, especially TV shows.  For instance, we are watching Daniel Tiger and Daniel goes to the doctor and gets his shot and Henry mimics everything. "Mama, I get shot. Close Eyes. Be happy. OUCH. Here sticker. All done!"  It is so cute to watch, especially as he checks your heart and eyes and everything before!

....

Every day after school (aka daycare aka the germ factory) I ask how his day was and what he did and we talk about his day.  Usually his response is something like "Great!  Play kids.  Eat. Dance." Well this week I asked him these questions and then he came up to me and put his hand on me and said "Mama, how day at work you?"  When I told him I had a good day he said "GREAT" and ran off to play.  It melted my heart.

 .....

A couple weeks ago I came downstairs from getting dressed and he is eating breakfast and the following conversation takes place:

H: “What that shirt?” points to shirt I am wearing

Me: “It’s a new shirt! Is it pretty?”

H: Shakes head NO.

Me: “What, you don’t like mama’s shirt?!”

H: Shakes head NO again.

Me: “Should I change?”

H: “Yes.” Continues eating and watching TV.

 I mean, come on!!  Kids keep it real.

.....

And then there are gems like when I was holding a baby and Henry got really needy and wanted to sit on my lap and I said “are you jealous” and he replied “No, I Henee”.  Awesome.  Yes, you are Henry!

....

Me: “Henry, you are a good kid!”

H: “I no kid”

Me: “You are not?  Are you a baby?”

H: “No!”

Me: “Well what are you?”

H:. “Henee big boy!”

....

Chasing something he says: "Me got it, Me got it!!"

.....

Drops something: "Aahhh, man!"

.....

When he falls or you sneeze or take a turn too fast or, well anything, he says "WHOA, WHOA, MAMA, WHOA!"  Or if he falls it is "Mama, I whoa'd"

.....

He is becoming a bit of a tattler, which we are working on.  Normally it is always tattling on Terry.  I think they provoke each other.

“Mommy!  Daddy No no’d me!!”
"DADDY IN CHAIR!!!"
"Daddy make me (brush) teeth!!!"

For some reason he is butting heads with Terry lately and everything terry does is tattled on, good or bad."

"MAMA!!! Daddy kiss me!!"
"Daddy wash face!!!"

Henry is a bit dramatic :-)

...

He also has attitude now so conversations like this:

H: "I want that!!"

Me: "No Henry, you cannot have (xyz)"

H: "I want that NOW!!!"

Me: "Henry, that is NOT how we ask for things."

H: "I want that now please."

I still chuckle to myself when he is not looking.  I mean, he said please, right?!

....

Me singing..

H: "STOP. No singing, mom!!  STOP SINGING NOW."

Mr. attitude.

OR

"shhhhhh, no talk mommy!!!". Uh, really.  You know you are a kid and we are adults, right. Oh, did I mention he thinks he is an adult?!

....

Of course though, out of everything he says to me or anyone else, my absolute favorite is:

Me: “Henry, I love you.”

H: “Yub you too.”

Sigh.



YOU GUYS.  These conversations just melt my heart and make me smile SO much!!


Addendum: This morning after I got dressed for work I went in to get Henry ready for school.  I walked in to a smiling child standing in his crib and this conversation took place:

Me: “Good morning, Henry!”
H: “Morning!”
Me: “How are you?”
H: “Great!”
Me: Now standing right next to the crib infront of him.
H: “Mommy’s booboos. I honk. HONK. HONK. HONK. HONK.” As he proceeds to honk my boobs

Nothing like a morning booboo (boobs) honk from your two year old to really get your morning started off right!  P.S. We have NO idea where he learned this.  No, really!

Twenty Days

In twenty days my sweet little boy turns two.

You guys, he will be TWO!!

Sigh.

In some ways I already see him as two.  This weekend we were talking about his age and someone mentioned him being one, and I had to stop and think about that.  I forgot he is still ONE!  He looks and seems SO much older than that. 

But on the other hand, I am having a harder time with him turning two then I did when he turned one.  I totally loved and embraced him turning one.  It was a relief in some ways and I still had my baby when he turned one.  But two, well even though he will always be my “baby” figuratively, he is no longer a baby.  He is a little boy.  A little boy with this booming personality and growing independence and he is becoming his own person, the person he will be for the rest of his life!!! 

Ok, perhaps a bit dramatic….but still, it is just crazy to me to get to see and think about and the fact that he will be two and is now this little toddler with his own thoughts and feelings and personality.  He no longer LOOKS like a baby.  He no longer ACTS like a baby.  I mean, last week he told me to "STOP" and held out his hand and I was not allowed in the bathroom to help him wash his hands.  He HAD to do it by himself while I watched in the distance.  What’s next, I will be asked to walk 20 steps behind him in public?!?!

....

This child who makes me laugh EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

This child who is as sweet as can be.

Feeding his monkey...he loves his stuffed animals.

 Holding my hand.

This child who always wants to be on me or cuddling me.

This child who is so cool.

This child who is so silly.

This child who loves to explore.

This child who is a total techy.

This child who is independent.

This child who just does his own thang.

 His hand in a cup of water while he watches TV. Uh, why not?!

This child who is SO big.

This child who just makes my heart so full.

This child will be TWO in three weeks.

SIGH.