Relentless January

Wow, a whopping two posts so far in January.  There is a lot swirling around in life right now preventing me from getting to the computer more often, including a comfy couch to retreat to after the baby toddler is down each evening.  I've probably watched more DVD's this month than I did all of last year.  Spring, are you ever going to get here?  The last few teaser days were awesome but the gloom and doom forecast for next week is just too depressing to even think about.  How is it possible to go from a high of 79 degrees to a low of 6 degrees in just a matter or days. 

Dear January bestowed several colds and a bout of double pink eye on the Green household.  I've managed to avoid both, which is a miracle considering I've had a passenger assigned to the seat on my left hip for many, many days in January seeking motherly comfort.  There was a particularly rough four day stint that was both sweet and suffocating all at once. 

So what's new::

Cora has taken up baby yoga.

And scrabble.  Rob and I have also been playing a lot of scrabble with each other and friends this month.



I learned to bake some sandwichable bread which Cora calls "Mama Bread" and I've sketched out our garden for the spring (yea seeds have arrived from Johnny's!).  I'm still keeping it small this year but would really like to expand for the future.  Can't believe that carrots, spinach and lettuces will go in the ground in the next few weeks.    

I'm anxious to see what February holds.  She's going to be off to a cruel start but perhaps things will start looking up in the next few weeks.  Here's to everyone out there just trying to get through winter! 

Pageantry

My kid was in the Christmas pageant.  Front and center.  But she wasn't supposed to be. 

On Christmas Eve we scooted down to my parents' Episcopal Church for the children's Christmas pageant.  This is the church I grew up in, was baptized in, and was married in.  I've always felt very at ease and comfortable there...except that one time this kid threw up at the altar while I was acolyting there.  I digress.   

Prior to the beginning of the pageant, Cora was making eyes at one of the precious sheep across the aisle.  She was telling him to "Cah here" and signaling with her chubby hand by making an uncoordinated grasping motion with her palm upturned.

Once the pageant began and all the key players were at the front of the church, I moved up to a front pew so Cora could see everything.  Well, I guess that wasn't close enough because before I could do anything about it, she had wriggled free and was standing among the shepherds and sheep.

As the temperature from my neck up escalated ten degrees and the shade of my cheeks darkened by twenty I was faced with the "what to do" dilemma.  Which is more disruptive?  Let her mingle with the sheep she was previously flirting with or walk in front of everyone to snatch her up and make a scene?  I darted my eyes across the aisle for guidance from my own mother and she mouthed that it was fine.  I wonder if she would have thought the same thing if it had been her daughter rather than her granddaughter up there?  I suspect that grandchildren play by a whole different set of rules.  Mom, feel free to chime in. 

I let her stay and she was content to walk around and try and hand her teether to all the cast members.  At one point she walked over to the manger and said "Baby Jesus" and patted him on the head.  I was afraid there might be a kidnapping but she left him be. 

In the end there weren't any major shenanigans and I ended up wishing I'd had a video camera at hand.

Now, at toddler story time on Monday, it was a different story.  There were shenanigans aplenty, but I think that's a different blog.    

It's a Vicious Cycle

I'll admit, lately I've been a t-o-t-a-l blog slacker.  It's not for lack of material, oh no.  This beautiful Season has been chock full of wonderful things that I'd like to remember for the rest of my days.  I suppose I've just been living them rather than trying to document them all, not to mention I've gotten really far behind.  Plus, I tend to go into hibernation mode during the winter and my motivation and productivity seem to have taken a little vacation....I hope they come back soon. 

I would love to do a full 2010 recap, or tell you all about goals for 2011 and even share all the details from our Christmas celebrations.  But let's be honest, I'm too far behind and it is already January 4.  Hi, Mom!  Happy Birthday...I love you!   

So, how about some incoherent snippets in pictures?  Here we go!

Cora met dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum the same night she met Santa.  She took to the dinos better than Old Saint Nick.

Cora was in her first program and did a lovely job shaking Jingle Bells.  I think we are going to be hearing "Gee Ba Bahhhs" for a very long time to come.

My spectacular husband made our house look splendid.

The whole family was in the Christmas parade with my husband's junior cycling team RAD RACING.  Cora and I rode the bus and Rob and the dog walked along with the riders.  The dog was a huge hit with the crowd.

 

An AWESOME present from Grandma and Grandpa.

We do a lot of this at our house, but cuddling with Yeti is especially nice in the winter.

Santa brought some great stuff.  Cora loves this stroller.

What a beautiful doll from Grammy and Popo.  She is especially interested in dressing and undressing it but her motor skills aren't quite refined enough yet.  I sure am getting a lot of practice at it!

First tea parties happened over Christmas.  Isn't her hat lovely?  It is actually a wrap around neck massager she fell in love with.

Quality time with Great Momo.  So happy she got to spend time with both her Great Grandparents.  They mean so much to me and I know they will to her.

These two are serious buddies, which just makes my heart sing!  Cora is learning how to "play" with the dog and he doesn't even flinch at all the "attention" she gives him.

Blessed to have lots of family cuddle time.  Yes, the dog is a full fledged family member.

There it is...a truly inadequate wrap-up of our holidays but my heart will never forget how wonderful they were.