Christmas time is here....

Sedona train with a feathered friend

Our favorite month of the year!!  It started out a little tough, but ended strong.  The first weekend of the year we were supposed to head down to Phoenix for a grandparent visit.  We had it all planned out....airport transport, dog care, laundry done, time taken off of work....everything accounted for except the thing that matters most - kid health.  Picking the kiddos up the evening before we were to leave, Matteo looked a little flushed and glassy-eyed.  At home my fear was concerned - 102.7...and after putting him in a lukewarm bath it went up to 103.5.  So off to the hospital we went while Chris
and Lily packed up.  Thankfully our wee man was back to normal in a few days, Chris and Lily got to go (and use the last of my first class upgrades), and I got to have my little guy to myself for a few days.  Not the long weekend any of us had planned, but ultimately worked out well and Matteo was well enough by Saturday to take a ride on the Santa Train while Lily got to see Sedona and have various Phoenix adventures.  As a result, Chris and I have decided as the kids grow we'll try to do more 1:1 weekend trips with each of them - Chris/Lily, me/Matteo then vice-versa....but ideally with everyone healthy.

Museum of  Flight with grandma and grandpa

The next two weeks were a whirlwind of holiday choir practice (Lily), finishing shopping (including an early "fleece lounger" for Chris....never have I seen him so delighted over what is basically an adult-sized onsie), demanding "Santa songs" every time we were in the car (Matteo) and generally immersing ourselves in all things holiday.  Finally the last two weeks were upon us and with school out, me off work and grandparents in town we could finally catch out collective breath.  As I've said before, Christmas is the most fun when lived through the eyes of your children, and this year was no different.  Matteo, despite his reticence to meet Santa (in his defense, poor kid had just woken up from a nap), REALLY got into Christmas.  He was convinced that as soon as it snowed, the big day would be here.  Every morning he hopefully looked for snow and no matter how hard we tried to decouple snow from Christmas morning, he steadfastly refused to play along.  Lily surprised me by asking if I believe in Santa as "only two other girls" in her class were still believers.  I knew this time would come, but it still saddened me as I'm in no way ready to say goodbye to her sweet innocence.  I told her that belief in magical things makes the world a happier and more wondrous place.  She responded by puffing up and bragging that she believes in fairies AND Santa.  Crisis adverted for now!

Our 'hood has the best Xmas decor

Matteo marked the end of the year by further developing independent streak.  Don't get me wrong,
he's still the kid who insists/demands/begs that I carry him just about everywhere, but more and more he declares his independence with "no, I can do it!" and "I do it myself!"...which if often followed by some frustration and a "will you help me?" (this is particularly common when it comes to his attempts to pull off pajama tops).  This independence is tempered with an increasing sweetness that melts me into a puddle.  Am I starting to lose it when he throws a tantrum?  Well then it's time for him to crawl into my lap and say "I need mama hugs!".  When sitting next to him in the floor, he will now pet my hair and tell me "I really love you" and "you are my family!"  My heart might explode if he didn't sometimes follow this with telling me "I really really love Bob!"  At least I am in good company, right?

I won't go into Christmas at length other than to say it was exactly what we wanted with a house full with


8 adults and 4 kids...perfection.  I tried to get Matteo's reaction to Christmas morning thinking it would be amazing after he waited soooo long...but he walked out, took one look at me with my phone and walked right back to his room.  Camera gone, both kids were thrilled and utterly consumed by Lego/Heely/truck joy.  While I was spoiled myself, it was the kid's quirks this month that were my favorite gift.  For example - Matteo now likes to walk around my legs for no reason.  He put one hand on them like they're a post and just go round-and-around.  It's equal parts odd and endearing. Lily's quirk comes courtesy of rhyming - she likes to make up very random songs, especially ones that send her into giggle fits like the one "I like oatmeal on my butt...I like oatmeal on my Mom....I like oatmeal on Bob...." and on and on till she can hardly breath.  As always I am in awe of her athleticism - on display this month when she went to the ice rink, asked a skater for their advice and started skating backwards and doing little trick turns minutes later.  Naturally with the quirks come the quirky things they say:
Matteo, pretending a wrapping paper tube is a gun: "Here is a gun.  I made it for you. It's super long. You boom to the sky and it is soooo loud. Boom boom!  And it's a bridge!"

Sample Lego gun

Matteo, making even more elaborate guns from Legos:  BOOM!  It's a gun!!!!!
(if I need to explain the irony, you don't know me at all)

Me: Should we get these treat for Bob?  They're called Lucky Duck.
Lily, looking at the bag: They don't look so lucky to me.

Matteo, talking to Siri: I want dump trucks!
Siri: Here are some images of dump trucks I found on the web
Matteo: Dump trucks don't live on a web, they live on the road!

Listening to Up On The Rooftop: Next comes the stocking of little Will - Oh, just see what a
glorious fill - Here is a hammer and lots of tacks - Also a ball and a whip that cracks
Lily: I think Will's stocking is creepy

Light "Saver"

Me: Do you have poopies?
Matteo: Yes I DO!  BABALOOOO!

Lily: It's Jesus' birthday
Me: Yep - his birthday is today, and my birthday is tomorrow. But his birthday is a much bigger deal
Lily: Pretty much.

Me: What do you want Santa to bring you for Christmas?
Matteo: Light SAVER!  A blue one!  And a jumbo sh*t.  I loooove jumbo sh*ts.  Jumbo sh*ts go waaaaaay up in the sky!  (Is there anything funnier and more endearing than the mispronunciations of a 3-year-old?  And yes, he meant "jumbo jets")

Me, making our traditional Christmas meatloaf
: Oh crumbs, I messed up the cheese!
Lily: That's okay, you're just making a new experience for us and it will be good

It's this last one that really gets me.  I hugged close and let her know that her roll-with-it, silver-lining attitude will ensure she has a very happy life.  How lucky am I to be a part of it?


Lily at the Phoenix craft fair showing her athletic prowess