December 24th

You woke up and played with Legos, Steph and I cleaned, but Nana and Aunt Vanessa came so much earlier than we thought they would!  We hung out with them for a little bit before they needed to go take a nap.  I cooked while they napped, and we ate dinner (Nana and Steph LOVE tater tot casserole.  I have no idea how it is that you won't even try it.  It's like literally all the things that kids eat...not chicken nuggets I suppose, but you don't eat those!).  You wanted to take a bath, but I wanted to do your hair before you did so you'd actually enjoy the bath. While it was all wet, we decided to have Aunt Vanessa give you a bit of a trim.  You didn't even know it was happening!  And your hair looks EXCELLENT post trim.  I saved a curl...it's inside of your "planet" ornament.  (I also have your first ever cut hair upstairs...but that was just bangs.  I think this cut actually counts?)  (Except lets keep saying you haven't gotten a cut when people ask...it annoys me that they think you should be getting cuts.  It was a trim.  :-P to them.)

Everyone fell asleep, Steph wrapped, we set up the presents under the staircase...all right in front of you and you seemed not to even notice...I wonder if that's just who you are...you're kind of OK with not getting tons of presents...Pretty cool of you.  

Merry Christmas Eve to everyone...from this house filled with Jews...

December 23rd

Are you sick?  Ugh, who knows...stay home...fine.  I love the time with you anyway...

We left the house at the same time as usual, but went to Target for what better be the last shopping trip before Christmas.  By the time I'm getting sick of Target, you KNOW we've been going too much...

We came home and snuggled and put up lights.  I had to work, but you and Steph used your time without me well.  I brought home pizza...which is never a bad way to end an evening.,,and we had the last night of lighting candles.  You were not interested at all in lighting them...so strange, because you'd actually been loving the ritual up until this evening.  

It's so strange that it's Christmas, it's so warm out!

December 22nd

Mister...My poor sickling...you got sent home from school!  I don't think you're sick, I think you're holding things in again...that doesn't make you any less miserable though.  I actually had to hold you while you cried and screamed about being scared to go to the bathroom.  Thankfully, you feel so much better afterwards.  Hopefully that'll eventually translate into you learning that feeling good is the natural consequence of letting things go.  Sigh. 

Before the letting go ritual though, we went as a family to Trader Joe's and to Whole Foods.  You let us (and the cashier) know that you were scared of brown people...that was a fun time.  We talked it through, and you actually couldn't come up with any examples of brown people that you didn't like. In fact, person by person and color by color you seem to be one of the most generous people with your liking of people...You certainly like more people than I do!  We talked people, we talked crayons, and we decided that Maddie is peachish, you are tanish, and I am beigeish.  Most people aren't actual white, but Steph comes close...as do Paula and Brennan.  Good talk, Man. 

And then you were up ALL NIGHT LONG.  Look, you pooped like 15 pounds out, you felt free...I'm not mad atcha...

December 21st

Oy what a morning.  So, we played with Maddie, which, though always fun, was a little bit stressful today because we were getting a new couch and you and M were a bit...needy for Lee and my liking. Also, the couch was delivered and was SO much bigger than we had expected.  It's from Jenny though, so it is the most comfortable couch with the most delicious juju...we HAD to find a way to make it work.  And we did!  Next we have to figure out how we're going to fit two more people and a whole ton of Christmas in here...we'll get there.

It was Ezra's birthday party - and while you did have a bandaid on your lip (from where you cut your lip...like...literally...with a pair of scissors ?!?! while I was at work), you eventually managed to have a good time anyway.  Some day you should ask Dolly or me for Rosie's version of rolling on that wheel...

We came home and played and watched some Fireman Sam (obsessively) and lit candles and opened presents.  You're STILL excitedly exclaiming with every book and every dollhouse room!  I adore you... I adore the way you mess up the dollhouse and ask me to clean up the house's mess... Once we work through that part, this dollhouse is gonna be totally awesome!