The End Of The Noughties

It is hard to believe that in, um, however many hours 2009 will be gone. It was not a bad year, but I am ready for 2010 and what it will *hopefully* bring us.  So, Happy New Years to all my readers who continue to come back and read my blog, even when I forget to update, when I only post photos that surely my family only cares about, and when I go off on tangents that make sense to me but upon rereading seem misguided or just plain silly. I have toyed over the past year with ending this blog, but decided that, if for nothing else, I need it. So thank you, and I'll see you in the new decade! The teens? The Nexties? Whatever it is let's hope it brings all us good health, happiness and lots of love.

My 2009 in Review:

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
I became a freelance journalist, and had 6 articles published. I have toyed with starting a mom-type blog for the moms of Atlanta. I cooked Thanksgiving dinner. I had vomit handed to me by 22 month old son in the middle of the night. I took up kickboxing.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't recall having one, so if I did I clearly didn't follow it. And I think this year my only resolution is going to be that I am not going to get so stressed about things that are beyond my control, and perhaps even the ones that are.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes, my Sissy did, and Rebecka, and a few other friends of mine from my neighborhood and playgroup.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Sadly, we lost my grandmother on January 13 of last year. We also thought we would lose my other grandmother, but she is proving us all wrong. Lee lost his Uncle. Friends lost loved ones. 2009 was not a kind year in the category of death.

5. What countries did you visit?
England and USA. How much does this disappoint me? More than you know. But we also visited Charleston, Savannah, Jackson Hole, DC, Phoenix, Destin and I don't know, maybe some more. Lee went to Peru. This pales compared to years past where the country count was 8 or 9. But 2010 is bringing us 3 new countries for both of us, so I look forward to that!

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
A job for Lee. Simple enough. Better health for my mom. And perhaps a new baby, or rather the beginnings of a new baby.

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
January 13, losing my grandma. Middle of March, when Finn first walked.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Finn. 100%, hands down. I think he will be my biggest achievement every year, and I am completely okay with that. He is amazing, and I can't imagine our lives pre-Finn.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I need to be better about diet and exercise, and to prove that point I start a boot camp next week. Wish me luck. I am also disappointed with the way some friendships have run their course, and am sad that I seem to have lost some of my closest friends.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Fingers crossed, no for all of us. After Finn had a bout of RSV in the winter we have all stayed healthy.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Hmm, nothing big so I am not sure? New books for Finn, because one can only read Chicka Chicka Boom Boom so many times.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Lee, who has tackled his MBA program with such vigor that he is leading the class in his scores. My mom, for handling her health issues with such dignity and grace that she refuses to complain and instead bears the pain when she shouldn't. My dad for almost losing his mom multiple times and still staying strong. Finn, for always, always making me smile, even in the midst of a tantrum.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Would someone really answer this with someone they know personally? The repercussions wouldn't be worth it for me, so I will say that Tiger Woods actions have shown to be pretty bad. Bad Tiger!

14. Where did most of your money go?
Could it go anywhere other than bills, mortgage and life?

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
I was really excited to meet NK0TB in March, but that makes me sound lame. So I was REALLY excited to meet Travis in November. And on an non-celeb related note, I was very proud of Lee when he got into school for his MBA.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
Whatever that Romeo and Juliet song is by Taylor Swift. Man, I liked that song for .05 seconds and then I heard it every 2 seconds and I now find it completely annoying. And very 2009.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?
(A) I would say a little sadder. We had such high hopes that 2009 would be the year of Lee finding a job. Clearly 2010 will be. And I am sad my mom has to have surgery next week. But, to clarify, I am not sad, just sadder. Does that make sense? (B) Sadly, the same. This will change. For the better.  (C) About the same, but probably a little poorer.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Stayed off the internet. This too will change. Read more. More art and projects with Finn. Cleaner eating. Traveling.


19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worrying.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
In Atlanta, with my whole family. Finn could not have been more happy to be with his beloved cousins. I mourned the loss of my camera. We ate too much.

21. Did you fall in love in 2009?
I stayed in love, and that is what is important.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
This is too embarrassing. Am I supposed to list the awful shows I watch? I won't degrade myself like that, although we have picked up Flash Forward and I love that. And Amazing Race is always good. Oh and Glee, oh how I love Glee!

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

No, despite what some may think.

24. What was the best book you read?
Everyone keeps telling me I will love Girl With The Dragon Tattoo so I will say that is the best book I didn't read. I have read too many good books this year. I really liked An American Wife by Curtis Sittenfield.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
No news ones, but I have kept up my love for David Gray, Travis and The Weepies. Love.Them. In the kids realm we love Ralph's World and Justin Roberts and I am on a one-woman mission to get them to play in Atlanta. For the kids of course.

26. What did you want and get?
A watch

27. What did you want and not get?
Materialistically? A new purse of an expensive variety. Finn-wise? Better eating and more sleep. Financially? A job. Physically? Better health for my mom.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
I loved The Hangover. I also really liked The September Issue and Valentino: The Last Emperor.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
34, yikes. And I was in Phoenix with my grandmother.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Snow

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
Trying desperately not to wear 'mom' clothes and poorly failing. Getting covered in paint and cheez-its just doesn't make me want to break out the nice clothes.

32. What kept you sane?
My family. All of them.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I still love JT. And Fran from Travis, grey hair and all.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
The healthcare debate


35. Who did you miss?
 Friends who live far away, and friends I have lost touch with. Friends who live close but I don't get to see often.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
My entire playgroup. I don't know what I would do without them to hang out with. And friends in our neighborhood.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
Life is too short.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Forever is tomorrow is today...

Happy 2010 y'all!

Happy Boxing Day!

Is there any way to recap 3 days filled with, in no particular order, fondue, turkey, presents, stockings, cookies, cousins, playing, good friends and neighbors, love, presents, homemade rolls, presents, broken cameras, Christmas crackers, crowns, Boxing Day parties, chili, homemade Toad in the Hole, presents, wine, beer, presents, Taquerias, exhaustion and family?

Not really.

As fast as it seems the Holidays approach even faster they end. I can't believe that Christmas has come and gone, and we are one week away from 2010.

So rather than boringly recap 3 days of chaos (and I mean that in the best way), pictures will have to tell the story - and thanks to my dad for the camera loan. We won't talk about how, almost 3 years to the day of getting my beloved camera I have broken my beloved camera. Wait, okay, we will. My camera has been to 24 countries. It has been to birthday parties and Christmas celebrations and births. And I break it in our freaking garage.

Where were we? Oh yes, photos!

4 Days

How can there be only 4 days till Christmas? I have a pile of gifts to be wrapped, groceries to be bought, and a son who is embracing his almost two-year old status to such levels that if we even dare to put the wrong boots on him or we don't get his milk fast enough or, the worst of the worst, we want him to put his cars/trains/trucks down to do anything he will fling his body to the ground and throw a tantrum. Luckily for us his tantrums don't actually include many tears and never last more than 15 seconds but they are no fun regardless. We have definitely entered the two's 2 months early.

But for now, instead of wrapping and grocery shopping and getting ready I am busy planning. A trip! To Asia! For me and Lee! Lee has to be in China and Thailand in late April/early May and I am going to join him at the end and we are, as of now, visiting Bangkok, Siem Reap (Cambodia) and Luang Prabang (Laos). While I have received good information from some people on things to do and places to stay I figured I would throw this out to my lovely readers and ask for any advice any of you may have, if you have been to any of these places. Or how to get over the guilt of leaving Finn for 12 days.

Although if the tantrums continue it may not be as hard as I think.

(I kid)

(Sort of)

Allllll Done

Whenever Lee and I are done eating Finn looks at us and says "Mama Alllll done! Daddy Allll Done!" We have to explain that we are not all done until everyone is finished eating and then we get down from the table.

Unfortunately this is his favorite saying about himself as well. From day one Finn didn't like to eat. We never were able to establish a breastfeeding relationship, and he could care less about his bottle. I don't think he ate the first 2 or 3 days of his life, despite our trying, and the midwives kept telling us that was okay. I still don't think that was okay.

When other kids were sucking down 4, 5, 6 ounce bottles, Finn was daintily sipping his 2 or 3 ounces. And as a result he is small, healthy but small. Like 5th percentile small.

I had really, really high hopes that once he ate real food things would change. My nephews are fantastic eaters, and will eat pretty much whatever you put in front of them. Finn? Not so much.

I don't think I can convey how stressful it is to sit down to a meal and watch him eat. He stares at it, he pushes it around, he touches it and then says 'Finn Alllll done!'. He won't even try half of it, unless he knows with 100% certainty what it is. And he is smart, so you can't trick him. Quesadillas? Check! Pupusas, which look an awful like quesadillas? Not so much. French fries? Check! Yuca? Check! Plantains? Not so much.

There is a handful of foods that always win out. Fruit snacks. Fruit. Cheez-its. Goldfish. Bagels. Pancakes. Hot dogs. Mac and Cheese. Cereal bars. Chips. Sadly, sweet foods. Grilled Cheese. 50% of the time chicken nuggets. Fish. Pickles. Sometimes corn. Sometimes peas. Sometimes broccoli. But more often no than yes.

Can you imagine eating those same foods all the time? I hate it. I hate that we have to resort to giving him what we know he will eat, or else he won't eat. We have tried everything, from not letting him down till he eats, or saying if he eats (blank) he gets (blank). We have given him what we eat and if he doesn't eat it? Then he is done.

But he doesn't care. He just has no interest in food. And I am at the end of my rope. I don't know what to do. I want a healthy eater. I want to be able to go to a restaurant and not stress over what he is going to eat. I want to not waste money buying him meals that he doesn't even touch. I will not have a picky eater. I will not have a picky eater. But no matter how much I say it, it doesn't change.

I would love advice. I would love someone to say "Try this! It will work!". But we have tried it. We have read it. I have cried and Lee and I have argued and Finn continues to thrive and be healthy and full of energy, just a little smaller than his friends, so I guess I just have to keep trying and hope for the day when he eats a piece of cheese or a piece of cauliflower or even pizza.

But if you have any advice I sure wouldn't mind if you threw it our way.

An Inflatable Christmas

There is a house in my parents neighborhood that goes all out over the holidays. They don't just put up lots of lights; in fact I don't think they put up any lights. They don't put up wreaths, they don't put up bows.

They put up inflatables.

Over 90, to be exact.

You know the ones. Santa on an airplane. Winnie the Pooh in a snowglobe. Snowmen on a see-saw.

Over the 7 years we have known about this house they have added more; in fact, they have run out of space in their yard and have started putting them on the roof and above windows. People slow down as they drive past and I am certain this house, on the corner of a busy street, has probably seen an accident or two.

They ask people not to walk around their yard, understandably, but they also know their house is intriguing, particularly to kids. So tonight they had Santa there, and for a few hours you could go and walk around.

We met Finn's friend Addie and her mom and while neither of the kids were excited in the least to see Santa they did seem in awe of the yard.

I don't think I could truly do it justice. So, I present to you, in photos, inflatamania...

We tried to get a picture of Finn and Addie together, but sadly they were too busy running from piece to piece to stand still and smile.

And this house? This isn't the only holiday they do this for. They definitely have the most for Christmas and Hanukkah, but they do this for Valentines Day, Easter, Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, you name it and they seem to have one for it. It is truly a sight to be seen!

Word of the Week

Lee is on a kick to not only get Finn to say the most random words possible, but also to teach him British words and nursery rhymes so he can pick up the chicks when he is older. Cause speaking in 'British' and with a British accent will help with that, right? Hey, it worked for Lee! We have already taught him to say he is a British boy, but apparently that isn't enough for Lee.

Today's lesson? Pop Goes The Weasel and the Hokey Pokey. Or, in British speak, the Hokey Cokey. We are still working on the latter, since I say you put your right hand in and shake it all about, and Lee thinks he should give his right hand a shake, shake, shake. This poor child is going to be so confused.

However, Finn now can recite:

Half a pound of tu'penny rice
Half a pound of treacle
That's the way the money goes
Pop goes the weasel

And now Finn walks around muttering tu'penny rice and treacle.

I am 34 and not entirely sure what either of those things mean, but hey, more power to him. He does have his eye on his little friend Addie, so maybe this will sway her his way!

What do you mean mama? Not everyone knows that treacle is like molasses?


But how will I get Addie to like me? Daddy says I have to have the accent to pick up the girls!


Okay, I will try out treacle and tu'penny rice at music class tomorrow. I think it will work!

22 Months

My Munchkie,

As it seems to happens these days the time has flown by and your 22 month 'birthday' last week came and went, and while your daddy and I both mentioned it we didn't take much time to dwell on it.

But today? Today I am dwelling on it. Somehow, over the past month, you have lost any bit of baby that you still had, and you are completely and utterly all little boy. My little boy. How did this happen? How did we not notice you were no longer a baby? We knew, of course, but you just seem so much more grown up now.

I am sure a lot of this has to do with how much you talk, something which most people who meet you seem to note within minutes. You no longer just say words, or even phrases, but you have moved on to sentences and have no fear using them. It is as if you realized you really get what you want when you ask, and ask is what you do. We are working on manners, and you definitely use the words please and thankyouwelcome all day long. I could sit and listen to you sing Twinkle Twinkle or Old McDonald forever. Today you started singing Baa Baa Black Sheep out of nowhere, and it is suddenly so clear that everything we say to you and around you? You listen, and take in, and, apparently, memorize. We are trying to get everything on video because I fear you will suddenly turn around and be 13 and want nothing to do with us anymore. Don't let that happen, okay?

You are such a daddy's boy right now, and there is pretty much no one else you would rather be with than him. He makes you laugh, he builds you incredible robots out of your stickle bricks, and he lets you dance on him. When I get you up the first thing you ask for is a car, the second is daddy. When he is upstairs in his office and you do something you want him to see you stand at the gate and yell 'Daddy! Come down!". I am pretty sure he stops whatever he is doing at that moment and comes down. Who wouldn't?

You seem to have no fear, and tackling the steps and flinging yourself down slides and climbing on the couch and doing just about everything is second nature to you. When you do manage to hurt yourself you run over and ask me to kiss it better. I realized the other day that someday I won't be able to kiss it better, and I hope you will forgive me for that. I will always try, and when you stop asking is the day my heart breaks just a little bit.

Christmas is just around the corner, which means some of your favorite people will be here, and there will be lots of presents to open. I am *pretty* certain Santa is bringing you your big train, little train, Percy train and Thomas train. I can't imagine you getting anything else, trains and cars take up 99% of your waking hours, and nothing would make you happier.

Our days are busy, and you are always on the go. But my favorite time of day is when I put you in your crib, and you ask me to rub your back and to hug you and give you one more noserub and one more kiss. I couldn't imagine anyone else I would rather spend my days with than you, Mr Booer Boo.

Love always,
Mama

Here Comes Santa

We took Finn today to see Santa. He was all excited, and kept saying how he would say 'Hi Santa! Big Train! Little train! Percy train! THOMAS TRAIN!'. And, as expected, he was all talk.

We showed up for our appointment (made back in October, what the heck is that all about?) and he was cool and collected, and as the 2 kids in front of us went, and screamed, he progressively got more clingy with Lee. By the time it was our turn Lee had to pry his arms away from his neck and set him in Santa's lap.

Where he sat, and stared. He stared at us, he stared at my parents, and after a few minutes he slowly turned his head and stared at Santa. And then looked away. And then looked again, saw a Christmas tree, and looked back at us. And stared some more.

Not a tear to be shed, not a sound to be made, the boy was frozen on the spot. It was really, really funny.

His favorite part? The candy cane he got at the end.

I have to add that despite what the pictures look like, he did actually have on a one piece with legs. Unfortunately the pictures make it look like he either had no pants on or a skirt, and neither is the case.

Video Tuesday

I haven't put up any videos in a while, so I figured why not? It is next to impossible to get Finn to do any of his 'tricks' or songs on videos, but I tried.

I have no idea why he is doing the weird things with his mouth and tongue he is doing, but here is a little recap of our day today and a shout out to everyone in our family.

And here he is discussing Santa...

Kisfas Tree!

We went and picked out our Christmas tree today, and the whole time Finn ran around the lot yelling 'Kisfas tree! Kisfas tree!' He then proceeded to find a $250 tree and say 'Finn's kisfas tree! Mama's kisfas tree! Dada's kisfas tree!' The guy working laughed and told me Finn was their kind of customer.

Sadly for him we did not, in fact, go for the $250 tree. We did get a beautiful tree that is 9 feet tall and will probably take us the next 19 days to decorate, not because of the size but because we keep having to tell Finn no, we don't touch the tree, and please stop pulling the lights. Our new fancy LED lights, which are oh so cool I have to say.

While he was excited about the trees in the lot he wasn't so sure when he got up from his 'nap' (and I use that word very loosely today) and saw it in the corner of the room. In fact, he just looked confused.

I knew he had warmed up when he told the Christmas tree good night before he went up to bed!