Christmas 2008

It was truly a wonderful Christmas. It was our first year as a family of four, and I feel blessed beyond measure when I think back now. It didn't get off to a flawless start, however, when Coley got an ear infection the Sunday before. Three days of scary high fevers, sleepless nights, and needy cries made things a little tough. But I know that it is just part of the parenthood journey. My children manage to find inconvenient times to fall ill. Last year, when Chris went to Orlando and the ice storm hit, Mia got really sick with a bad virus. With no power at our house or the doctor's office, we just toughed it out. Oh yeah, and I was 8 months pregnant with Coley too. So, when Cole got sick and we had to take him in on Christmas Eve Eve, I was not surprised to find the after-hours clinic closed for the Holiday a day early, and we ended up in the ER. The doctor reassured us that he did not have pneumonia (which was a fear of our pediatrician's, and why we took him in that night), and we went home. But, I digress. This was my post about Christmas!

This year, our church had a Christmas Eve experience, and we were so happy to get to attend. That was after a frenzied morning of cooking for dinner and wrapping presents, and it was a much needed time of re-focusing on the true meaning of Christmas. Christmas Eve is traditionally spent at Momo's house.

Kenny, Alyssa, Ana, Helen, and my Dad all joined the four of us and Momo. We ate a delicious dinner of smoked turkey (Chris had to go to her house at 3 am to get it started - and it was worth it!) and ham...plus a bunch of other great items. Then, after the dishes were cleaned, we started into the presents!


The highlights for us:
Chris - his helicopter from Brookstone - he and Kenny flew it all over the place, even hitting Ana in the eye

Mia - her Princess tent from my dad
Cole - his ride on/push train from Momo
Me - my new purse from Momo
After all of that plus dessert, we headed home...for Santa had a busy night ahead of him! We left Santa cookies and chocolate milk (according to Ruby from "Max and Ruby," chocolate milk is his favorite) and we left the reindeer food on the front lawn. We put the kids to bed, and Cole stayed in his long enough to let us fix the breakfast for the morning, assemble his train table and train, and wrap all the presents for the kids and each other. Of course, we got into bed at 1:15, and he was awake at 1:30 - still with a fever, and still really fussy. We brought him down with us and slept off and on until about 8:00.

Christmas morning was so wonderful! Mia was SO EXCITED to see if Santa had come. All she wanted was a singing Sleeping Beauty doll, and her little face was so thrilled to see it sitting there on the fire place. We opened all our presents and ate breakfast pizza. My parents came by for a brief time, and we spent the day playing and playing and playing.
The highlights for us:
Chris - I think it was his thin wallet
Mia - the singing Sleeping Beauty, of course - with the princess dress-up shoes a close second place
Coley - his dump truck - he will have to grow into the train table
Me - my earrings from New York - Chris had Megan pick them up for me when she was there :)
That evening, we went to Faye's house to see Tim, Jenn, and Sarah. It was a great day and a great evening. Even better, Cole slept all night in his bed (although not without an hour and a half of crying first - me going up every 15 minutes or so). Since he was finally fever-free, we knew he just had to tough it out.

The next day brought our third Christmas celebration. The Poseys all came over and we opened presents with them.

Cole slept through the opening ceremony, and awakened just in time for lunch of smoked pork tenderloin. Then, he had his own present-opening time.


The highlights for us:
Chris - I am guessing his gift cards
Mia - her Sleeping Beauty barbie
Coley - his much-needed clothes
Me - my gift cards, of course

After all of that was over, all four of us rested for quite awhile. It was an exhausting three days, and we needed some down-time.

All in all, this Christmas has been the best one I have ever had. Mia is at the age where everything is so exciting, and just having Coley here makes it feel complete. I know that this post is lengthy, but it is more for me and my memory. Sorry if I bored anyone! :) I just know that Christmas is supposed to be a time of togetherness and worship for our wonderful God. This year, it was exactly that for the Posey family. I hope that yours was just as remarkable.

Freedom...and Boredom

So, we have officially had our first day out of school due to snow/ice. And I was really excited about it this morning. Until I realized that I still was up at the same time (11 month olds do not exactly go back to bed just because it is a possibility)...and that Chris still had to go to work...and that I would probably be home-bound all day. Don't get me wrong, I have been rather productive (laundry, dishes, more laundry, etc.), but I get a little crazy just being at home. It reminds me of the first month or so of both kids' lives. We stuck to the house, since it was the middle of winter and RSV season, and I just felt cooped up and anxious. Today, I have so much I need to do, like Christmas shopping, and it is like my body knows that I need to be doing things so it leaves me feeling uncomfortable. Anyhow, I think I would be much less moody if Chris were here. But he, like most other people, still had to work today. Boo.

On a positive note, however, the weekend trip went well for Daddy and the kiddos. I got home on Saturday night, and both kids were in bed fast asleep. And it was wonderful to spend some time with friends and away from the house.

Right now, Cole is asleep in his bed for his second nap today. Mia, on the other hand, is throwing a fit in her room. She is still required to "rest" most days for at least an hour. It lasted about 5 minutes before she started yelling for me. Thankfully, Coley sleeps through her yelling. She will remain up there for the entire time regardless, so I may just go into the bedroom, shut the door, and fold laundry.

Oh, and a few more random things. Recently, I asked Mia what she wanted to be when she grew up. I knew that she might not even have a concept of the idea, but I wanted to see what she'd say. Her reply? A gingerbread man! :) HAHAHA! And for the record, I love the Oxford comma. You know, the one that is used in lists before the and. Reading sentences without it makes me feel weird, and even though it is grammatically acceptable, I don't like it.

That's all from the Posey household for now. On to fold some of that glorious laundry.

A Momma's Boy He Is

Well, here I am! I know that you have missed me, and I have missed you too! I have been reading, but not writing lately. I have been formulating blog posts in my head, but not taking the time to put them down. Anyhow, I am now.

Coley is a Momma's boy. I have always heard about the special relationship between mothers and sons. And I believe it now! I am sure that my working at the preschool has much to do with it. The fact that I am in there with him all the time (when he cries or eats, or when he won't sleep, or when I want to see him) probably also contributes to it. I often carry him on my hip, making copies or delivering things to classrooms. Most of the kids know him (although some can't get his name quite right..."Cool" is what one little girl call him), and he is happy to be my helper. He is truly a joy, and seeing his little not-so-toothless smile (4 teeth now) makes me happy in ways I never knew.

But having a Momma's boy comes with some strings. I can't miss bedtime. He will not go to sleep with a bottle. He also will not (usually) calm down in the middle of the night for anyone but me. Dinners out (I have only had two, I think, since he was born) are often ended abruptly, with my having to return home to feed him and put him to bed. And I don't mind it all in the grand scheme of things - it was my choice to be a nursing mom. But there are times when a glass of wine and an adult dinner with my husband would be awfully nice.

And all of this makes my over-night trip to Oklahoma City this weekend a little more than nerve-wracking. I may come home to a sleep-deprived husband and a son who has not slept or eaten in 24 hours. It should be really fun!