2008 in Review

This has been a momentous year for me in a lot of ways. When I look back, I can hardly believe where I was a year ago today. Here are some highlights from my year:

January---I found out I was having a boy. I flew home to Dallas and went on a little baby shopping spree.

February--My husband and I took a babymoon down the California coast from Monterey to San Simeon.

March/April--I was lucky enough to get TWO baby showers. So much fun!

May--I had my baby on May 18 and turned 33 on May 25.

June--Almost lost my mind from lack of sleep and challenges with breastfeeding

July--Celebrated my second wedding anniversary

August--Prepared to go back to work and started my duties as a board member with the Junior League

September--Started life as a full-time working mom

October--Dressed Aidan up as a cowboy for Halloween

November--I watched a candidate I believe in win the election and started feeding baby solids at Thanksgiving

December--Looked back on an amazing year full of great challenges and great joy

Here are a few things I learned:

1) I wasn't sure if I would enjoy being a mom---I love it.

2) I discovered that I am strong enough to give birth to a baby.

3) I had to face the fact that I cannot be all things to all the people in my life and that I don't not have the power to make everyone happy.

4) Being a full-time working mom is harder than I thought it would be. I long to work part-time.

5) I am grateful for health insurance. I am even more grateful for a healthy family.

6) I am truly truly blessed.


I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!!!

I will see you in 2009!!!!

Seven Months and Ready for Santa

Couldn't Resist the Cuteness!

I was wandering around the mall last night after picking up the latest round of Make-a-Wish Santa letters at Macy's and I found this adorable outfit at Gymboree. I couldn't resist. How cute will my baby look in this? Maybe I'll pop him in it for his eight-month photo. (his seven month photo will be in two days!!!)

I'm almost done with the teddy bear that I knitted Aidan for Christmas. It just needs a face. I promise to post a photo when I'm done. Hope you are all having a lovely holiday season!!!

Carved Santas

There used to be a store in Dallas filled with crafts made by senior citizens. My mom and I loved shopping there because you could find truly unique gifts and the money benefited local seniors. Every year, we would stock up on handmade Christmas ornaments and we would especially look for carvings by Tom Blount. We picked up at least one Santa by him every year. Eventually, he was no longer able to carve so I feel very lucky that I have so many of them. They are all signed and dated. A few of my Santas are TEXAS Santas and I even have a Mexican Santa! Enjoy!

Ornament Exchange

I recently received an invitation to a holiday ornament exchange. I'm very excited to go. Evidently, it is similar to a White Elephant Gift Exchange but instead you bring nice/unusual ornaments and people can "steal" from each other as they get unwrapped. I'm interested to see how it goes.

We've added quite a few new ornaments to our tree this year. We have a lovely gift store in town and they decked out there shop with lots of Christmas trees filled with ornaments. Aidan loves looking at all the trees and lights. My mother took him into the shop and let him "pick" some new ornaments for the tree. When we decorated the house on Black Friday, she presented us with the ornaments. They are all lovely. I love laying on the floor with Aidan in front of the tree and seeing him look at all of the lights and ornaments. If I'm lucky, I get about three hours a day with my baby and they are very precious hours indeed.

I have decided I need to get a photo of some of the decorations in my house and post it here. I have a great collection of carved wooden Santas that I'd love to share. We'll see if I can get organized.

Hope your holidays are wonderful so far!!!

Grinch or Elf?

I have been really upset ever since reports came in about the poor Walmart employee who was killed last Friday trying to protect a pregnant woman. I do not participate in Black Friday nor will I ever if I can avoid it. There is something really wrong about a country facing an economic recession where people actually kill each other for a flat-screen tv. We are sending a message to the world now that material things are more important than human life. It is so awful I can barely think about it.

However...

I picked up my first batch of Santa Letters for the Make-a-Wish Foundation yesterday. For every letter to Santa that Macy's receives, they will donate $1 to the Make-a-Wish Foundation. As I counted the letters, I read a few of them and I could barely stop the tears. Along with the typical requests for toys and bikes, I found messages of love and hope and even a few of desperation. "Please let my Dad find a job." "Please reunite me with my estranged wife." "Please help us find a home so we can leave the shelter." "Nothing for me Santa. Just comfort those in need." It was just the shot in the arm that I needed. It was a reminder that we all need Santa no matter how old we are. That people still want to believe in something pure where a man gives joy and gifts to people expecting nothing in return. So, although I may feel a bit Grinchy at times, I still have hope this holiday season. And I think playing elf with these Santa letters will help me maintain it.

Here's wishing you peace and joy this holiday season...

Thankful