3 more days (yawn) to go

And we are so tired we can barely stand up :) But..... SCOTT GOT THE JOB! Hooray!

Christmas is right around the Corner!

But I still feel all ansty inside.  Scott is gone all night, working late, late shifts at the Five.  It's been so difficult these past years having him gone every single Christmas.  I think the only year that we've been together that he hasn't worked at Big 5 was our first year and that was a different sort of year since it was, well, our first.  The years after that, the ones that  we really wanted to be more involved in the holiday traditions with our family, as well as creating new ones for ourselves, he has always worked at Big 5 and had to work 6 days a week throughout December.  It leaves me to do all the decorating, shopping, planning, cooking etc.  I feel bad for both of us.  I think this year I'll throw us a mini-pity party ;)  Nope, just kidding.  It is hard though.  He feels bad that he doesn't get to help plan gifts and take part in decorating and I get upset that I have to do everything by myself.  Throw a new baby in the mix and things take on a rather emotional angle.  We have both really felt the toll of him leaving until almost midnight each day.  He usually goes while Rom is down for her nap and she wakes up asking, "Dada? Where Dada?"  It's enough to break your heart.  And then we're both exhausted from the late nights (him working, me waiting up to see him when he gets home) so our mornings are usually slow going; not cool for Rom either.

Okay, time to perk up!!!!

All our handmade Christmas gifts are finished.  We really endeavored to be a bit more crafty this year.  And Scott put in the extra effort to be involved with the making of a few special gifts (although I don't think anything can top his birdfeeders from a few years back, still waiting for mine ;).  I feel so blessed to have a family that appreciates these sorts of exchanges.  I hear horror stories from friends about other friends or family members who want a "storebought" Christmas and won't settle for less.  There's just something about those homemade gifts that really makes me smile.  And I love visiting my relatives houses and seeing the things we've made for each other over the years proudly displayed (sometimes in all their lopsided childhood handprinted glory).  I can't wait to see what nifty little crafts Romilly pulls out of her stocking this year. She's a special little girl in her ability to recognize a handmade trinket and latch on to it with an endearing smile and coo.  And I can't wait to see what she makes for us in the coming years as her abilities to create gifts herself manifests!  Okay, now I don't feel so pitiful.  I'm terribly excited for Christmas (especially now that some of the hardest parts are behind us, save a few more midnight shifts on Scott's part) and can't wait for Rom to visit with her Aunties and Uncles and Grandpa and Tutu and to meet her very special cousins Jen and Jay!  I can hardly wait four more days!

Four Days to Go!

Where has this month gone????

Elven Days and Counting!

Whew! Is it really only eleven days til Christmas?? It seems that so much has happened these last few weeks.  We got our tree last night (I swear it must have been the last tree in the Tri Cities!) and it's a whopper.  We had to call Grandpa E. to come haul it in his truck because we couldn't strap it to the Subie.  That's a first ;)  I can't wait to see Rom's face when she sees that tree stuck up in the corner of the living room for the next two weeks!  We'll post some pictures later.

Oh the joys of Toddler-hood.  I wonder some days if Romilly knows how much she has changed everything for us.  She is such a little wonder!  She copies everything we do (good and bad) and has her own style, even for one so young.

We are so excited for our first Toddler Christmas.  Although Rom's first Christmas was technically last year, this feels more like her first Christmas since she has so much more personality and involvement this go round.  "Santa" has a special place this year and he is bringing her a special toy kitchen (so we've heard through the grapevine ;) that will require a bit of assembly on our part.  We are really, really looking forward to sitting up late Christmas Eve after the Wee One is in bed and popping everything together as quietly as two little elves.  I'm certain that our tiredness will be forgotten as Romilly hops into the living room wide eyed with surprise Christmas morning!

We are also looking forward to our first Gluten-Free/Vegetarian Christmas Eve Dinner.  After some back and forth we settled on one of our favorite dishes; Sweet Potato Enchiladas, and have been denying ourselves the pleasure of eating them since October in preparation for Christmas Eve.  We also plan to try a few new recipes out of the Vegetarian Times Magazines we've collected and are collaborating with our similarly GF/Veg relatives to create a feast!  Mmmm....I can't wait, I'm hungry just thinking about it!

Rom and I have been busy working on Christmas Crafts as well as compiling our dinner menu.  She has been a very big helper and I have been teaching her about Elmer's glue, stickers (which she loves anyway) craft paper and paints.  She has helped me to make gift tags, glued some critical gluings and been my "assistant" on some key projects.  I've always wanted a little elf at Christmas time ;) Our projects are nearly finished but it seems that every year I find myself busy right up through Christmas Morning; let's see if I can get around that this year!

Little Birds in My Garden

Here are some shots of my Birdy Friends of late.  They are spending a lot of time in the garden and around the house.  There have been finches, doves and lately some black-capped chickadees.  I'm hoping that we can get them to stick around until spring and make a more permanent home near Rom's window...

Memories

"I have memories-but only a fool stores his past in the future."~David Gerrold

It seems that right now there is a lot of focus on the past.  Everywhere I turn there is talk of tradition and memories of holidays gone by.  I can't help but wonder why? Why do we cling so tightly to the things that happened days, months even years ago as though those things mean more than the things that are happening right now, under our very noses?

Living in the present has been especially difficult to accomplish this Christmas Season.  My heart's desire is to begin new traditions with our little one but it seems that around me my loved ones cling to the old and are frightened of ushering in any new traditions or making new memories.  It is as though there is the fear that by creating these new memories,we will somehow be diminishing or tarnishing the old.  It frightens me to think that instead of cherishing the opportunities to make new lasting memories they are willing to live completely in the past; replaying past holidays over and over in an attempt to recapture some of those lost childhood memories instead of taking the risk involved with living in the present.

I'm not sure how to reconcile my heartfelt desire to live in the present with my loved ones expressed desire to continue on representing the past.  It seems as though we may always reach a stalemate and I feel that the only person that will lose in the long run is our little Rom.  I'm so saddened by this.  So, to memories.  I will cling to my beautiful memories but I recognize that without diligently pushing forward into the future I can never hope to make any new memories to carry me through when this amazing present becomes my magnificent past.