Its beginning to look a lot like...

I am so flipping excited for Christmas this year!!
I think its a combination of: Kai, being home, everyone coming into town, feeling close w/ family, etc. Its been a roller coaster of a year, emotionally speaking, so I'm also excited that things are winding down. I have a feeling its going to be a long winter, that January and February are going to inspire cabin fever. We will have to actively nip that in the bud (Silk, I'm talking to you here).

Our tree is up, and tho it is small, it is bright. We have almost all of our presents bought! Yeah! I'm about to embark on a wrapping fury, it is also one of my favorite things to do. Who knew?

Well, nap time is almost over...I guess there was no real point to this blog post, other than to share our excitement about christmas, and of course, keep the blogging momentum going :)

To add insult to injury...

My darling son is not a good eater. He fusses, he flails, he gets distracted. I feel I have to trick him into eating. Like, here, son, here is the best thing in the world for you!, so eat it!

Nursing times at my house are quite a sight to see, I'm sure. If I don't catch him right when he wakes up from a nap (an optimal time to nurse, as he is groggy and doesn't know what the hell is going on and by the time he does, he's full), I have a whole bag of tricks to employ.

Sometimes I sing. Sometimes I shushhhhh right into his ear. Sometimes I rock. Recently I've started walking while nursing. I truly, in my heart and mind, did not believe I would be able to do this...walking while a baby latches on to a most delicate area? A baby described by one lactation consultant as a "barracuda", no less, which is an accurate description.

Yet no matter what trick I use, he just does not settle in for those oft-spoke of long and sweet and quiet and cuddly nursing sessions where mom and babe bond so nicely. At least the last month has proved that the pain of nursing does pass, and I prefer not to think about why (two words: tough nipples), and I was hoping that this whole business of nursing would get a lot easier. You know, just plop into my chair w/ my laptop and surf the net while he nourishes himself. This is not the case.

But I can deal with most of this. Yesterday, however, he demonstrated to me that he has a new trick, a new reason for me to dread each time we start the process of feeding him: my sweet baby now knows how to PINCH, and he likes to demonstrate the strength of his fingers by PINCHING ME VERY SHARPLY, repeatedly, during nursing sessions. All while I'm trying to keep his other flailing limbs from striking me, sometimes while I'm walking, or singing, or otherwise trying to distract him.

I swear, the first time I spot a tooth, this is soooooooo over.

In 5 Short Years...

I've been close to tears for much of today, for a myriad of reasons, all boiling down to: life is NOT fair, and it won't be fair, and at some point, I'll have to deal with it.

However, that is not what this blog post is about. Its about the thought that did bring me to actual tears, many of them. I saw an article today on cleveland dot com, discussing the state's idea of requiring day long kindergarten for all kids starting next year. No commentary on that right now either. Though I do have an opinion.

Anyway, while reading the article, it struck me that little T.J. (Taj Jr.) will one day have to go to kindergarten, and in my mind, I could see his little face and his little self sitting in a classroom, with a big smile and let the waterworks begin. I know its many years off. But time has come to have new meaning since I've had a child. Time is fickle; it is fast, it is fleeting, yet the days are so long and lonely. And it actually pains me to think about my baby, who is just a baby, growing up!
I know that I'm at the beginning of a long road and still on shaky ground, not knowing what will come next.