Conquering the Cold!

It is no secret that I hate winter!  I always have.  But, now that I have an energetic little boy cooped up in the house, I've come to despise winter even more.  With the exception of a short trip to the playground on the only bearable day last week, we've been huddling up at home...avoiding the cold.  I'm afraid I'll have to face it tomorrow though.  It's calling for 3-4 inches of snow this evening and I know someone will not take no for an answer when it comes to getting out and playing in it.  Here are some pictures of things we do to conquer the cold!

Our rice box. 

So far the time he spends playing with it each day is still longer than the time it takes me to whip out the dust buster at night.  Totally worth it...once that changes though...maybe not.

Indoor play at Pump It Up!  We'll definitely be going back again!!!  The child LOVED it!  The only downside...it only lasts an hour and forty-five minutes.

 And nothing warms you up on a cold day like a little "knights of Dragonland"

I hate the cold, but I love being able to spend the days with my boy.

**In other news...we have decided to switch from our adoption agency's waiting list for girls to the waiting list for boys.  A referral is fast approaching folks!  Our social worker thinks we will be matched quickly.  Ahhh! (I have that 'holy crap' feeling that I had the night before I was scheduled to be induced with C...it's about to get real people!)

West Virginia-We made it!

After having to cancel our trip the first time due to various illnesses.  Blah!  We managed to squeeze in a quick visit to my sister's before hubby had to leave home again.  I had a crochet class until 9 on Thursday night, so we jumped in the car after that and made the drive.  It was great!  That is the way to road trip people!  Kid asleep in the back after 20 minutes on the road.  Hubby may not agree though since he was the one who had to stay awake and drive us while I had the luxury of nodding off.  We got in a little after midnight and got straight into bed.  Then we had all day Friday and half a day Saturday to hang out.

Hitting up the new diner in town.

 Christmas present from Aunt Net!

 It's the Dust Bunny book!  These two have quite the history with this book.  The first time we checked it out from the library my sister was in town.  C asked his aunt to read it to him every night at bedtime and we could hear his giggles coming from the bedroom.  Apparently, Aunt Net does the best dust bunny voices. ;)

 After the boys' bath on Friday night we headed up the street to check out the crazy Christmas house!  I can't believe how many lights/decorations they had.  We are talking thousands of dollars worth!!!  But, it was really neat.

 Little B was supposed to be in this picture with the dancing Santa.  But, before I got the shot he had already made it back into his mama's arms.  The moment she set him down he started screaming and running away!

 Poor baby :(

 We had a great visit, even if it was too short!  My sister had a to-do list for hubby.  She now has functioning porch lights and a working ceiling fan.  It was fun to see the boys actually interact a little bit this time.  C had the best time pinning his little cousin down and blowing raspberries on his belly.  B thought it was pretty funny too!

Fun times, few words

The day after Christmas we encouraged C to go through his toys and choose some to donate. 

 He was quite precious, picking up a toy and holding it close while he pondered his decision.  The few he parted with received goodbye hugs.  And as he held each one close he whispered, "I will really miss you" before tossing it into the box.  We ended up with three piles, keep, donate, and save for baby sister.  According to C, baby sister is going to be quite the tomboy.  I made this assumption after surveying the footballs and tractors left in her pile.

 I knew a family growing up that instead of getting presents for Christmas, they would do something together instead.  I love the idea of making memories rather than accumulating stuff.  Plus, it helps that C has two sets of grandparents that just can't help themselves in the gift giving department. ;)  So, we have decided that stockings will be our "thing" accompanied by a fun experience.  This year I surprised hubby and C with tickets to the Harlem Globetrotters!

 We all had a lot of fun!

 C was very intrigued.  He didn't get restless until the 4th period.  At which point we decided to go ahead and leave before we reached meltdown point.  We beat the traffic out of the parking garage and headed to our hotel for some swimming in the indoor pool.

 He got a Batman camera in his stocking and was excited to use it at the game.  Although, as you can see, he took few pictures of the actual game.

 They were selling basketballs at halftime down on the court.  He was so excited walking down to get one with Daddy.  He spent most of the night in our hotel showing us all his cool tricks. :)  We are doing the clinic basketball here on base.  We actually start this week and I have a feeling he's going to be a little disappointed that they won't be teaching him how to spin the ball on his finger and shoot a half-court shot from his knees...backwards.

 The next day we took advantage of already being in Baltimore and headed to the children's museum.

 This time Daddy got to experience the drain pipe!  Man, my little boy has changed since the last time we were here.

Enjoying our fake food picnic.

 Finally, a keeper!

 They had a little circus trick demo.  He didn't have a lot of luck with juggling or balancing a feather on his hand...but he could've stood on that ball all day.  The guy even commented on how good his balance was.  Maybe we've got a future gymnast on our hands.  I'd love to get him involved in classes.  But, then I always think about how one day my mom had to leave my hysterical brother in the car outside his gymnastics studio while she went in and told them they were obviously done with classes because her kid refused to come in.  I think it was rope-climbing day.  Hmm...maybe we'll hold off on that for now.  Let's just see how basketball goes.

Christmas 2010

I had planned on posting about our Christmas right after it happened.  Reliving the joy of the day.  Writing about the sheer excitement C had when he saw all his gifts under the tree.  Feeling a little bit self-satisfied as I shared how he was so pleased with everything and more grateful than you'd ever expect a four year old to be.  (Due in huge part to how much time I'd spent sharing with him the reason we celebrate Christmas and how it's NOT about getting presents)  How the hubs and I cuddled on the couch sipping hot cocoa while watching our boy quietly play with all his new treasures.  Ha!  Hahahaha.  My idyllic Christmas morning blew up in my face the moment C opened his first gift and cried in the best nasal whine he could muster, "Awwww, but I wanted a big Batman set."  The whining turned to screaming and crying as he trudged up to his room.  He was allowed to come back downstairs when he had calmed down...to try again.  He finishes unwrapping his gift, revealing his new Batman rocking chair and says, "Awww, but I wanted a Batman couch or something."  Are you kidding me?!?  'Bedroom time' take two.  During this bout of screaming hubby and I exchanged our stockings.  When C came back down this time we told him that we were going to go ahead and eat breakfast.  "What about my presents?"  Well, we'll see what kind of choices you make during breakfast and then hopefully we can try again.  Repeat screaming and bedroom time.  We did finally have breakfast and C was finally able to open his gifts with an attitude that was acceptable.  Sigh.  What a failure I felt like.  I so badly wanted C to "get it" this year.  I wanted him to hear the wonder in the Christmas story.  To find joy in giving.  To realize how fortunate we are.  To be grateful.  Ok, so putting it in writing makes it seem like a pretty tall order for a four year old.  And it probably was.  But, at the very least I would have liked to have made it through Christmas morning without my child acting like a spoiled brat.  Later as I baked our traditional Christmas cookies all by myself C pretended to be Batman while webcamming with hubby's family.  His great-grandpa asked him who taught him how to fly.  And he looked up at me and pointed, "My mom, Batwoman."  Heck yeah I did.  I've taught that kid almost everything he knows.  Yeah, our day kind of sucked.  It didn't go as planned.  It was honestly pretty disappointing.  But, you know what?  God still sent His Son to save us.  And if I can teach my kid to fly, surely I can teach him that too.

Christmas Eve

Hubby and I opened our gifts after C was in bed.  We thought it would be better to do then instead of try to do it Christmas morning.  Little did we know what a great decision we made. ;)  Hubby loved his superhero "wrappie"  (the masculine version of a snuggie!) that my mom sent.  "This will be so great for playing video games!"

There's nothing sexier than a man in a snuggie....excuse me wrappie.

The fun begins...

...the fun continues...

...finally some smiles. :)

And more smiles...but these are fake.

At least his is.

Oh, wait there's a good one!  He does want to wear our matching Christmas aprons and bake cookies with me.  Or we just threatened to take away his new Batman toy if he didn't take a nice picture with Mommy.  Worked like a charm.

I got two super cute aprons from my Mom!  I figured I could change to finish up the baking... 

...He did!

And that was our Christmas 2010.  Not one that will probably be recalled with a ton of fondness.  But, it was ours nonetheless.  Ours to learn from and ours to cherish.  Because we are incredibly blessed.  And I'm not gonna let a little Christmas tantrum-throwing make me forget it!