boondocks boulevard: Embracing the Season

It's busy 'round here! But we're doing our best not to let this time pass us by too quickly. It's such a wonderful, warm, fuzzy time of year. But it sure seems like Christmas creeped up on us rather quickly. I think it was because Thanksgiving came so late this year. Anyhow, we are indulging in warm beverages, loving every Christmas card that comes in the mail, and if it's up to me...we are also listening to Christmas carols. I suppose we should take Gavin to see the mall Santa? I don't really like crowds, but how could we NOT get that picture every year?

Dylan is scheduled to fly every day till after the new year, except for tomorrow, Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year's Eve. And because they happen to fall on my days off already, I have these days off too (except tomorrow)! It's tough not having D around, but not all of his trips are overnights, and I'm just thankful he's here for the important days. Because of all this busy-ness, we have found ourselves in a bit of a childcare pickle. I have to spend a weekend counting thousands upon thousands of capsules for yearly inventory just after Christmas, and so we've hired a teenager to hang with G. Is this crazy? I don't know many others who have left their little babies with a teenager lately, but I think this was a common practice when we were all little, and we all survived. Plus, she's a trusted neighbor who has many-a-time taken good care of our other beloved family members...Joe and Ramona. I know Gavin isn't a dog, but I think it will be good for him, us, and our teenage friend!

On top of the inventory-babysitting situation, we are also dealing with buying a new (used) car, selling a car...and the other car just got out of the shop after some extensive work, which, for the price of several mortgage payments, had better get us to 150,000 miles on ol' Vic. Also, we had to return a 7-ton coffee table to the Crate and Barrel warehouse in Tempe because the POS was chipping. Then there's Christmas shopping, Christmas parties, and Gavin's chiropractic and doctor appointments. Can you believe he'll be 4 months old on Christmas Eve? Lucky for me, I'll be at the J-O-B so I won't have to witness the torture that is a baby receiving vaccines. Thank goodness for my cool, calm, and collected husband. He'll be bringing with him my long list of questions for the doctor in my perfectly prepared diaper bag. (Type A much?)

So things are really good. We're keeping up with life, and so far our heads are not spinning. Speaking of heads, we have a serious grooming situation going on in our house. Neither the dogs nor myself have received a haircut since August. It's really terrible for all parties involved. Here's to hoping we can remedy that situation after the new year!

And my last little tidbit is this...I made a quick trip out for a class at the gym early this morning before Dylan had to head to the airport, and I got home and walked in to find him wearing Gavin in the Baby Bjorn and unloading the dishwasher. I don't know why this sight delighted me so much. Probably because G isn't big enough for the Ergo and he hates it, and I haven't had much luck with the Moby Wrap either. Despite the negative things I hear about what the Bjorn does to babys' hips, I say G is happy and we're happy, so we're going to ride the Bjorn wave for now. When Dylan had to hand G off to me, I strapped him right onto my body, fixed something to eat, folded my laundry, and knocked about five things off my to-do list. Then I took him off my body and had the easiest time ever putting him down for a nap. And now I'm almost caught up and our young man is still fast asleep. This more than makes up for the terrible night of sleep he treated us to last night! And also the incredible diaper blow-out yesterday that forced me to change his diaper and entire outfit in the trunk of the little red car in the Target parking lot yesterday. The poo...it was everywhere. I'll spare you the photographic evidence...I did not provide this same courtesy to Dylan or my mom, however.