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December 16, 2002
December 16, 2002
Collin is 17 months old.
***My dirty little secret***
Good Grief! I’m dead serious when I say I’m dangerous to a box of Queen Anne or Cello chocolate covered cherries! They don’t stand a chance in my house! It’s this time of year where box after box are placed neatly on the shelves of our local Wal-Mart, Target, Shopko, K-mart, you-name-it discount store and then priced at a I-can’t-resist $.97. Mark was generous and once purchased me a box of fine Russell Stover chocolate covered cherries. While I did eat them, I think it took me a good two weeks to finish them off. I just don’t like them. I’d much rather have the cheap one’s with the liquid goopy centers. While out Christmas shopping a few weeks ago, it only seemed right and festive that I throw a box into the cart to save for a “treat”. Forget the treat! I ate the WHOLE box that first day while wrapping gifts. That night I felt so guilty I was digging the box (after I hid it so Mark wouldn’t find out my dirty little secret) out of the garbage and scanning the nutritional label for the numbers to how much fat I had added to my body. It wasn’t as bad as I thought but I was so embarrassed that I downed the box without so much as a breath in between each yummy drop of chocolate. I start off reserved and nice, just grabbing one or two pieces. Then I go back for another one or two (on my way to the refrigerator to grab a cold glass of milk to wash down the chocolate), then two or three (I mean, I might as well, I already have the milk, right?), and then I figure that since there are only two left in the tray, I’d better just finish them off. It’s hopeless! (grin) Then I let a week go by and my guilt soon subsided. Two days ago I, once again, brought a box home so both Mark and I could enjoy them. Within two days we had gulped them down. Of course I ate probably ¾ of them myself. I don’t know if it’s the small size of them that makes me think they don’t “count” or just the truth that I can’t resist them. Whatever it is, it’s going to get pretty ugly around here if I don’t stop tossing a box in my grocery cart every time I go shopping! All I have to say is THANK GOODNESS these are only out during the Christmas season. When it comes to chocolate covered cherries, I swear, I’m like an addict looking for their crack pipe! (laugh) Please tell me there are other cheap chocolate covered cherry addicts out there?!
***Holiday happenings***
We are ready and waiting for Christmas. All the packages have been purchased and wrapped for weeks, the tree looks beautiful in its warm glow, and the stockings have been hung and stuffed. I guess we do have one thing left to do – send out our Christmas cards. I plan on doing that early this week so they are delivered later this week. We’ve been really trying to enjoy the season this year instead of fretting over money, gift giving, and all the commercialism that goes along with the holiday season. This is one reason why we saved and shopped really early. That way we wouldn’t be left on the 23rd of December with many gifts left to buy, no ideas and no money. It’s really sad to me that society focuses so much on the money aspect of Christmas. I know that present giving and receiving are a part of Christmas (and I do love it!) but we also try to (and plan on) focus a lot on other traditions. In November I went back to the “paint your own pottery” place (the same place I made Collin’s birthday cake plate) and made a Santa’s Cookie plate just for Collin. I want it to be something special (well, I guess until one day Collin figures out there really is no Santa) that we can do together each Christmas Eve. Letting Collin choose and help bake just the right cookies for Santa will allow some nice family bonding time and goofy holiday fun. I plan on letting him fill the plate himself and letting him be the one “in charge” of the cookies. Once he gets older I will probably let him have the plate to use for his own children. I painted the rim dark blue and painted the words “Cookies for Santa” in child-like handwriting. Then in the center I painted a Santa Claus. I then added snowflakes and dots all around the plate in different colors. I’m quite pleased how it turned out and I think that Collin will look forward to digging it out each holiday season.
Another tradition I plan on starting this year is letting Collin make a birthday cake (Jesus cake) for Jesus. Do any of you readers do this or heard of others doing this? My girlfriend who works at a bakery said they get tons of orders every year for these cakes. It’s exactly what it sounds like – a cake to celebrate the birth of Jesus! I thought it was the neatest idea. I plan on allowing Collin to help mix up the cake and decorate it. Then we can talk about Jesus and how Christmas is really about his birth. Then on Christmas day we’ll take the cake with us to the in-laws and enjoy it for dessert. I really think this is something Collin will love and look forward to each year (as well as us) and it will make me happy that we can talk about the reasons behind Christmas without only focusing on the gift part while still making it “fun.”
Collin has still been perfect about not unwrapping any of the gifts under the tree or messing too much with any of the ornaments. He has is favorites that he likes to walk up and admire with maybe a little touch with his index finger but he never takes any off. He did, however, take his play hammer over to the tree yesterday and start whacking away at it (because I was using the real hammer on something (not the tree!) and I guess he figured he was helping out. He soon realized that wasn’t a good thing to do. I guess he figured that one out by the screeches that came from my voice box.
***Vacation time and family fun***
Mark has the whole week off of work and we are already loving it. How else would I be typing out an entry this early in the week (ha ha!). We have plans tonight to go down to the Old Market area (a beautifully restored old market/shop like part of downtown) to check out the massive light display. We have a beautiful park and pond downtown called “Central Park” that they light up with thousands of lights, animated lighted animals, and decorated trees each year. Last year Collin was too young (5 months) so this year we are very excited to take him. He’s really into ooooing and ahhhing over Christmas lights, decorations and trees so we know he will really love it. We plan on taking the stroller and lots of cozy blankets and just having a nice time strolling through the park enjoying the carols and lights. We have plans to also stop at a great little coffee place near the park that has rich frothy hot cocoa.
Wednesday we are going to another fun holiday display just 30 minutes outside of town called “Winter Wonderland.” Its an indoor wonderland with hundreds of decorated trees, light displays, a decorated forest with floating bubbles, and lots of kids friendly activities. We’ve heard great things about this place and have seen it on the news. They have several areas that are decorated by color and it looks so neat and festive. They also have things like hot apple cider and hot chocolate.
***Collin***
Enough talk of the holiday’s for now…What’s Collin been doing? Well, what HASN’T Collin been doing? He’s certainly a little boy now and loves to rough house and jump around. He runs down the hall and chases the cats (along with kissing, hugging and cuddling them too) and loves his trucks and cars. He’s talking all over the place, asking for things and understands questions and commands. He’s even now cleaning up his toy area when I ask him to please clean up! He also knows when it’s time to eat when I ask him to please bring in his sippy cup to the kitchen. He’ll grab his cup, come to the kitchen, hand me the cup and say, “mama”, and then run over to his high chair. He’s really into pretending and loves to take his cars and run them along the carpet and make car noises and “Vroom-Vroom” noises. Last week he took one of his cars and ran it up and down my hair making all kinds of funny motor noises. I was cracking up!
Last week I was on the phone with one of my friends and was listening to her tell me a story. Collin was on the floor quietly “reading” his books. I heard my friend say something that I totally agreed with so I very dramatically exclaimed, “I knooooow!” Collin looked up at me, smiled and in the same dramatic tone, exclaimed, “I knooooow!” Funny funny kid I tell ya! Since then he’ll walk around yelling, “I knooooow.” I’ll hear him in his crib babbling to himself and saying “I knoooow” like he too is having a phone conversation. He’ll even change the inflection and say, “Iiiiiii know!” It sounds like he’s on the phone on some type of business call. (Business partner calls) “Yes, Mr. Collin? I wanted to call to give you the fabulous news that our diaper stock raised 50 pts! Isn’t that great news?” (Collin replies) “ I knooooowww!”
What comes behind “I know?” How about “I don’t know and I know you know.” Two days ago Collin said something to Mark and Mark said back, “I don’t know.” So now Collin is using that along with I know you know. Surprisingly, he’s using them correctly (most of the time). I’ll ask him a question and he’ll say, “I don’t know.” Then other times I’ll say something to him and he’ll reply, “I know you know.” As **if** mom! HA HA HA. It gets confusing around here with all the “no-no,” “I know,” “I don’t know,” and I know you knows.” Are you confused now? (smile)
This is getting long and I have lots to do today so enough for now! I’ll write again before Christmas but have a safe and peaceful week and try not to get too wrapped up in the wrong reasons behind Christmas! Enjoy the season and be Merry!
Until next time…
Hugs,
Jennifer & Collin
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