New Years
02 Jan 2007 Leave a Comment
in Friends, Holidays, TV Shows
Every year at the New Year I stress over finding the “right” party or getting together with the “right” people. This year I really wasn’t concerned about finding the right place or people to celebrate with. I don’t know if it was because I had just gotten back from an awesome vacation to Texas and I was too tired to care, or if I just really didn’t care.
During the day on New Year’s Eve while I was talking to Kristin about our plans and coming up with nothing, really. I knew enough that had I been alone that night I would have really not been happy, but if I was only with one or two people, that was fine too. I really wasn’t in the mood for anything huge with lots of people. I ended up opening up my apartement to folks to hang out. It was really low key and it was great! A couple friends came over and hung out. We watched the ball drop, talked and reminissed, and watched the New Year’s episode of Friends (The one with the routine). It was one of the best New Year’s Eves I’ve had in a while. I didn’t have to ‘put on airs’ or act like anything, but myself. And the best part of it all, I didn’t have to drive home at the end of the night. So I wanted to say thanks to those who helped me celebrate…it was a great time!
My Christmas Vacation & The Baby Game
27 Dec 2006 Leave a Comment
This is the first year ever in my life that I have spent Christmas not in Canton…and surprisingly enough it still felt like Christmas! We had a great time with Courtney’s family here in Houston. They have made every effort to make us feel welcome and a part of their family. Mom and dad really feel like another set of Grandparents/Aunt and Uncle and I have felt much like another cousin (in the whole family). In fact Courtney’s cousin, Blythe, and I have gotten along great. We had a good time together during their wedding several years ago and just seemed to pick up again during this visit it’s been great!
Something I’ve noticed while here is this new thing I’d like to call “The baby game.” The rules are simple. The object is to get the baby into your arms. There are only a few rules. You cannot take said baby from another person without first asking; you must first, in the most polite way possible ask to hold the baby. The way you ask is of upmost importance and could cost you the game if asked wrongly. You must ask in a way that looks as if you are really benefiting the other person. (Ex: “I’ll take the baby, you should sit and eat”…only useful at meal times). The second rule is that you may NEVER take the baby from the mother, unless she hands said baby off. This brings us to the rule that forfeits your right to exercise any other rule in the game. This rule is the most important. The mommy and daddy have sole rights to the baby whenever and for how ever long they want! No exceptions! So if you chose to play the game, don’t give up your baby time too soon, because you may lose and never get her back! LOL! Obviously this is a joke. But it is quite funny to watch everyone in the family (me included) try to come up with new and inventive ways to hold little Lyric. It just goes to show how loved this little child is!
Anyway, tonight we piled into Carla’s (Courtney’s mom) van and drove about an hour to College Station, TX to visit “Santa’s Wonderland.” It is a VERY impressive Christmas light display that you drive through. This is by far the biggest light display I’ve ever seen. And aside from getting very restless and being cramped for so long in the back of the van, it was a great sight to see.
Christmas Eve
25 Dec 2006 Leave a Comment
Every year Christmas Eve is one of the most special times of the holiday. My family has a kind of tradition for the evening of Christmas Eve. It usually starts with church followed by the whole family (with all the cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc… from both mom’s and dad’s sides of the family included) merging on our house! I think this is where I get my desire to have an open home. Christmas Eve was such a wonderful time with the aniticipation of the following day, the time to spend with family, and of course the good food that mom and grandma always made. This time has morphed and changed over the years as the family changed (adding a few members, a few leaving us). One thing remained the same…we always did Christmas Eve at our house! I thought I would be SO sad this year not having that same gathering. I wasn’t.
As I sat tonight in Troy’s living room with Courtney’s family I couldn’t help but think about ’our’ Christmas Eve in Ohio. Before we came here, I knew this moment would happen. I knew we’d be getting together with Courtney’s family, and I knew I wouldn’t be with mine. I thought it would be a bit bitter sweet, but as I sat in the living room watching the generations of families sitting around talking, loving, and (of course) eating…it hit me. This IS “our” Christmas Eve! I was in a room full of people connected in love, connected in the bonds of family. It was not by blood that the connection was held, but it was by the warmth of love for each other dispite the state borders where we live. I’ve always felt like I have a second family when I am in Texas…tonight solidified that!
Baby Time!!!
25 Dec 2006 Leave a Comment
I am SO in love with my neice Lyric! I have actually had alot of time with her. Its funny because I expected to come and observe lovingly mom, dad, Troy, and Courtney with her, getting her every once in a great while. I have lovingly joined in the ‘watching’ of the baby. Every time any one of us gets up and goes out of a room, we check on her. Its been awesome watching Troy and Courtney around her. They are learning to be parents. They are SO full of love for this little one that they’ve brought into the world that it is unbelievable. Courtney has made several comments how she just stops what she is doing (intinctively) and checks on her baby. It really reminds me of the National Geographic scenes I’ve seen on TV where the Momma does everything and anything to watch out for her little one, know where she is at all times!
Lyric and I have bonded too! We spend a few hours yesterday playing and sleeping, and playing some more and sleeping some more. That’s pretty much all see does right now, eat, sleep, and poop. I feel very motherly though because my dad and even Courtney have made comments at how natural I am with her. Courtney gave me the highest of commplements without even knowing it. She told me that I was sitting in a position the was comfortable for me and Lyric and Courtney wanted to remember that so she could do it too. I took that as a great compliment!
Texas, we’re here!
23 Dec 2006 Leave a Comment
We are finally here! And I know they say that everything is always bigger in Texas, well I think they’re wrong. Lyric is not bigger just cause she was born here. From all her pictures she looked big. But to finally see her in person, she’s tiny. She really is a newborn. All her pictures made her look at least a couple of months old.
Its been totally awesome to be here and to get to see her, hold her, and love on her. Of course my time with her has been cut short because of grandma and grandpa. I did get to hold her for a bit though. Its been cool watching mom and dad just watch their granddaughter. They just stare at her with love and amazement in their eyes…it’s fun watching them watching her. So, Texas, day 1 is in the books! I wonder what kind of fun the rest of the trip will hold and how much baby time will I acutally get?
