Christmas 2011, a recap

Well, we are just a few days from meeting this new baby boy...he's hung in there so well!  So have I, according to my OB, who informed me that he is SHOCKED he wasn't forced to take the baby BEFORE Christmas.  My blood pressure is high, but it's held out.  I'm so uncomfortable.  I am HUGE.  I know it is so, so worth it, but this is the really hard part.  A few more days...

So, in the meantime we've had this little thing happening called Christmas.  Scaled down considerably, we managed to get the tree up.  The stockings too.  We put McKinley's tree and his own decorations in his room and truly, that's is all.  Seriously, we're taking a pass this year...we are days away from having a baby!  It was nice, our tree was beautiful and it was just right...for this year. 

We continued our annual tradition of driving through the park to view the Christmas displays with hot chocolate on Christmas Eve.  We also went to family mass.  McKinley helped us put a plate of cupcakes and milk together (see?  It's ALL different this year!  I purchased some yummy cupcakes from our favorite cupcake shop, Caboodle to have on hand over the holiday.  They graciously gave me 6 extra in the holiday spirit.  Such a sweet couple!  I taught them Swing back in my dance days.).  Note:  Santa did NOT have any complaints!  He must enjoy a good Caboodle cupcake as well.  We all worked on the reindeer food and dance and left out our key for Santa.  As usual, I read The Night Before Christmas.  This year McKinley was really into the story, it was so sweet!  Then it was off to bed...

Christmas morning was perfect.  I made cinnamon rolls (don't get too excited...we're talking pop-the-can rolls from Pillsbury.  Again...9 months pregnant here! LOL!), we munched on those while McKinley opened package after package, after package, after package.  I think I took a little nap...accidentally...my Mom came over, we played, then we headed over to her house where she and I managed to put together a little dinner.  It wasn't fabulous, but we were glad for what we had on really short notice.  See, with the high blood pressure issues we weren't planning anything too far ahead.  We only finalized our plan to stay home two days before, so throwing things together was key!  It worked!  We were happy.  I personally crashed hard that night and was so grateful that Cary was off the following day. 

Christmas was wonderful, I can't believe it's behind us!  Though we missed many family celebrations with both sides of Cary's family and my Godparents, I loved the ease of staying home together.  We knew with the stress on my body this was exactly what we needed.  Next year will be even more wonderful!  Two boys to love and adore and spoil! 

Now, time to tear down that tree and put the finishing touches on the new nursery and get ready to ring in 2012!
Merry Christmas!
Lynn



Reindeer Food!






Yes...that is MY BELLY that McKinley is resting his arm on during our annual reading of The Night Before Christmas





Well that's a tear jerker!

Tonight was the school's annual Christmas Program.  This year McKinley is a wise man (fitting, no?), and might I add, how adorable is that child?  As usual, the preschool kicked off the program with their sweet rendition of "Mary Rock". 
It came time for the Wise men to make their grand entrance...Cary is recording it on our camcorder, I'm snapping away on the still...almost time...I see McKinley's face light up!  He looks right at me!  Aww!  So sweet, he found me in the crowd!!!  (Dare I suggest, how can you miss me?  The Belly is like a beacon in the night.  Did I mention people who've given birth to twins have asked if I too am having twins?  No, I'm not kidding.)
So, there's my boy, climbing the short stairway with his two Wise men Dudes.  Just before he hits the stage a voice called out across the gymnasium, above the boom of the CD playing "Mary Rock"...
"HI MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
And a BIG wave!
All to me.
Huge lump in my throat, I began laughing and crying at the same time.  Everyone looked back at me.  Everyone. 
Big belly, laughing and crying (not a pretty combo, folks) and I get, "So, that one's yours, huh?"
Absolutely.
That one is definitely mine.

I could barely catch my breath or stop the tears. 
This precious moment was caught on video, by Cary and by Lori, the assistant in McKinley's preschool.  The following day she couldn't suppress her excitement when she told me her husband had been recording the entire thing for the school and that she watched the big moment over and over again that night.  So did we. 
I was emailed about it.
Friends from school talked about it.
It's most certainly worthy of America's Funniest Videos, a favorite around here, if not McKinley's wedding...or graduation...or all of the above?  I think this video will fit nicely between the story of The Vick's Baby Rub and The Pecan.
My Sweet McKinley Shane.  Oh, he and his Daddy...and his unborn baby brother have my heart.

Certainly makes for a very happy holiday season,
Lynn



Showtime!



Seconds before THE moment...he sees me!

Adorable!

Christmas at the Zoo!

Always one of our most favorite Christmas activities, our annual visit to the event didn't disappoint!  It was lovely, fun and fairly warm (read: this pregnant chick walked most of the zoo sans coat and endured several stares and even a gasp or two at the sheer size of THE BELLY and the fact it wasn't hidden behind a coat.  I was HOT). 
McKinley enjoyed decorating a cookie, visiting Santa, sharing a treat with his parents and, no surprise, the beautiful nighttime train ride through the zoo.  So many beautiful lights! 
I admit, I completely hit my wall toward the end of the evening and had to take a rest while McKinley & Cary rode the carousel.  They had a great time though and I took a little break. 
Our trip wasn't complete without visiting our very favorite tree on the zoo property at White River Gardens.  It's always breath taking, total photo op!  The zoo is always gorgeous at Christmas but I'm always so amazed by the gorgeous display inside the Greenhouse at the Gardens.  The poinsettia varieties are magnificent. 

We ended our night with a late dinner at Red Robin....YUUUUUUUM (admit it, you just sang the jingle.  I did.), where we got our biggest laugh of the night: me fitting in the booth!  Holy Baby Belly, Batman!

Loving the holidays,
Lynn

We don't need mistletoe!

In front of our favorite tree

Art a la Cookie

Train ride...should've seen me trying to squeeze in and out with THE BELLY!

Our sweet McKinley

Clabber Girl Country Christmas

What a wonderful day!  McKinley, my Mom and I visited the always busy, always fun Clabber Girl Country Christmas today.  McKinley completed every craft they had to offer, we had a yummy lunch, took a very chilly carriage ride and saw the red-suited man we all adore. 

I wobbled around with McKinley and Mom and even made it up on the carriage - much to the surprise of the young woman taking the tickets, who literally stood at my side with her mouth open and was no help at all and made me feel like a beast.  Ha!  

None of that matters, just look at the smile on this boy's face.  Love it...and I cannot wait to take TWO boys next year!

Lynn

 

Merry Christmas!

What a beautiful Christmas we have been blessed with! It's white, that's for sure!

On Christmas Eve, my Mom took McKinley out for lunch and to let him do a little shopping for Mommy & Daddy - how cute is that? Of course, he chose the movie "Despicable Me". Perfect! While they did that I did some last minute shopping, made final meal plans and got ready for our big night.

After Cary got home from work I made dinner (we opted out of our annual Chinese this year. Shakin' it up!) and we headed off to Christmas Eve Mass. Once we were home we set out to finish some Christmas cookies for Santa and put his treats out as well as some Reindeer Food and Santa's Magic Key (since we have no fireplace). While we were busy at work the Polar Express played in the background. Love that movie!

When we put the reindeer food outside in the snow, we repeated the little verse as we sprinkled the food around, then placed Santa's magic key at our front door.

Soon it was time for bed and our annual reading of "T'was the Night Before Christmas". We all enjoy that little tradition, I am so glad we started it four Christmases ago.

Not long after that our own child was nestled all snug in his bed...though I'm not sure he had visions of sugar plums, more like drum sets and bicycles - his biggest wish from Santa.

On Christmas morning, McKinley came to wake us. Cary sent him into the living room and we waited for a reaction. McKinley scurried back down the hall and came running into our room, "Mommy! Daddy! Come look! Santa brought me a drum set!"

Precious.

We opened a few gifts then I started a breakfast casserole and cinnamon rolls. By the time they were finished baking McKinley announced he was ready for a break from opening gifts. Okay, so intermission? That's our sign we over did it.

Literally, several hours later, after we finished my Mom came over. She and I started making Christmas dinner while Cary and McKinley ventured outside to make a snowman, duly named "Frosty".

Once the boys got warm it was time to eat. It was yummy, but I was happiest with just having my very first Christmas dinner in our home. The carrots, we all agreed, should have been cooked longer despite our following the recipe, we had an insane amount of mashed potatoes. The ham and rolls were perfect, and the butternut squash gratin was different (I plan to tweak the recipe and make it my own...it will be much better when I'm finished with it!).

After dinner we opened more gifts - from Nonna and friends. We talked to Mammy & Grandpa on the phone and played with McKinley's new toys (while I immediately began making a mental plan on reorganizing the playroom - out with the old, in with the new). Everyone went to bed so happy. We had a wonderful day together.

A few days after Christmas we were able to have a little gathering with my Godparents and their Granddaughter, Shelby. We all had a great time visiting for a short while!

More Christmas recaps to come - weather has prevented us from seeing Cary's family. Sure has been snowy this year!

I am so thankful for another beautiful Christmas. This one was the best yet!

Merry Christmas!

Lynn

You can't tell from this photo, but the array of presents start at the drum set and wind all the way back to the walls, under the tree and against the sofa and chair!

McKinley, tongue out like his Mama, in full rock star drummer mode.

A quirky elf, a cute little reindeer and a handsome snowman...

...all took part in some special Christmas deliveries today and had a blast!

I had this planned last year but I was so sick I just could not do it. I was bummed...so I have literally been waiting all year long for a re-do. Much to my chagrin, I totally got sick AGAIN at the first of December...but I am not going to let myself be sick AGAIN for three straight months. Uh uh.

So, I've been tackling this stupid-whatever-it-is like a mad woman and got myself well-ish. I have a cough still (and it's an ugly cough...) but well enough to bake with McKinley and my Mom and do fun deliveries decked out like a quirky elf (or Rockette-wanna-be...) with my family.

McKinley and I started out with Amy and company, at the salon (I adore this pic of Wendi, Mickey D's cups and all!). McKinley samples Amy's in-house cookies with every visit to her salon...so it is only fair we bring her some of our own. That, and we love everyone there so much!

Next it was on to Lincoln's house! Lincoln's Mommy & Daddy were home and everyone but Baby Ollie got in on the chocolate-dipped oreo's right away.

Our next stop was to McKinley's newest friend's house. Isabella and her family were home and so surprised by our stop-by! We also gave them a container of the hot cocoa mix we made for McKinley's stocking stuffers. Emily, Isabella's Mommy told us what a fan she was of the mix, so we thought it appropriate to hand out some more!

We took a break from deliveries to pick up our snowman and hit the Semmler's house with cookies galore. McKinley, Savannah and Austin got in some good playtime while we were there too - always a good thing.

More stops to be made over the next few days...it has been so fun to have a little helper this year. McKinley has enjoyed all the fun things we have been able to do to celebrate the season and as always I am so thankful to be celebrating with my family.

Lynn

Conversations

It is amazing what a tiny little nugget will inspire in the mind of a child. This evening, after Cary read to McKinley, I rocked him for our usual snuggle time before bed. As he gets older I hold on dearly to this special time and am always amazed by how it has changed over the last 3 and a half years...we have always read, then it would be bottle time while we rocked him to sleep. Then it became reading and water time. As he has become so, shall we say, conversational??? it has become our time to quietly chat about something that won't get him too riled up. So, knowing this, WHY did I say, "Hey, McKinley would you like to make Christmas Cookies tomorrow?"
Yeah, I don't know either.......
I think THAT was about all I said other than, "Uh huh" and "Oh?" and "Yes." for the next 30 minutes. And during that time I heard the following, in what seemed to be said in ONE.GIANT.BREATH.
"Mommy, can we have a bake restaurant? A Bakery? And can I invite Nonna to come help us? And can Daddy come home from work and help too? And can we have customers? In the living room? And can we make some cookies for Mammy & Grandpa & Nonna & Daddy & ME & you and...and...and...Savannah? And Robin & Rick? And Isabella & Emily & Ian? And Amy? (which is only fair that he return the favor and replace some of HER cookies...he loves HER cookies)
And can we make a sign???????!!!!!!!!!!!!
It can say WELCOME TO McKINLEY'S BAKERY!
And we can decorate it with stickers and markers and stickers of stars and sprinkles and trains and with snowflakes going all around and around and it will make people feel all warm and fuzzy? And can we bake in our comfies?
And can we put glitter on the sign? And lots of shapes? And we can make it wood with a string on it, to hang it up!
Oh
My
Gosh
It's like I am hearing my own thoughts when I envision a party, a gathering, any event really...
I literally had to stop him and practically threaten to take all bakery privileges away. It took him quite some time to chill from that conversation...oops.
Oh well, we'll be making some yummy cookies and some wonderful memories in McKinley's bakery tomorrow!
Feel free to stop by...in the living room...you can't miss the giant wood sign, hung by a string with glitter and stickers and snowflakes going all around to make you warm and fuzzy...It says, "WELCOME TO MCKINLEY'S BAKERY".
We'll be there!
Lynn

A weekend of Christmas Events

With inclement weather undoubtedly on its way, we decided to make our second annual trip to the Christmas at the Zoo on Friday evening. Along for the ride was Savannah, much to the delight of all! I was pretty impressed with how quickly Cary and I and Robin threw this trip together!

We began our journey by listening to the Polar Express, the we listened to some Christmas Carols, and Savannah even grabbed a quick nap. When we arrived at the zoo, Cary and I strapped the two strollers together with Robin & Rick's handy-dandy-stroller-strappy-things and in we went to the beautiful zoo.

I made hot cocoa for the trip, which proved to be a real bonus for the kiddos, keeping them toasty on the inside. Before we even got inside I was doling out some yummies, resulting in chocolaty mustaches all around. Too cute!

Our visit started at the Oceans, where the seals and sea lions were all too happy to be the first entertainers. What a welcoming crew they were! Savannah and McKinley laughed and laughed as they swam by so fast.

On we went, walking through the darkness and enjoying the beautiful lights - it was gorgeous. We found Santa's village, inside we purchased two cookies for the kids to decorate. Both of them were BIG fans of the sprinkles. Mounds of sprinkles atop a strangely shaped cookie...love it! We sat down with a few other treats and drinks before heading onto the next stop, McKinley's favorite: THE TRAIN!

The line for the train was crazy long, but worth it! McKinley and Savannah insisted on sitting together, which meant a little cozy seat for me and Cary - and a great and rare photo op of the two of us! McKinley and Savannah were snuggled side-by-side under the blankets, grinning from ear to ear the whole time.

When the train was over (and beautiful it was...as always) we ventured to the carousel. Savannah said she wanted to ride an elephant, we found one right away! It was in between a monkey - for McKinley, and a horse - for me, as requested by Savannah. Fun, but cold...that horse was really, really cold. Funny how you don't notice those things when you're little.

Our night was far from over, time for the dolphin show! The kids LOVED the special Christmas show and were itching for the dolphins (or whales, as Savannah called them) to get the 'meatballs' (the small balls suspended from the ceiling of the arena). When they finally got them I don't think two kids in the entire place were louder than our crew.

After the dolphin show we finished our walk around all the pretty lights - I really liked the way the splash park was lit with a sound and light show. Very creative! Savannah noticed a light display of a raccoon, which honestly resembled a cat more than a raccoon. She was eager to point out that it was Valentine! So nice of her to remember our girl! McKinley really liked the 'turkey' - aka peacock. And the falling lights tree was breathtaking and enjoyed by all!

We left the zoo and walked to the White River Gardens. It is always so beautiful, but huge Christmas tree and the butterfly observatory are amazing with the holiday displays. The poinsettias in the observatory are insane.

The kids enjoyed visiting with the reindeer. Savannah said, "Wow, Lynn, they have really big ant-a-lers" How cute is that??? McKinley begged for pennies to throw in the little coy pond. And both kids loved looking at all the beautiful trees on display upstairs.

As with most things the Vernon family does, we closed the place down! The kids were pretty pooped and we were all hungry, so we quickly loaded up the strollers, blankets and stuff. Equally as quickly, we agreed on Red Robin for dinner.

McKinley and Savannah happily drew pictures for one another while we waited for our food. When we were finished, Savannah could stand it no more and suddenly ducked under the table, reappearing on the other side, next to McKinley. She threw her arms around him - surprising him so much he turned to me and said, "Mommy! Savannah is hugging me a lot...really hard!" He loved it. The hugging ensued and a small crowd gathered. Savannah said, "Lynn! Take a picture!" Of COURSE I left the camera in the car...so cell phone to the rescue! Just after I took the photo both kids simultaneously fell onto the booth, still hugging and laughing hysterically. It was a moment...

We piled in the car and settled in with blankets. Soon both kids were sound asleep...a good sign that the night was in deed a success.

Below, some of our fun pics! Also mixed in are the Clabber Girl photos -- the blog is acting up and won't let me put my pics where I want them! Grrrr!

The next morning we had plans with the Semmler fam to go to the Build & Grow Clinic and on to Clabber Girl's annual Country Christmas. The four of us were pretty tired from the zoo trip, so we agreed to pick up the kits and make it a late date at Clabber Girl. My Mom came with McKinley and I (sadly, Cary had to work today...) and we met the Semmler's and immediately dug in for some Christmas Crafting fun. McKinley and Savannah had their faces painted (McKinley, a candy cane. Savannah, a snowman) got a special personalized gingerbread cookie, they helped make a 'mouse' cookie, created an elf out of a little rolling pin, a reindeer out of a clothes pin and made a sweet bottle of sand art and a cookie-cutter ornament. We all had lunch together before Savannah and her fam had to leave for a family gathering. My Mom and I took McKinley over to see Santa. He still remembers that last year he got to watch Santa come back from his break by way of an elevator. This year, Santa waited for McKinley in his sleigh, but was his usually jolly old self. Santa asked McKinley what he would like for Christmas, McKinley told him he wanted a big bicycle and a big drum set. Santa asked if McKinley had been a good boy, he said, "Uh huh." Santa said, "If you get that bicycle, promise me you'll wear a helmet with it, okay?" McKinley said, "Okay". He was a little taken by the red-suited one this year. Not afraid, just feeling it!

Sadly, we had to opt out of the horse and wagon ride with Bud (we've really gotten to know Bud well over the last 2 years...). It was too rainy, but under my umbrella we gave Bud some love...who promptly nudged my umbrella. Hey, Bud, that's Coach...watch yourself! hahahaa! Guess Bud has good taste...

McKinley had a wonderful time at Clabber Girl. I'm so impressed with what they have to offer each year...good wholesome family fun and a beautiful atmosphere!

Happy Holidays!

Lynn