I'm one of those people who likes to have a starting point for something. For instance, I won't start exercising on a Thursday...I'll wait until Monday. Or I won't start a diet on January 15th, I'll wait until February 1st. So of course, I am quite the resolution creator. I don't always stick to them, but I try for awhile.
One of my resolutions for 2009 is to update my blog more. I am shooting for twice a week. Lately it has been once a week at best, and I really want to do it more...life just gets so hectic. I'm also resolving to work on my freaking Internet class 3-4 times a week. I have totally fell off of that recently. The holidays just got in the way and there really was just no time for it. So I started again tonight. I feel my mood dip when I know I have to do it. It's not that I don't like it, I think I like it - I'm really not sure at this point. The problem is that the days that I try and work on it are just the longest days in the history of time. Working 8-10 hours at my real job, scrambling to get dinner made, then working 2-4 hours on the course before passing out just sucks. So I just can't wait until I'm finished, then at least when I work some extra time I'll get paid for it.
Ok, enough complaining. Let me catch you up on all that has been happening. Ainsley is growing up so fast. I mean she talks now. Not full on conversations, and I still can't understand everything she says but any day now she's just going to bust out in a monologue or something. Crazy how quickly time passes. So I guess the last time you heard from me was after our trip to Connecticut/NYC.
The two weeks between that weekend and Christmas were nothing but shopping, cleaning, baking, visiting and nursing Clif back to health...nasty stomach flu, luckily Ainsley and I did not get it. We attended a couple of Christmas parties, did all of our shopping in 24 hours and baked loads of cookies for Ainsley's teachers.
We did try and visit Santa during that time. Yes, I say try. I guess just like every parent I thought, well I know kids don't like Santa, but those other kids are not MY kid. Of course she'll do great...right. We went to dinner before hand and Ainsley was so friendly and talkative to everyone around us that I was just sure she'd sit on his lap. Then on the way to the mall we worked on our "Ho, Ho, Ho." Definitely no problem. Then we get to the food court. She sees Santa and waves and belts "Ha, Ha, Ha." Oh, we've got this in the bag, I think. We will have one of those adorable pictures of her smiling on Santa's lap. I step across the threshold towards Santa and meltdown! Let me say that Ainsley does cry, and she does throw her little fits sometimes, but this cry and this fit were like nothing I had every witnessed before. She wrapped those little arms around my neck so tightly and buried that little face in my shoulder. Huge tears just streamed down her cheeks and dripped from her chin. Needless to say, no pic with Santa. This was the closest we got...note that you can't even see Ainsley because she is doing her best to hide in my sweater.
Finally it was time to head to NC for Christmas with my family. We arrived on Christmas Eve and attended church with my mom. Ainsley was pretty good. I haven't really taken her to much church, but she did OK. Then we went home to go to bed and wait for Santa to come. Santa was very good to Ainsley...she must have been the best little girl ever because the kid made out. Tons of new clothes, a table and chair set, a talking Elmo, a shopping cart with food, a baby stroller with baby, blocks, books, a ladybug tent, shoes, I could go on and on. Basically, the kid is spoiled!! She is the only little one to buy for on both sides of the family, so I really don't know how to curtail it.
Ainsley had a blast opening presents. She did it with a very stern gaze, a steady hand and a strong determination to remove every last bit of wrapping paper. Once the paper was off, the lure of the gift really wore off.
Here are some pictures of Christmas morning.
We spent the days after Christmas just relaxing and hanging out with my family. Nothing too exciting, but it was a nice change of pace.
New Year's around here was pretty uneventful. We were excited that Aunt DeeDee and Uncle Mike came to hang out. You don't do much partying with a little bug around and who can possibly afford a babysitter that night. We had a few people over, played some Wii and ate a bunch of very fattening food. It was a good time.
So now we just try to get back to normal. We are not leaving town for...well, lets just say we have no travel plans at the moment which makes me so happy. I'm sure things will come up, but it will be nice to spend a few weeks at home.
I hope everyone had nice holidays...I'll talk to you later this week hopefully :)
