and so it begins!

It's here!  The most wonderful time of the year!  Nothing but positive blog posts from now thru the new year, because I feel my holiday joy coming on strong this year.  Yes, I know I still owe a photo-filled halloween blog, but every november comes the feeling that I just can't shake... the warmth and happiness that comes with the twinkling lights, cozying up at home on the couch with a big warm blanket, a pile of puppies, the hubs, now the baby, a glass of spiced wine, and watching It's a Wonderful Life. 

I anticipate this feeling year round, and when it arrives I bask in it for a good 6 weeks- from the time I start looking up recipes for our thanksgiving feast to the last crack of a firework on new years day.  For me, this is my time of year to celebrate and be thankful for everything I have.  My husband and I met this time of year back in 1999 (wow).  We got engaged the day after Thanksgiving 5 years later and got married the first weekend in December the year after that.  And most importantly, just last year smack in the middle of the season, our son was born. 

Being that he was 10 days late, I was not my typical chipper holiday self last year.  I didn't get to cook thanksgiving dinner because we anticipated me being hospital-bound, and I grew more and more miserable as weeks 41 and 42 of pregnancy crept up.  After he finally arrived, the pure elation and exhaustion of a new baby overshadowed my typical exaggerated holidaying- I think Christmas day was the first time I was able to walk without flinching (I'll leave it at that. Let's just say recovery was a lot worse than 40 hours of labor and delivery of a 9.3 pounder.  a lot worse). 



Regardless, I did spend a little time getting Gobbles into the Christmas spirit.  He was 8 days old when I stuffed him into a santa suit and made him pose for the holiday card.  (My original idea, of putting him in a manger and dressing the puppies up as Mary and Joseph was vetoed by my husband, with fear that Grandma would not approve.  Likely because I was going to make the male dog Mary.)



If I had known this was why you wanted me out so bad, I would have waited a little longer!



this is not a smile.  it is the straining and frustration that comes with what you call tummy time!  Look at how red my poor face is mommy!.

Anyway, moving on, the reason I'm all hyped up in the Christmas spirit already is that the season has officially begun for me.  Not just any season, but my first crazy-mother-I-will-fight-you-for-that-tickle-me-elmo-Christmas-season!  I know it's not "baby's first Christmas", but last year the poor kid didn't get any gifts from his mommy & daddy.  But I gave him life, I remember saying to my mother-in-law when she expressed her dismay at us not giving him a gift, he doesn't know the difference anyway. To make up for last year, I knew I wanted to find the perfect gift for my little boy this year. 

And that's when I saw the commercial:

What could be more appropriate?!  My kid LOVES to dance and LOVES Disney!  At least his parents think he does, dressing him up for halloween as the big mouse (pics to come, swears), going to the World for his first birthday, and investing lots of their hard earned cash to ensure we go back there for many celebrations to come... Dance Star Mickey, you will be ours his!

So I mention to hubs that I think I've found Gobbles' gift, only $59.99 in the target catalog! He hesitates for a second.  Um, you know that's on the HOT toys list, right?  Damn.  So I start my search - not available at amazon prime, target online, walmart online, in any of the stores within a 50 mile radius.  It's only November 9th people!  Toys aren't supposed to become unavailable until people line up at 4 am on black friday morning.

Not wanting to resort to buying it bootleg from some scalper off the street (Mom, have I ever told you how much we appreciated our Cabbage Patch kids? Now I finally realize why you went to such great lengths to get them- you are the best!), I headed to the amazon marketplace, where for only $89 plus eleven for shipping, this contraption will soon be on its way to our home.  Just like that, I purchased the first Christmas present in a slew of hundreds over the next decade that will bear the tag Love, Santa.  Yes, I know he'll probably be more enthralled in the wrapping paper than the gift itself, but the cost is well worth the smile that Gobbles will have on his face and the little shimmy he'll do with his shoulders the minute he hears mickey start to sing.  Only 44 days to go!