tis the season

Last weekend we dove into the Christmas season in full force.  The decorations had already been hung since two days after Thanksgiving, and our tree ornaments were aching for a place to be hung.  It was our anniversary weekend (6 YEARS!), so grandma & grandpa were ready and willing to take Gobbles so that hubs and I could relax, have a nice dinner, and sleep in on Sunday morning (fail on the latter - Lil Lobster roll had me up and alert by 6... the woes of pregnancy).  Anyway, we crammed a weekend's worth of holiday fun into the hours before noon on Saturday.

C'MON Mommy!  Let's GO!!

As soon as Gobbles was finished breakfast, we got him dressed and headed to the mall to get in line for Santa.  We received a special surprise for being among the first 20 kids in line and got a free muppets music CD, which will become our staple car ride anthem as soon as the Christmas Music Season is done.  Gobbles was pretty well behaved waiting in line for almost a half hour, the morning is his best time of day.  He counted the presents, went off about the snow (which the kid behind us gently reminded him was cotton), and asked to ride the carousel horses.  Funny, he is petrified of real carousels!  I was surprised to hear some parents a few parties back yelling his name.  Their boy, probably about 7 or so, was misbehaving.  Gobbles' name isn't terribly popular, but it's been on the rise the past few years.  Here's to hoping it tapers before getting too high...

Things were going swimmingly until we were next in line and the child in front of us wailed, A Christmas Story style, upon being placed on Santa's lap.  Gobbles turned to us with wide eyes Santa scares me, he said.  I shrugged it off and told him "well just tell Santa that you want a choo choo and a basketball hoop!  you'll be fine".  We decided since hubs is the less stressful parent, he'd approach the big guy and I'd stand back with encouragement.  As soon as they approached Gobbles face tightened and he wrapped his legs tightly around his daddy's waste.  He began screaming No no no Daddy!  Mommy!  Please!  but it was too late - his face was red and his mind was made up - no sitting on Santa's lap this year.  Thankfully, the photogs had an alternative for this (hmm, it happens a lot I take it?), hubs was to kneel down in front of Santa and place Gobbles on his lap.  The result?  Priceless!

Close!  But our Santa was a lot nicer...

Yup.  Pure Torture.

After the Santa trauma, we calmed our boy with his favorite food of the moment - a soft pretzel.


Ok - so we tortured him a wee bit more with his cool antlers.



Better Now?  Good!

After the mall, we headed out to get our tree!  Gobbles didn't really know what was going on at first, but he was thrilled to run around the nursery at the store checking out all of the goods... He darted back and forth among the trees, stopping to tickle some of them along the way...?...Yea, he's got an imagination of his own!

At least I'm wearing my hat, so what if it's crooked, right?

Find the toddler

Hey Mommy - Catch me if you CAN!

Here I go!

Tickle Tickle TICKLE TREE!!!

After we successfully found our tree, we loaded up the car and headed home.  My parents were waiting for us when we got there to take Gobbles for lunch and his nap.  Thank God, because I don't know how we'd set up the tree with him running around - being 32 weeks pregnant I wasn't much help.  Hubs gently reminded me that two years ago I was 41 weeks along and helped him just fine.  "You were nesting, we had to have all the Christmas stuff up, remember??"  Boy how quickly I forget!

By the time we got the tree standing and lights strung (the fun decorating would wait for Gobbles' return Sunday afternoon), I was ready for a nap.  Afterwards, it was off to Marigold Kitchen for our anniversary dinner.  We've only had a handful of date nights in the last year, but somehow keep returning to this restaurant, it does not disappoint.  We spent hours eating good food and drinking wine (well one of us drank wine), a wonderful night in all.  My husband must have set something off though, because the next morning when I woke up, I began to clean, organize, and make lists.  The nesting has begun early this time, I'm hoping it's not an indication of an early baby.  Stay put till February girl, you can do it!