Revelation

It’s peacefully quiet in my house. For the second day in a row, Lydia has taken a nap—and willingly. We’ve had major struggles with this lately. And it isn’t just that she won’t nap. It’s that missing her nap makes a complete difference in everything about her, her health, her attitude, her eating, and her night sleep.

It all came to a head last Sunday when she refused to nap. She was an unbearable wreck by 5:00 pm. She fell asleep in my arms at 6:30 and we put her in bed though it was an hour early. But she woke up at 2:30 in the morning and refused to go to bed. She didn’t just defy us, but she let out ear-splitting screams that left us with nothing to do but get her up—angrily.

All that night, I pondered on what I could change in our lives, in the way I take care of her, that would help her sleep. You can’t just sit down with a two-year old and explain why she needs to sleep.

And then it came: the revelation.

Lydia needed attention. I needed to fill her love tank. If you are familiar with The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman, then you know what I am talking about. We all have a love language and we need to be spoken to in that language to feel loved. Lydia’s language is Quality Time. So is mine. You’d think that would work out perfectly, but it doesn’t. You see, my quality time means I just need you around, but I don’t necessarily need your attention. Just be in the same room with me and we’re good. Lydia on the other hand needs 100% of your attention. When you give it to her, she might as well be in Care-a-Lot surrounded by all that is perfect and loving.

So I’ve made it a point to give her an HOUR of my undivided attention each morning. We go in her room and I am all hers. Granted, it isn’t as easy as it sounds mostly because Russell hasn’t quite got the knack of a “schedule” down. But I’ve made it work so far. It’s hard not to want to reach for my cell phone, go change the laundry, or whatever else is on my to-do list. But I make the effort and we just play. And so far, it is working!

I realized that I needed to change my focus. I needed to make my day about my kids. And not about me taking care of kids. I’ve savored the peace and quiet that has come from this. I hope it lasts.

7:50 a.m.

That is what time it is and I've already been up for way too long thanks to my lovely two-year old who has decided that 6:00 a.m. is her new wake up time. It drives both her parents to madness, but we don't know how to fix it. Lydia and I have already had one power struggle this morning which I sorely lost. It's going to be a long day.

We sleep-trained her at six months and from then on her sleep habits were absolute bliss. But since turning two it has all gone down the drain. From refusing her naps, to putting up fights at bedtime, and now getting up early, I'm ready to throw in the towel on motherhood. How is it that I find taking care of my three month old is so much easier than caring for Lydia?

I love my little girl. I've loved every step of her growing up. She talks so well now, but it is still the cute, not-so-correct speech of a two-year old and her expressions often leave me smiling. But she knows how to push my buttons and make me so angry that I feel like a two-year old myself as we both throw tantrums at each other.

I read a conference talk from this past general conference. It talked about controlling our anger, and how getting angry is a choice. I try to remind myself of that, but it is easier said than done. I am so grateful that children are so completely forgiving. Otherwise I think I would've blown my chances with Lydia long ago.

It didn't take long after Lydia was born for me to realize how selfless motherhood requires one to be. When you can't get more than two hours sleep, have time to shower, or even eat lunch, you realize how indulgent you could be before you had a child. Luckily, it is something you get used to--putting everyone else before yourself. I think that is what has made bringing Russell home so much easier.

But it does wear on you. I told Chad the other day (after a long day) that I just felt like there was no relief I could look forward to. I told him that I don't get weekends off from my job like he does, that I can't even count my day as done at bedtime because I still have to get up and feed Russell in the middle of the night.

There have been a few respites thank to my generous sister Andrea (and sometimes my mom and other sister Kellie) who has driven over an hour to come babysit for me while I went shopping or out on a date with Chad. And I'm grateful for that. But I'll admit it is a struggle. I think the winter weather doesn't help either as the gloom from outside seems to seep inside.

So I'm looking forward to the holidays: some family, some socialization, seeing friends, and eating good food. Hopefully it will be the boost I need for the new year so I can be a better mom and a better person. Until then, I face my day and hope at the end of it, it will have been a good one.

My Blog is Boring

That's all.

One Big Weekend

Halloween weekend was a big one for us. We had a really cute kangaroo and giraffe:

(Love my little animals!) And then we had Lydia's 2nd year birthday party (note the monkey cakes made by me):

(She is still a little short for her new bike. Oops.)
And we had Russell's blessing that Sunday. The outfit (made by Grandma Kimber):

His flirty smile (watch out ladies):

And my favorite:

It was a good weekend.

Three Weeks

Russell is three weeks old! It feels like he has been here longer than that at the same time that I can't believe it has been that long. He's a big boy who is growing well. He weighed 9 lbs 6 oz. at his two week checkup. And I have to say (much to the chagrin of mothers who have higher maintenance babies: Mandy, Melissa) that he is such a good baby! He hardly ever cries (just when I pick his nose), he puts himself to sleep at night, and he nurses well. What more could I ask for? Lydia is a really good girl too. She usually plays by herself and lets me nurse and hasn't acted out too much since her brother arrived. Why do I have such easy going kids? I don't know. Maybe Heavenly Father knows I couldn't handle anything else. And believe me, I'm knocking on wood really hard right now just so I don't jinx myself by typing this outloud.


I'm doing well too. I've had a few glitches like a case of mastitis, but things seem to be balancing out a little. And though I'm tired of being tired, I still have a lot more energy than I did when I was pregnant or than I did when Lydia was a newborn. I am looking forward to Christmas time though because I figure Russell will be sleeping through the night by then. Even just six hours in a row would feel miraculous right now. I get two hour naps all through the night and hardly a minute more. I have been lucky in getting the kids to sleep at the same time during the day so I get an afternoon nap. All in all, we're holding our own.

This morning I had a good chuckle. I had just finished nursing the baby and when I looked up, I noticed Lydia in the rocking chair with her shirt up and her teddy bear snuggled into her bare belly. I had to laugh at her attempts at "nursing" her bear. Hilarious.

Cheaters Prosper: A Family of Four

We are a family of four now! Russell Morgan arrived on the 8th. I did cheat to get him here though. My good friend Mandy and I always talked about how we thought using less medical intervention was best when bringing babies into the world. Well, she delivered her little bundle of joy at home with no help (literally, her husband delivered the baby). And well, I joined the leagues of Utah women who were, dare I say, induced! My reasons for going that route were that I was 40 weeks, I was enormously uncomfortable (I could barely walk the last two days), and I didn't want him to come on 9/11 or on Chad's birthday, and I didn't want to deliver a 9 lb baby.

So into the hospital we went. Our nurse starting working on me about noon. At 12:30 the doctor started the pitocin and broke my water. I started contractions at 1:00 and within half hour was about to the breaking point with pain. Luckily the anethesiologist came in and got me my epidural by 2:00. Even he said that my contractions were "humongous" so I didn't feel like too big of a wimp. My epidural didn't work at first though so he dosed me up again about 3:00. Fifteen minutes later the nurse checked me and the baby's head was ready. We waited for another fifteen for the doc and Russell came barreling out at 3:37. So you can see that I cheated in every way possible. I only suffered for one hour and then took every convenience modern medicine could provide. And I don't regret a bit of it. I thought Lydia was an easy delivery, but this guy was ridiculously easy and fast. Yea for me.

Now, I told everyone that I felt enormous, that I knew my baby would be big. Keep in mind that Lydia was only 6 lbs 15 oz when she was born. So will you all believe me when I tell you Russell was 8 lbs 8 oz?


Lydia with her new brother just a few hours after his birth.

Our precious baby. We're doing well. We're conquering nursing with a vengeance. For any of you that remember the absolute torture I went through trying to nurse Lydia you can give me a victory shout because we are doing much better with this guy. I'm recovering well and even faster than I did with Lydia. Russell doesn't have a schedule yet, but I think we'll do just fine. He woke up every three hours last night, but that was a major improvement on the night before. Hopefully it only gets better from here. I can tell you it is so weird to have him here. It's amazing how his presence has already changed the chemistry in our family. I can't help but look at Lydia and feel that she is so much older than she seemed only a week ago. She's been really good about the baby so far. I'm worried about how she'll be when I'm the only adult here to meet her needs though. So far Chad's been around a lot and a few grandmas pop in once in awhile too. Only time will tell. I can say that Monday is looking a little scary because it looks like it's the day that I'll have to do it on my own.

We are so blessed though. A family of four. I can hardly believe it!

Lydia at Kelsey's Wedding

Quite the Musician!

Lydia and Daddy

All the Girls. Yes, Lydia wants none of it!

Lydia's Last Solo

So we're five days away from baby number 2. In a way I can't believe he isn't here yet. In another, I'm glad I get to savor my last days with just Lydia. I can wake up to her calls of "Mommy!" in the morning after a full nights' rest and anticipate her meeting me with a big smile when I go in her room. Going to get her from her crib has always been a good part of my day because she wakes so happily. I"ll miss running out the door with just a sippy and a snack in my purse with Lydia happily in tow. I'll miss just chillin' in the rocking chair together after her afternoon nap. The other day we were doing that and she fell back asleep curled around my baby bump. It was so cute and I took in the moment. She didn't even mind when her little brother gave her a few good kicks. I'll miss that when the new baby takes over both of our worlds.


In another way, I also feel bad for Lydia. She isn't quite old enough to get that a baby is coming. I'm afraid she is going to get blind-sided with her new brother. And it doesn't help that she has been the most ridiculous mama's girl lately. As much as Chad tries to help, she just won't let him do much. She wants mommy to change her, put her to bed, comfort her when she falls and just about everything else. I'm glad she loves me, but....


She does love babies so I hope she loves her new baby brother. I hope I can find the balance I'll need to be a good mom to two kids. I hope I can hold my impatience in check and be more loving than frustrated.

And while I worry about all this, we've tried to make Lydia's last week as an only child a good one. We've been to two different playgrounds, gone on walks, and tomorrow we're going swimming. She gets to spend the weekend with her Grandparents and cousins as we attend Chad's sister's wedding. I hope she feels loved.


Because she so is! How can you not love this girl? She does so many cute things and for the most part is a happy girl, as you can see in the pictures. She's been such a blessing! We love you, Lydia!!

Gestating

Doesn’t that sound like it should be something gross like festering or infectious? Maybe that isn’t even a correct form of the word, but no, it’s what babies do before they are born. It’s a process so miraculous and beautiful, or is it? Our little boy has been gestating now for 36 ½ weeks--it feels like fifty. I sympathize with the elephant who gestates for almost two years and then gives birth to a baby that weighs anywhere between 220 and 330 pounds!! Too bad we aren’t more like dogs (whose gestation is 9 weeks) or rabbits (just over a month!) Wouldn’t it be so much easier to have babies that way? Maybe that is why dogs and rabbits procreate so much more than humans—not that I would want that many offspring!

This pregnancy seemed to be so much better than my first—in the beginning. I wasn’t nearly as sick, and since I was a lot busier the time went faster. Until I hit 30 weeks. I don’t know what changed, but at 30 weeks the clock stopped. The last seven weeks have felt like an eternity and it seems the next three will be just as long. Maybe it’s because I’m so much bigger this time, or that it is undeniably summer, or that this guy kicks me like he thinks he is a Brazilian soccer player.

I told Chad I feel like a walking contradiction. I want this baby to be born so I can have my body and he can have his. But then I remember the sleep deprivation, the painful nursing, the endless diapers and feedings, and I think do I really want that to start just yet? Especially since Lydia is still so young and dependent on me? But then I can’t wait to see what he looks like and hold his tiny, brand-new body. I want the next three weeks to go quickly, but I want to savor the time I have left for it to be just Lydia and me—just the two of us. So, you see what I mean?

Here I am just a few weeks ago at 35 weeks pregnant:



Here is me the week I delivered Lydia--that's 40 weeks for those of you who need that little help:


Althought the angle isn't quite the same, no one can say that I’m not bigger with this baby. My doctor has the measurements to prove it!

So while I wait for this baby and try to live until then without wishing away my time, here are a few best and worst of pregnancies in my opinion:

Best things about being pregnant:
1. You don’t have to fast!
2. No periods
3. You can quit worrying about your waistline. So you look fat, at least you can blame it on being pregnant!
4. You can sweetly ask your husband to do stuff you normally do like clean the bathtub!
5. You are TOTALLY justified in taking a nap everyday!
6. Feeling the baby move, seeing ultrasounds and hearing the heartbeat. You realize you really are creating life!

Worst things about being pregnant:
1. Morning sickness (luckily that goes away).
2. Trying to roll over in bed at night because it requires an 80-point turn and must be done every 30 minutes to relieve sore sides!
3. Back aches, leg cramps, round ligament pain that feels like someone just stabbed you, etc.
4. Immobility in general. Try getting off the floor, out of bed, out of a low car, out of a low chair, through a tight space, etc. It ain’t the same (and yes, I just used the word "ain't")!
5. The absolute exhaustion! It’s not the “Oh, I’m tired” that most people speak of on a daily basis; it is the woofy I-feel-like-I’ve-been-hit-by-a-train kinda tired that never seems to go away not matter how good you sleep or how long you nap.
6. When feeling the baby move turns into getting the junk kicked out of you from the inside!
7. The lack-luster wardrobe. Especially when the maternity clothes you wore with your first pregnancy don't quite cover your belly by the end of the second.

I’m sure I could go on, but I’ll stop there. Hopefully we’ll have a post a beautiful baby boy no longer than three weeks away!

Teton Wilderness

Just some pics from Chad's trip to the Tetons.

Camping for the 4th

We went to the Uintahs for the 4th. My parents own a lot in the Manor Lands which is all private land. They haul their RV up and we tag along. I must say that I appreciate a familiar bathroom when getting up twice a night to go. Anyway, my mom had this little lawn chair and Lydia LOVED it. She saw my dad sitting in his chair with a box of crackers and a diet coke by his side and decided to follow suit--though of course her drink of choice is whole milk.


For some reason, when I get the camera out, Lydia thinks she needs to squat in order to pose for me. I was trying to get a picture of her in the chair where she was comfortably sitting when I got out the camera. But upon seeing the camera herself, she got down and "posed." I have many pictures of her in this position.

Our first 4-wheeler ride!! I've been riding 4-wheelers since I was little. It is kind of a family tradition for the Carrigans. Well, we've got Lydia starting even younger than I did! She liked it for the most part, as long as we weren't gone too long. It was really cold so that might have factored in. Isn't her little helmet cute?

I had fun totally chillin' for the weekend. I let Chad and my family take the child-watching reigns so I could relax. My only complaint was that our air mattress died and I ended up sleeping on the ground seven months pregnant with aching ribs and all. I must have complained more than I thought because Chad has seriously doubted my ability to go camping again this summer.

Black Hills

So I know our trip to the Black Hills was six weeks ago, but here are some of the pictures. Behind Lydia above is Sylvan Lake. We had fun walking around it. In the summer you can swim in it and of course fish too.

Mount Rushmore


Crazy Horse Monument. This was actually one of my favorite stops. Maybe because of all the turquoise jewelry. They also have a really cool Indian museum there.

This is my absolute favorite picture of the trip.

We attempted to go rock climbing, but the weather was so cold and we didn't quite know where to go. We ended up finding a small wall and our friends and Chad went up once each. Lydia and Claire were so cold and miserable though so we had to make it a short trip.

In other news, things are going well. Chad's work is great. We're getting better acquainted with our ward. The weather has been really mild for this time of year which I'm grateful for since I'm packing around a very round belly.

And I've realized that I haven't officially announced on our blog that our baby is a boy. All the friends I've seen have had to ask. We're excited to have one of each.

We just went camping over the fourth so maybe I'll get those pictures up before a month passes, but anyone taking bets?

Utah

So we're moved in! This is what we came home to when we arrived Thursday.


Now we're almost home here. We still have some odds and ends to put away. We downsized quite a bit when we moved here so a lot of stuff has yet to find a place--but we're getting there.

It's been nice to see our families so much in the last two weeks. They helped us move in, we had a nice family dinner with Chad's family, went to graduation for both of our little sisters, and played at the park all day with Chad's siblings and families on Saturday. I went shopping with my mom and sister too. Oh, it is nice to have shopping again (at least for my psyche, not so much for my budget)! Nebraska shopping is limited to Wal-Mart unless you want to take an all day trip to Omaha or Lincoln so to be surrounded by shopping here is like going to an ice cream parlor after a long diet.

Our ward is small and not-so-close-knit which is typical of Utah wards for the most part. Hopefully we'll make friends soon. There are a few young families that I've got my eye on as soon as I can track down some phone numbers. I miss the invitations to dinner that we received when we first arrived in both North Carolina and Nebraska, but people just don't really do that here. I guess I'll take it upon myself to invite them over here instead.

Chad's job is going well. He has a really caring and involved boss and he hopes to get into the muck of things much sooner here than he did in his other two positions. We'll see. The company already treated us to a Bees (baseball) game and free food there so that was a perk.

I am missing Nebraska a bit. I miss my friends and I miss the branch. But it's only been a little while. Lydia has sure been up to some antics lately that leave us both laughing so she keeps us entertained. What a cutie! Right now she is walking down the hall with her belly protruding as far as she can possibly stick it out. Personally, I think she is making fun of my baby belly which is way too big for me to still have three months left.

We went to South Dakota before we moved here and got some fabulous pics so I'll get those posted soon. Until then, we'll just keep rockin' it here in Utah.

Good Things Nebraska

Our time here in Nebraska is nearly over. We leave in less than two weeks. I can't help but think of the things I'll miss (and the things I won't) as we head to our next adventure. We moved to Nebraska from Durham, North Carolina where the trees invade the skyline (though beautifully). So when we arrived in Nebraska, I couldn't help but notice the SKY! It is gorgeous here and there is so much of it to look at since nothing but corn and a few trees invade its space. The weather here is dynamic and you can watch the sky change literally before your eyes. I love the open feel of it.

The people here are simple, really, and I like that. In our branch of the church, character is rampant. Where else can I find a Brother Carley? A tall, thin man with an exuberance of personality who farms goats and who faithfully greets every single person in front of the church every Sunday and on every other day of the week can be seen wearing the most hideous denim overalls ever? Where else is there a Brother Lindquist? A serious, thoughtful man who was recently made the Branch President and who wears cowboy boots every single day and yes, even with his suit. Or a Brother Jones. A man who can say "I hate babies" and make you love him even more for it. Where else will I get to go to dozens of convert baptisms in a single year and feel the energy that comes with new members?

I'll miss the quiet streets where I feel absolutely comfortable walking or running alone or with Lydia in a stroller. I admit that I am a HUGE wimp when it comes to trusting the world I live in and the streets of Salt Lake do scare me a little.

I'll probably miss my huge apartment with its super cheap rent. We're definitely down-sizing in space with the next move so we can still save money for a house.

I will NOT miss Nebraska winters. They are bitter and even longer than Utah winters. I will not miss having to drive two hours to get to the temple, stake conference, or a city that has decent restaurants or a Target. And I will definitely NOT miss the 13 hour drive we have taken too many times to go see our family in Utah.

I WILL miss our friends. There are a few families here that I especially love, but one in particular and we will miss them a lot. Lydia spends a lot of time with Claire and I spend almost the same amount of time with Claire's mother, Mandy. Claire asks for us by name and Lydia has taken up some of Claire's mannerisms and expressions so that gives you an idea of how good of friends they are for their age. We always say the world is small and it could be that we live close again, but in all reality, there is just as much chance that we won't.

So we prepare to move. I'm not excited to start over again. I honestly feel like we haven't been here long enough to merit all the work of starting some place else already. It's hard the first little while until you can make new friends, get to know the ward, learn the area where you live, etc. That's the part I'm not excited about. But I know once we get over that, we'll love it just like we've loved every other place we've been. We'll get to see family a lot more this summer and we, of course, are looking forward to having our little baby in September. So here's to the changes of life and all that comes with them as we say goodbye to the flatland of Nebraska.

Coming Soon!

September 7, 2009!

New Trimmings

So Lydia hair is growing too fast. Her bangs, as you can see in the before picture, were almost to her nose! I wanted her to grow out her bangs, but I finally let our awesome neighbor cut her bangs and I think it turned out so cute!! I love being able to see her face even when she has messy bedhead. Emily, our neighbor who cuts our hair, flipped Lydia's hair and we brought her home looking so good. Maybe I'll cut some bangs of my own! Her shirt is a little messy because Emily gave her a candy cane to eat while she got her hair cut. It did the trick. Lydia chowed down on the full-sized cane the entire time. She had pink, sugary drool all over Emily's house by the time we were done, but it worked. Worth the mess.

Cute Things She Does

She loves to lounge in her chair with the works: snack, remote, teddy bear, and even most of the time, her blankey.


She loves to rock her carebear. He is one of her favorites. She says "rock, rock" and moves her body back and forth. So cute!

Lydia is a mover and a shaker. We finally got some of her moves (well, her main one)on video. It's a bit long, but we know Lydia's grandmas will love it!

Blogging Blahs??

I look at my blog almost daily and think to myself, "I really need to update, but what?" Yesterday, I started thinking that I should have something to write about because I've actually been quite busy. In the last eight days, I've made dinner for other people FIVE times, I hosted book club, took Lydia to the doctor twice, went to the eye doctor, we had New Beginnings in Young Women's, I set up for and attended a wedding, got all my visiting teaching done by the ninth, and several other things. And yet, none of that sounds very interesting to discuss. The weather definitely plays with my mood as well. Some days it is teasingly warm and I'm ready to pull out capri pants and sandals, but other days it is dastardly wintery. Today it is just gloomy.

Thankfully Lydia keeps us entertained. She has learned a few new words including my favorite, "nigh, nigh." Lydia likes to go to bed (which I love) and so she says this often. She can also say a version of thank you, more, all done, peek-a-boo, cheese, doggie, ball, and rock,rock though some words she says more often than others. She knows what a doggie says and will bark on command if you ask her, and she recently learned where her nose is and gives it a good pinch when we ask her to find it. She has also learned to say, "No!" and she gets this threathening scowl on her face. This has developed only in the last few days and I can tell it isn't going to be my favorite thing. But at least she is growing and learning. She is almost always happy and tons of fun.


Ever the face-maker, here Lydia is all ready for church with her hair done up in curls.


She found the mud at the park on one of those just-thawed days and loved it!


And here we are at the same park a different day. We take advantage of weather that reaches above forty and head to the park. I especially loved her pig-tails that day. Her hair is starting to get long enough in the back for me to pull all of her hair up. What a cutie!

A little laugh

So I haven't blogged forever, and I'm feeling completely unmotivated to do so. But I thought I would at least post something. So here is a little video that Chad and I think is hilarious. And sorry if we're the only ones who find it funny.

Destination Known

The verdict is in. Chad will be doing his last rotation with his work in.....ready......Sandy, UT!! We got our number one pick, so we're excited. I guess they almost sent us to New Jersey which would've been really cool except for the living expenses (which is the whole reason we didn't put in for a position back East anyway). But we're excited about being back home and close to family. We'll be moving late May or early June.

Holiday Highlights (Belated, of course)

Our journey to Utah started with one stuffed PT Cruiser and a mostly happy baby in the back seat. The first hour dragged forever and I thought, "we're in for it." But then we started a book on CD and before you knew it Lydia fell asleep which I always gratefully welcome when we're in the car. I can only turn around in my seat and offer new treats, toys, and songs until I've got a rash on my elbow and a crick in my neck. She fared well for the 13 hour drive. When we arrived at Grandma Kimber's, she wore her journey on her shirt as you can see below.

We spent Christmas Eve and had our first round of Christmas morning with the Kimber's. Lydia loved the music table that Santa brought her. It really is a great toy, she still plays with it for a long time, dances, and today, even started lifting her leg along with the little tunes.

We also opened presents with my family and Lydia was so thrilled with every new piece of wrapping paper she ripped from the box. I just thought this picture below was cute. She was showing off for everyone.

This picture below is my absolute favorite of the entire trip. You can see the mountains behind her and I think it is just perfect.

It turns out, Lydia is quite the snow-baby. She LOVED being outside. She wandered in the driveway and even up my mom's road until her nose was so red she could have outdone Rudolph and her hands were frozen numb. She got snow bibs for Christmas and we took her sledding for the first time. We all love sledding and make a point to go at least once while we're in Utah. I was running up the hill with Chad's younger sisters and hoping to myself that I will still be a sledding momma even as I hit my 30's and 40's. Why not?

Coming home, Lydia was exhausted. We stopped at Arby's for dinner and both Chad and I commented that Lydia looked homeless with her dirty face and clothes and her animal-cracker-goo hair. Oh well. We lucked out with decent roads and a really fun trip. Now that the pictures are out of the way, here are some of the things that were highlights for me:

1. Of course, our traditional Christmas Eve and Christmas Day activities. Lydia was so much more fun this year, and I know it will only get better as she understands more and more what Christmas is all about.

2. Making so much food for my family's New Year's Eve party that I honestly spent four or five hours in my mom's kitchen. But when it was time, I laid out a yummy spread that kept my dad giving me compliments for days.

3. Bowling with Chad's family on New Year's day. I watched my father-in-law bowl, and I realized that two years ago, he couldn't have bowled without a lot of discomfort and soreness due to his arthritis. He got new knees last fall and he approached the bowling lane, ball in hand, just like a pro.

4. Playing with Lydia in the snow. That girl loves the outdoors!

5. Last, but definitely not least, playing Rockband with my mom. We made her sing and you should have seen her belting out the lyrics to some Metallica song all the while saying how stupid the lyrics were. Unless you've played Wii games or Rockband with my mom, you will never comprehend the complete and utter hilarity that only my mother can produce. We were all holding our guts with tears of laughter gushing from our eyes. Love you, Mom!

Over all it was an awesome Christmas, much better than last year even and I'm glad we made it.