I remember loving this age with Bea too. I remember thinking I never laughed before I laughed at a goofy little toddler. The thing that makes her so lovable is that even when she is naughty and being willful she is still cute. Today she has a fever and she just wants to be close to Mommy.
This year I made: a nightie, 3 little girl dresses, a backpack, two penguins, a bunnie, two shirts for myself, a bunch of doll clothes, 3 pinafores, two hats, a penguin costume, pajama pants, a birthday cake for a one year old, two skirts, some shorts, a dress for myself and a stocking for Claire. All with my two little hands.
I loaded up on fabric and patterns when I was in the US so I’m looking forward to starting some 2012 projects soon.
Well we’re back home. The trip is always hard. This wasn’t our best trip. Claire got over tired on the plane and wouldn’t go to sleep. She was crying and calling out some phrase that we couldn’t understand. Probably something like Mommy why are you torturing me? I was about to lose it just from being completely pooped and worrying that she was bugging everyone else around us. We tried holding her and then buckling her in her seat and then walking up and down the aisle and singing to her. She just wouldn’t have it – she would not settle down. A flight attendant came over and very nicely told me that we could go back to the galley area if we needed a little more space. So I got up and headed back to the rear of the plane. As I stood up a guy a couple seats back started clapping. And then we were both crying because that was so un-nice and I just wanted to be off the plane. If Brian had been able to get to the other side of the plane I think he would have punched the guy. Her whole crying episode only lasted about 20 minutes and then she fell asleep in my arms. I however couldn’t help being steaming mad for the remaining 3 hours of the flight.
Thankfully the girls slept for the rest of the flight. Then we dragged our huge bags and our dirty children home.
And now we are home. Our bags are half emptied. New toys, dirty clothes and random stuff is scattered all around the house. I have been completely useless, barely able to keep my eyes open while Brian managed to go out for groceries, entertain the girls and make dinner.
Was all the travel misery worth it? Yes!
Phillip: Bea, you know what’s special to me?
Bea: What?
Phillip: You.
Here are my Christmas-time confessions. And some pictures from the book, Father Christmas. One of Brian’s favorites as a kid and now one of Bea’s favorites.
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All I want for Christmas are some naps.
We are building a web of lies about Santa and we aren’t very comfortable with it. Bea asked how does Santa get through that thing in the chimney? She was talking about the flue. I thought up a lie and I thought it up quick. Oh you just open it on Christmas Eve, I said. Right. We told her Santa was taking her gifts to Michigan instead of Switzerland, but I just realized there are no Santa gifts for her in Michigan… Hmmmm.
I’ve been watching the old James Herriot TV series on Netflix. I remember watching it with my Mom years ago and now it’s just what I need to zone out in the evenings while I clean up the kitchen. I love it – I think I’ll have to read the books again also.
We always do six months worth of clothes shopping when we’re in the US. When the clerks ask me for my zip code and I have to explain that I don’t live in the U.S. and then they act like I’m some sort of celebrity. I simultaneously like and hate the whole exchange.
I’m really sick of the Octonauts Christmas special – it’s all Bea is interested in watching lately.
The other day I went out into the hallway and found Claire on her Bobby car – it was balanced on the edge of the top step of our stairs. It was just like you see in cartoons where they scramble to get their weight to the back of the car and it’s teetering and then a butterfly lands on the hood and it crashes to the bottom of the cliff. She was crying because she couldn’t move her car and luckily I caught her in time before she tumbled down our very hard stairs. I was afraid to tell Brian – I’ve already gotten several bad mommy awards this year.
For the first time in a long time I didn’t send out Christmas cards – I just didn’t get to it.
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MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU WHO MAKE ME SO HAPPY BY VISITING/COMMENTING ON MY BLOG!
We like making decorated cookies!
More sugar please Mommy!
“The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of a world and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment then where is it to be found?”
~J.B. Priestley
We had our Swiss Christmas last night and this morning. Right this minute the girls are blissfully entertained with new toys and Brian’s in the kitchen making bacon and eggs.
Last night we made our first fire in the fireplace – ever.
Raclette dinner.
The girls are asleep and the presents are under the tree.
We woke up to our fist snow of the season on our Swiss Christmas morning.
Now Bea and Brian are planning a trip to find some more significant snow. I’ll make some cookie dough so Bea can decorate cookies when she gets back. And the Christmas music will be playing all day.
MERRY SWISS CHRISTMAS.
Bea gets to unwrap one of our Christmas books each night up until our Swiss Christmas. Three more days to go.
And only eight days until we are back in Michigan. I can’t wait to be surrounded by the warmth of my family. Can’t wait!
Laowai 