12.26.11 #2: The fishing pole

As mentioned two posts ago, Rex got a fishing pole for Christmas.  He got Daddy a catfish fishing set for Christmas.  So obviously we had to go fishing today.   Rex cast his pole a few times before deciding he needed to eat, peeing all over himself, and declaring his was ready to go home.  He fell asleep in the stroller on the hike back to the car.  Greg and Rex are going to try again next weekend.   Nevertheless, it was a beautiful day.  Reedy Creek Park is quickly becoming one of my favorite places.

Getting ready--Rex, by the way, only got a weight on his pole.  Maybe in a few years he can  have a hook.

Surprise--Alice not sleeping--she was checking out her new toy. 

12.24.11

Like I said in my previous post, I love spending time with my family, which we did on Christmas Eve.

The kiddos took their first bath together before the company arrived.

We started the evening with a lovely dinner of smoked ribs, mashed potatoes, pasta, rolls, green beans, and a green salad.  

We then cleared the table and played the traditional Robins game of Bingo.  Unlike my mother who wants everyone to be a winner so buys at least a million prizes, I only bought 5--one for each player.  Rex ended up winning 3 of them; Grandma Libby won one and Grandpa Bryant the last.  Rex finished the night with all five prizes.

Rex playing Bingo

Greg was the caller

Alice was on Grandma Libby's team.

Rex and his prizes.

Greg stole one of Rex's prizes.  Rex took it back.

Grandpa Bryant's prize. 

 By this time our dinner had disgusted enough to have dessert.  I made another Robins favorite--S'mores.  Libby brought a less sugary treat--some sort of apple pie, which I obviously didn't eat.

While everyone finished up their dessert, Rex and I prepared for the big event--the Navitity story.  Rex and I had done several dress rehearsals, so he was well aware of his roll(s). 

Grandma Libby as Mary, Alice as baby Jesus, and Joseph as the less-than -chivalrousness Joseph. 

Grandpa Bryant as a cow/narrator.

Rex as the angel.

Greg (the sheppard) was sore afraid.

Rex and Greg herding their flock to see the baby Jesus.  The wisemen also came but were not pictured.  I was stage-manager/photographer/wiseman--hence no pictures of the wisemen.

Then we put our jammies from Grandma Pattie on, read a few more Christmas stories, Rex went to bed, Santa came, Greg and I watched the first half of Scrooged, then I noticed that Greg had fallen asleep so I moved Rex into his own bed (he likes to fall asleep in ours), and we went to bed. 
 

Rex did NOT want to hold Alice so he made the saddest face possible

Our hunting-themed PJs from Grandma Pattie--notice Alice's leopard print.

It was nearly perfect.

12.26.11

I am exhausted.

Not like tired, I need to sleep exhausted.  Like over-stimulated,  away from my own house, too much stuff exhausted.

The house is a wreck.  We ran out the door yesterday to get to church on time and went straight from there to Greg's sister's house, and left late only to have our tire blow out not ten miles down the road so back we went on the do-nut to her house and had to stay over night because what tire store was going to be open at 11 pm on a Sunday on Christmas.  We got home around noon today, fed the baby, took Rex fishing, came home and slept.  While we slept, Greg set up the new tent we got from his parents and built a fire.  We had hot dogs for dinner.  The house needs attention.  I have until Friday.  Then I have to get ready for New Years.

I started this evening to clean up.  Started.  Alice lay on the floor next to me trying to grab her new moose from Andrea.  Rex was watching his new Dumbo movie and Greg was outside tending to the fire.  It was (finally) quite and as I rolled up pounds of ripped paper, and smoothed out tissue paper (I save it), I reflected on a conversation I had with my mom earlier.  Christmas is too much.  It's the stuff and the shopping that is exhausting.  Don't get me wrong, I've worn my new boots for the past two days, all day.  I've enjoyed reading Alice in Wonderland on my new Kindle; I look forward to having matching glasses and silverware once again.  But it's just overwhelming.  I don't know what to do with all of it.  It exhausts me.

Rex is a better example of this.  All he wanted for Christmas was a race car fishing pole.  That's it.  But we couldn't leave it at that.  We also got him a big box of Legos and a new ride-on car.  And then he got stuff from both sets of grandparents, a package from Great Nanna, and stuff from each of his aunts and uncles.  He enjoyed opening one gift.  But really he just wanted to play with his fishing pole.  Like last year, Greg and I ended up opening most of his presents because he couldn't handle it.  He got overwhelmed by the stuff.  He has enjoyed each gift. He's played with everything.  But he joy was full with the fishing pole.  While he has enjoyed and will continue to enjoy all the presents, having multiple didn't increase his happiness.  It just overwhelmed and exhausted him.

 In a way, I think the Jews do it right.  One present a night for eight nights.  Way less overwhelming.  Gives you time to enjoy each gift individually rather than sitting in a mountain of paper after an hour of ravenous ripping and tearing not knowing what to do or where to start.  That's what I did today.  When I walked in the living room to finally get it cleaned up, I just stared for a while. I had no idea where to even start cleaning.  And once I did start all I did was make piles for a while.  Slowly the room got cleaner, but there's still much to be done and now I have to find places for all this stuff.  I don't mean to sound ungrateful.  Because I'm not.  I am pleased with my gifts and have or will shortly enjoy each one.  I'm just wondering if it's all that necessary.  Is more really better?

As we were finally putting Rex to bed tonight, Greg and I decided that next year, we're going to tone it down a bit all around.  We both love Christmas.  But what I love, and I realized this tonight as I cleaned, is not Christmas morning, but the season.  I love the Advent we do each December as a family.  I love doing a little activity each night and just being together.  I like opening gifts and getting stuff, but I love spending time with my family.  So next year, we're going to tone Christmas morning down.  When Rex asks for just a fishing pole and that's all he wants.  That's all he's getting, because the car and the Legos didn't increase his happiness enough to justify the increase in selfishness and commercialism.

Nonetheless, Christmas was what it was and we enjoyed it.  And now some pictures for you to enjoy:

Before

Greg got a new wedding ring--he loves it, or at least he better.

Where's Greg?

Alice didn't wake up until the rest of us had opened all our presents.

Alice got Rex Cars sunglasses to go with his fishing pole

Alice got a new diaper.  It leaks. Lame.

Modeling my new underwear from Mom.  What do you think?

Rex fishing for Alice.  Don't worry, we didn't put a real hook on it.

My big black dress

Remember that black dress that was a huge pain in the butt to find for Emma's wedding that I then forgot to take a picture of?  Well, I finally got a picture of it.  I like.  I love it.  I'd want more of it...if Alice were in it, which I guess, technically she is, but I still don't think it counts as a complete family picture.  Nevertheless, here's the dress.  See, it is hot, for a maternity dress.

Getting ready

This is what my kids do while I try to get ready...on a good day.  It's a good thing my hair has grown out.  I wear a lot of ponytails now.  I wonder what Regina George would say?

Siblings

People keep asking how Rex is adjusting to having a sister.  Is he jealous?  And I say no.  Sure,  he has his days and times, but in general, he is so sweet with her.  When Alice cries, he runs to her and puts her binky back in her mouth.  We're working on not chocking her with said binky.  If we're in the car and she cries, Rex says, "Don't cry baby Alicecess, I right here. Don't cry."  Sometimes when she cries, he tells me I should feed her.  When I put Alice down to play, Rex pushes her swing, brings her toys, or just lays down and plays with her.  I found this a few days ago...but it wasn't the first time or the last.  

This is my best shot of Alice's new smile.  I tried ok.

A few days ago, I was trying to get a shot of the kids together.  Alice didn't like it.  So Rex tried tickling her.  He often does that--tickle her and says, "Can you smfile fweetie?"  He gave up and just gave her a kiss.

Given all this, Rex does have his days.  I hear, "Mom, hold me" a lot.  He loves being held and carried around...just like a baby.  And sometimes, he tells me not to feed the baby and to hold him instead. It could be worse.

Alice

I'm trying really hard not to let Alice be the neglected second child.  The first child gets lots of attention and rolls and rolls of pictures, and it all goes down hill from there.  Well, my first child spent two weeks in the hospital when he was born, all I could do was take pictures of him.  Alice, on the other hand...well we all know where she was born.  I try to spent more time cuddling her than taking pictures of her.  But she's a beautiful.  I really should take more pictures of her.  So a few weeks ago, Greg was working late and I love hates so Rex and I had a photo shoot.  

We get this face a ton

And then Alice got mad.

And stayed mad.

And got even more angry, so we gave up.

And Rex put on some hats.  He put this bonnet on upside down and backwards.

A few little facts about Alice: she is a smilely pants--all morning long, and all evening.  She's huge.  Ok, not really, but she's average size, which compared to Rex, is huge.