Where did it go?

Christmas, that is. You prep and prep until utter exhaustion, and then what? Poof, it's gone! And once you notice it's months later.

This Christmas was no different...well, maybe a little different. I worked retail. (gasp. silence.) It was quite an experience. I hardly got any baking done (not that I do much to begin with), the presents got wrapped at the last minute (like usual) but the worst...I didn't get any crafting done! sigh.* But besides those minor blips, it was a HUGE success.

CiBaby was into Christmas like nobody's business!!! She sang Christmas songs all season,** she baked cookies with G-Mama, visited Santa (by her request, not mine) and dressed in the holiday spirit...okay, so she's a little confused sometimes.

She had a blast. And it was a blast to see her having so much fun. And what could add to the delights of Christmas with a 3 year-old? SNOW and lots of it on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Lots and lots of it. So much so that we had over-night guests and some that missed out.

Besides the delights on a little girl's face we found there is still kindness among strangers. What a great Christmas gift. With all of the snow wouldn't you know, our snow blower would not start...and the plows came by...twice! So T-Daddy was out there with his trusty shovel digging the driveway out on Christmas Eve when a truck drove by with a plow on the front. The driver asked if he could move that pile of snow for T-Daddy. Ummm...YES! How wonderful. And if blessing come in twos, ours did this Christmas Day. While I was busy in the kitchen getting breakfast ready a man drove by on a two-wheeler...again with a plow on the front (Huh? You'd think we live on the Tundra or something!) and said, "Hey, I'll move it for you!" He proceeded to dig out the end of our driveway and within a couple of minutes he was boogieing his way down the street...which got T-Daddy inside quicker so we could get down to business!



After a couple days of celebrating with my family we had a day's respite (oh yeah, and I worked that day) and then came the T-Daddy clan. The last time they came over for a holiday it was one of our first years in our house and very few places to sit. This year was much different. We had a fully finished basement, lots of room in the living room and a full dining room...which helped a lot when there are over 20 people. The only thing that will make it better is when the kitchen remodel is complete.

But again, where did it go? I dunno...but I need a break!

*Oh well, whatever, right? I'm always up for new experiences. It's walking on my wild side! lol
**Shhh. So what if she does it all year. It adds to the story.

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you a little Elfin Magic this Christmas! Go nuts!!!

Being imperfect in a "perfect" society

Yes, I have strayed from some of my deeper posts lately...but let's chalk it up to the time factor, which leads me to this thought...

How does an imperfect person make their way in a "perfect" society?

Society is so focus on perfection. The perfect house, the perfect car, a put-together look and outward appearance, and most of all...perfect children.

We all want things to be perfect, I know I do...and I don't even put myself on the Perfectionist scale, at least for most things. Who wouldn't want their house to be spotless and beautifully decorated? A nice car that turns heads (and gets good gas mileage)...come on, don't deny it. A closet full of outfits that make you feel like a million bucks? All wonderful dreams, but they are just that...dreams. But children...we expect perfection out of our children. While I could go on and on about manners, attitudes and behaviors what I'm getting at is deeper.

What is it like to have an child that is seen as "imperfect" to the world?

Long ago, I was going to post a little more information about CiBaby, but hesitated. How would people, either not knowing her at all or just getting to know her react to her...or me? Some already know that CiBaby has been diagnosed with OAV (Oculo-auriculo-vertebral) Spectrum (and possibly Hemifacial Microsomia) which can involve the eyes, ears and spine (and sometimes internal organs). What does that mean for her? Well, she is completely deaf on the left side and missing that outer ear. And that's about it.* She is beautiful, very healthy, observant, basically has sonar in her right ear** and a wit beyond her years. Most people do not even notice that she's missing an ear. But what happens when they do? CiBaby already asks me "Mama, why do I only have one ear?" "Mama, why do you have two ears?" Aaaahhhhh that's a very good question, my darling. And she's only 3-years-old.***


Then today, I happened to catch Dr. Phil...while whipping something up in the kitchen...and the discussion was on girl-bullies. Oh boy. I'll just say it...Girls are mean! I really don't understand it. Is it that our gender is so insecure that we need to lash out at one another and make others feel bad (or worse!) about themselves just to make ourselves feel better. To somehow validate ourselves and our feelings by devaluing others? I will tell it to the world...I was bullied by an older girl when I was 13. Why? I'll never know the real reason. All I know is it scared the living daylights out of me. So much so that I didn't want to go to school in fear that I would get beaten by her. I faked being sick. I tried to never walk alone in the hallways. This is when I found out who my true friends were.


Why do I bring this up? I fear this for my own daughter, who is only 3! Girls are getting meaner and meaner at younger and younger ages! It's so crazy it boggles my mind and sends me in to small panic attacks just thinking about it. But I need to keep my whits about me. How do we shelter our children from the unnecessary slashings to the soul, those cuts that scar the personality...without suffocating them in the process? Letting them learn that this wonderful world does come with some undesirable, but teachable, sides? That everything and everyone has an "imperfection," some external and some internal. Hell, we're all human. Maybe I should have titled this "Being perfect in an imperfect society."

For now this mama bear is keeping watchful eyes and listening ears. Check back in a couple of years to see how we're all fairing.


*To date we need to get another x-ray of her spine, but I'm not terribly worried.
**When the first Audiologist said "I wished she had better hearing in her right ear" we thought..."Good Lord!!! We surely don't!"
***She even noticed the fact that she only had one year around the time she was 2-years-old. It's kind of a cute story, actually.

The Santa Experience

Today was the day...the day that CiBaby decided for herself that she wanted to talk directly to the Big Man himself.

The first year CiBaby was with us, we didn't even consider bringing her to see Santa...we could barely get her to sit on relatives' laps without crying! Last year there were a couple of times that she saw Santa from afar...but that was close enough for her.

But this year was different. This morning we were talking about Santa and all of a sudden she said that she wanted to talk to him. Well...okay! So I did what any good mother would do and found out where Santa was that day, of course! And I was still able to get an appointment, that day, with the man himself.

So we hustled, and we bustled and got ourselves ready to get out the door. Thankfully there was a small line to wait in before talking with Santa. This gave CiBaby some time to fully take in the situation. She studied him. She saw what the other kids were doing. She noticed that Santa had CANDY next to him!*

Not knowing exactly what to expect from her when her turn came I stayed fairly quiet. But once the little boys were done in front of her...you would have had to have had a barricade to stop her. She was on a mission to talk with Santa. She marched right up to the little stool that sat next to his chair and sat down. She was serious. They had a discussion about being good, did lots of givin' fives and even willingly, and with a real smile, got pictures taken.

After it was over, I didn't have to pull her away, she walked away confidently and told me that she had talked with Santa. We picked our picture** and bought a frame*** and headed out for lunch. As we were looking for the perfect location to have our tidbits to eat we saw Santa having lunch. You would have thought we saw a mega star. She was giddy and Santa was so sweet. He talked with her again, gave her a piece of candy, and I swear she swooned.

Later that afternoon, I framed that picture...which was quickly confiscated and now resides on CiBaby's dresser.

It was a great day in this life.

*There's very little this kid misses.
**Not shown here...must scan for that.
***It was too dang cute to pass up.

The budding artist

Art by CiBaby...


Our Family...from left to right...Big Sister, Big Bruffah (brother), T-Daddy on the roof) Kitcat in the window, CiBaby in the door yelling to our furry buddy "to come in, Bern!" And last...me. Yep, you can't miss me and my crazy hair.


CiBaby's self portrait.

There's no doubt about it...I'm impressed!!!

A Dazzlin' Day

As tradition* would have it, the day after Thanksgiving we all go Downtown to watch the Holidazzle Parade. And every year G-Mama says, "I'd LOVE to be in the parade."

Well this year she and Bopa got their chance!

T-Daddy, CiBaby and I got all bundled up, drove to the light rail station and hopped on the train, which of course is an adventure in and of itself. G-Mama kept calling us to see where we were in transit.We made it just in time for the parade to start...at the other end from where we were!

Finally the parade started, and couple of dashes inside to use the potty, we got our chance to see the dynamic duo!!!

While Bopa will tell you that he did it just for G-Mama, we all know he had a good time too.


*Okay, so it's only the second year with CiBaby, but you