Archive for December, 2005
Today is the last day of the year and we chose to spend it with friends. We had lunch at Charlie Brown’s Steakhouse (formerly Good Time Charlie’s) with some friends of mine from college. Fiona, her husband Bill along with their son Matthew and Tara along with her new guy Drew. We were all meeting Drew for the first time and he got the seal of approval from our end, Aiden took to him quite nicely. The kids were really good all through lunch and received some attention from many passers-by. Everyone seemed to have a great time.
Later that evening, Chris and I watched some episodes of Northern Exposure Season 3 and at around 10 pm Aiden finally fell asleep. We continued watching until a few minutes before midnight when we switched over to Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve 2006. You have to give the man credit, he made it to another year as the host. We stayed up another hour or so and flopped our tired bodies into bed, knowing that we may have to get up early to feed Aiden.
December 31st, 2005
Upon receiving Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince as a Christmas gift from my step-brother, it was all I could do not to immediately begin reading it. Of course this would have been rude as I was visiting my dad and his wife, all of my brothers and their respective better halves and my neice and nephew to exchange Christmas presents. Still, I was a bit busy earlier this year when the book first became available taking care of my newly born, son Aiden. Reading was the last thing I had on my mind then, but I am much more in control of my days (so I think) and I am ready to get started.
I began reading it the instant we got home after putting Aiden to bed. My eyes were droopy and my body aching to get to bed, but my mind absorbed every word. I admit, her writing is getting better and even though this is a children’s book, I’m hooked. So, only able to read a chapter or two every night before my sleepy head would hit the pillow and grab a few chapters during nap time over the weekend, I was able to finish it in a little over a week. For those of you who have read it, “WOW!” and those of you who didn’t, “Double WOW!”
Now, I will say here that I am going to try my hardest not to spoil anything but I can’t promise, it’s only fair to warn you. As I mentioned, J. K. Rowling’s writing is getting better with each book. She is keeping you in suspense about certain situations much longer than she has in the others. She is adding more detail to situations but not giving away anything too soon. Of course I didn’t believe the whole thing about Snape in the beginning, I felt she was trying to trick me into believing something that would eventually work itself out. But for him to do what he did at the end. The trust that was broken! The shock of the event itself let alone who did it. The romances, the fights, the deaths, the betrayals, it didn’t seem like a kids book. I can’t even imagine how she is going to tidy it all up into one last book.
One thing I did notice upon completing this book was that I wasn’t as hungry for the next one. At the end of book five, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, I cried and wished I had book six in my hands so I could ease Harry’s pain or at least find out how he was going to deal with it. He lost another person he felt close to, Siruis, had his image of his dad shattered and is going through so many stressful ordeals that I just wanted to jump in the book at the end and be his friend. Not that I felt sorry for him, but even with Ron and Hermione, he seemed so alone. At the end of this book, it is as if he wants to be alone to fight the fight that only he can. While I am curious about how he is going to go about it, I don’t feel the need to literally be right by his side.
Harry has been corageous in all the books, but has been accepting his responsibility and taking more action in both books five and six. Dumbordore has always let Harry do what he needed do without Harry knowing it, but this book is more forceful of Dumbledore including Harry in the mission. Little Harry is growing up and I guess I’m sad to see any innocence being taken away from him by those who were once trying to preserve it. Captain of the Quiditch team, personal instruction from Dumbledore and researching his own hunches about Draco. Those are just ordinary responsibilities given to him in addition to the daunting task of knowing he is the only one who can rid the wizarding world of Voldermort. Except now he knows what he needs to do, it’s just a matter of being able to do it.
She unfolds the story slowly and carefully, only giving you enough to not want to put the book down until the very last page is read. Bravo Ms. Rowling, you did it again!
December 27th, 2005
Today we had a video conference with Kadri, Jamie and Kaili located in Maple Valley, Washington. It was so exciting because this is Aiden’s and Kaili’s first Christmas. It was really nice to be able to share the joy of opening presents and seeing the expression on their faces. We sent Kaili a Taggies Blanket and a pink bunny bath sponge that I’m sure she will enjoy them when she is a little older.
Aiden was sent the Baby Einstein Baby Wordsworth DVD. It is an introduction to words and sign language room by room. I have been learning and teaching sign language to Aiden for a few months now and this should be a nice addition to the Pick Me Up! Fun Songs for Learning Signs book and CD. Upon further research, I have found that while this DVD is good, the Signing Time DVD are recommended as well as the Sign With Your Baby Complete Learning Kit. I also found a great web site that shows video of how to sign words in the American Sign Language Browser.
December 26th, 2005
One of the smartest things we did this year was to schedule all the visiting with family and freinds either before or after Christmas. Today we celebrated Aiden’s first Christmas as a family. No traveling, no visitors, no stress. We opened presents, telephoned family and relaxed.
Since my family came over last night, we had lots of leftover food. We stayed in our pajamas most of the day and enjoyed playing with Aiden, reading during his naps and just being together. It was wonderful. I’m sure we will not be able to hold onto this tradition every year, as we have family in various states and will eventually want to visit or be visited. For now, we enjoyed the peace and togetherness.
Aiden loved tearing (and then eating) the wrapping paper while opening his gifts. Chris and I decided to set a price limit without telling each other what we were getting him. Since Aiden is excited by any new gift, we thought surprising each other would be more fun. I gave Aiden a Taggies Blanket and Chris gave him a Surprise Inside Elephant. Aiden loves playing with them so they come highly recommended.
We hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas Day. We are looking forward to having the week off and celebrating Aiden’s first New Year.
December 25th, 2005
While I was growing up my family always had a Christmas Eve party for the entire family. My mom’s side and dad’s side would visit together, making memories of my childhood filled with love, laughter and togetherness. I would get to see my cousins (some of which this was the only time I would see them), aunts, uncles and grandparents and everyone seemed to get along wonderfully. The party was eventually moved to my grandmom’s house (on my mom’s side) after my mom and dad split up. The tradition of a party on Christmas Eve still lived on until my grandmother went into the hospital and is currently in a nursing home.
Now that I have my own family, I asked Chris if he would mind having a Christmas Eve party at our home. I didn’t realize how much I missed the tradition until it was gone and thought what better way to start it up again with our newly formed family. Chris was happy not having to travel around the holidays and agreed. As we had celebrated with my dad, his wife and her kids last week, it would only be my mom, her husband, my brothers, Joe and Jeff and their girlfriends. A nice small gathering to rekindle the tradition I have long missed.
It was a wonderful evening. Everyone got along, there was enough food and desserts to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth. Aiden had a ball ripping open his gifts and then eating the wrapping paper. Once the paper was discarded he enjoyed playing with his stuffed Snoopy and Woodstock the best, much to my mom’s surprise as she showered him with many other gifts she thought he would enjoy more. We had fun chatting, getting to know Joe’s new gal, Barb and just being together. Chris and I made my mom cry when she opened her present which was a bound photo album of Aiden ranging from birth to six months of age. I hope when we eventually move into a bigger house we can expand the guest list and make Aiden’s Christmas Eve memories just as special as mine.
December 24th, 2005
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