They Meet: Bugs and Santa

This past weekend, my mother's company held a huge family holiday party complete with having our picture taken with Santa. We stand in line (for about 5 minutes, not too bad) and let her toddle around watching what everyone is doing, seeing the other kids sit on his lap, pointing to him, the works. Once it was our turn, sour grapes. We didn't cry exactly, it was more of a "who is this strange man and why do I have to sit on his lap and you better get me off now before I scream." So, the look on her face is priceless and I will probably laugh about it a lot more in years to come. All I have to say is, I'm happy I didn't stand in line for an hour and pay $40 for the same face. Other than that, she had a blast. She loves to watch other kids and see what they are doing. We had lunch, tried to sit through a magic show, but that wasn't happening. She got some balloons to take home which thrilled her to pieces. All in all, it was a nice day spent with grandma and great-grandma.

This Saturday her other grandparents have a Christmas party at their 55+ village and Santa will be joining us. Maybe try 2 will go better, since he won't be such a 'stranger' to her. I have fun anyway, dressing her up and showing her off. What's not to like.

It even seems that grandpa is going to play Santa on Christmas Eve and make a surprise visit to our house. Her two other little cousins will be thrilled by this. I doubt she'll care, but I know it will make grandpa happy.

On a side bar, her walking is vastly improved and it seems to become the approved mode of transportation. Her walking to crawling ratio must be about 85%/15% and grows every day. The time she crawls is when she wants to move super fast and crawling does that. We don't know how to run yet. It's so cute to watch her walk around like Frankenstein with her arms straight out in front of her. She's getting so big!

One Step For Babykind

She did it! She took her first tentative steps toward Toddlerhood. Of course, being a working mom I missed the real actual first steps. She did those at daycare and when I arrived to pick her up they had her ready and waiting to show me her new skill. I was such the proud Mommy!! This is one of the last big milestones in her life...walking. I know there is reading, bike riding, words, to follow this, but this seems like the send off from babyhood into toddlerhood.

The hardest part of all of this? Not sharing with anyone! I worked on her last night to take a few steps for my husband as a surprise. I think she used most of her skill and energy up earlier, and it took some major bribing with Puffs on my part to get her to take 3 steps for me. But we were both so thrilled. I haven't said a word to the grandparents, which was so hard because my mom called last night. We're going to see her tomorrow and I want Bugs to surprise her. I want to tell everyone, but really want to see the look of happiness and surprise on their faces when they discover her new skill. Her one set of grandparents have walked up and down the halls of their condo with her Wednesday evening and after Wednesday evening. They will be overjoyed!

Such major developments going on in our house with the little person. I look at the pictures on my desk from as soon as 4 months ago and the changes are just incredible. Her hair is fuller and fuller in each shot, her face is more mature, she's grown...ugh, it tugs at the heartstrings. I just love this little person more than anybody in the world and more than I ever imagined.

No Walkie Mommy

We have a contented cruiser in our house. We'll walk around and around the coffee table, from end to end on the couch and even take the wee minor step from the coffee table to the couch. Beyond that, nothing! My daughter will even stand on her own and when coaxed to take the one little step towards you, down she goes. Right on her bottom. Give her the push cart or anything on wheels, and she'll zip around the house like a devil. Seriously...get out of her way or get run over.

The "experts" say that most children start to toddle around the 13th month. I'm hoping so, because I think she will be so much happier with this freedom. And the knees on her pants will be happier too, they are the only dirty spot on her! I'll be happy because it will be less carrying around this 23 pound ball of fun. Such a monumental achievement in her life. I can't believe we're already at this point...it really seems like just yesterday I was cheering her on to holding her head up, sitting up, clapping, crawling. I'm feeling old!

Just yesterday I was thinking about where I was a year ago, home on maternity leave with this little bundle that wouldn't sleep. Sometimes I yearn for that baby, all those adventures again. Then I think about how tired I was and how I feel like now I'm just catching up on my sleep and my life again and would I want to go through it all over? And I had concerns and worries the last time I was pregnant due to my "advanced age" and the possibilities it brings with it. I was blessed with a healthy, smart, beautiful little girl who is the light of my life and who knows what another round could bring. I truly worry about it, even though I know we would get through it and love that child just as much. But who wants to even for a second have to think about making a decision on a child's life?

Anyway, I'm looking forward to the day when I can send all the grandparents a video of Bugs doing her wobbly walk!