Alas...

Christmas has come and gone, and what a glorious time it was! Caleb had his first immunizations on Friday, then Grandma Becky came to pick him up for an overnight trip so Jonathan and I could have an evening alone together. It actually wasn't quite as difficult as I thought it might be for me. Of course, it meant Jonathan and I could go to a movie then play games together without worrying about abandoning him. Time flew!

We went to see Zathura - I would highly recommend it to everyone that doesn't over-think things. I loved it like crazy until Jonathan brought up one seriously bad inconsistency, and now I'm just trying to think of a way to make it make sense. After the movie, where we ate lunch while watching, we went home and played GAMES! (I was supposed to take a nap, but anytime Jonathan is willing to play card games with me, all else gets pushed to the back burner.) We went to bed pretty early, which is a good thing, because...

... I woke up at four on Christmas Eve, and wanted to get going! Jonathan actually got up and got ready, then went back to bed while I ran up to Wal-Mart for some last minute things. I've NEVER had last minute things before! What fun! Anyway, we got a really early start, and even though we had to run to Golden before heading to Loveland, we still got to my folks' house by a little after seven thirty. My little boy had a GREAT night! His Grandma and Grandpa stayed up with him until eleven thirty, though. (I know how hard it is to let him go to sleep. You just want to spend time with him.) But then he only got them up once more before seven, which is still pretty impressive. Someone told me yesterday that the immunizations and tylenol given afterwards help the baby sleep like a rock. So it turned out to be a great time to inflict him on others!

We did Christmas Eve at Auntie Beep and Unkla Marvie's with the whole fam in Eaton that afternoon. There were so many kids/babies that it seriously cracked me up. Our family just keeps growing! We did lunch, the Christmas story, carols and presents in record time. (And by record, I mean that it only took a little over five hours. Not bad.) Unfortunately, that precluded us from being able to make it to the Christmas Eve service, so we Garmane and Fashbaughs bundled up GG and headed back to Loveland, where we had some dinner, candlelight, and Mom read "The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey." It was really beautiful, and a great time. Then, believe it or not, I was incredibly tired, so Jonathan and I took Caleb and went to bed.

Would you believe that he slept for SIX HOURS?! I don't know if it was just because he'd been overwhelmed, or if it was because it was cooler, or if we just need to move further north or WHAT, but I was amazed. It made me soooo happy! After I fed him, we tried to go back to sleep, but he was fussy and I was excited. So we were both just drifting off when I realized that my PARENTS were up! At only 5:30! (If you know me at all, you know that I have been asked to leave everyone alone on Christmas morning until at least six, at which time, we can open our stockings.) So I dragged Jonathan out of bed, and we all convened in the living room to open the stockings, then open presents.

Megan was in Washington this year for Christmas, so it was just Jonathan, Caleb, my parents and Grandma this year. Between the stockings and presents, it took us THREE HOURS to get everything opened! Every year we say that we'll lighten up on Christmas, but it never happens. Caleb made out like a BANDIT! His stocking was bigger than him by about four times - I think Jonathan posted a picture - and he got a real load. I think I might have enjoyed his stuff almost as much as I did my own. (Wendy says she liked little Isaac's stuff better than hers, but I think that means she just didn't get as killer presents as I did!) Anyway, it was a wonderful day, and Alisa came to join us for a filet mignon lunch, Dad's Christmas tradition. Mmm...

So now it's basically just time to soak up every minute of Caleb that I can, because we're at T minus six days before I have to go back to work and we figure out how life will work at that stage. God will give me the grace, and I'm trying to live without dread, but my little heart just wants to stay with Caleb until he goes to kindergarten. Ah well, there is a plan in all of this, and all I can do is live my life with purpose and hope. Gotta run do that!