It's December, November 05 mamas!!!

[flapjack]

Last month...

Happy birthday month to Winter and Brynn and Noah!!!

Love and hugs to DiD, and I hope your wedding day is everything you dreamed of .

I'm currently sitting in my living room looking out into the shell of our new kitchen : We have a big, big hole in the wall now, and the plasterboard is up but we're still waiting on the plasterer to come and finish it off, then the electrician, the gas man and the plumber are going to come and make it all electricalised and gas-ised and plumbed and then I MIGHT have a new kitchen in time for Xmas. Even if we don't, we have somewhere to put the table so life is not going to be totally unbearable, and as long as this babe keeps cooking for most of January, the new bathroom for dad should be done as well before the baby's out. It's going to be tight, though, it really is.

I got woken up at 6am by a snuffly toddler, who couldn't decide whether she wanted to be awake or asleep. Cuddles didn't work, so we're curled up on the sofa with a brother, a doll, a bowl of popcorn and the insistence that she loves cake : It would be so nice if she had different words for food- we still have cake, coke, cheese or chicken : She will EAT the healthy stuff, and she doesn't get coke (or she does- squash, and at the moment she's drinking milk or water with apple) just has no verbal concept of it. Gah. It's so embarrassing. She had a haircut this week to try and tame her wispy strands, and looks very tidy, still like a highly demented pixie, but she's been called a boy four times in the last 24 hours.:

[HoneyTree]

Morning, all. I couldn't fall asleep after the 6 a.m. nursings, so thought I'd just pencil in a nap for when I am tired and got out of bed.

I forgot to tell y'all this, but I ran out of time to make Woody a cake, so I went up to the co-op to let him pick a slice of his own dessert. He picked cherry pie. So we went home, put a tiny sliver of it on a plate for him, he wolfed it down and then threw it up. Helen, you reminded me of this because he didn't associate the throwing up with the pie, just the tastiness, so the past two days he has been telling me whenever he's hungry, "My want pie!"

Amy, Gunther, Barcelona, I've been "listening" to y'all's conversation about parents; I don't have any relationship with my dad, either, and haven't spoken to him in six years. I don't think he even knows I have a child, as I ask my sisters to keep all details of my live private. This is the only way I can imagine it being, so though I occasionally wish my dad didn't have the issues he does, I know that at 58 he's not going to change.

Helen, sounds like your remodeling is coming along swimmingly (I'll knock on wood!). Our current project is putting in a garden where the driveway is now--it's the only place on the lot that gets full sun, so we have to do some soil testing to make sure there's no lead in the soil (leaded gasoline, I read, is the main culprit for lead in soil in urban gardens).

[*Amy*]

Gosh, December already! I made a photo book for Jason's mom (she doesn't have internet so she never gets to see my blog) of the highlights of the past 12 months from Brynn's perspective, and it made me realize how quickly this year has passed! I'm kind of in shock that it's going to be 2008 in a matter of weeks. Have y'all started listening to Christmas music? I always do the day after Thanksgiving.

There are so many active discussions right now, so this is going to be a long one...

On the topic of night-weaning and sleep....Brynn has slept horrifically the past 3 nights, so don't get your chasmere yarn out yet, Helen. She's gotten into the lovely habit of tantrum-throwing over just the past few days, so when she doesn't get milkie at any hour of the night, it's hysterical shrieking for a good 10 minutes. Super fun! No, I haven't backed down and nursed her; it's just something we're going to have to work through. Good luck to all of you in the night-weaning process. Oh and Spughy, I think you asked if we had tried resolving the sleep issue with me sleeping in a separate room and Jason sleeping with Brynn. I don't think we ever really did it seriously because at the time I didn't feel comfortable denying her milk. So, not, not really.

As for the parent issue (sigh) - Gunter I so remember your feelings towards your mom when we were pregnant; I am happy you have worked toward a resolution with her and you feel good about your relationship now. My mom got in touch with me after Brynn was born (we hadn't spoken for ~4 years prior to that, and my request) and we began a very tentative email correspondence that lasted for several months before we talked on the phone. Ultimately I have realized she hasn't changed *at all* but I have just resolved not to have any expectations of her, so I am never disappointed! The gist of it, barcelona, is that she married a very abusive man when I was around 7-8, and didn't protect me or herself from his abuse. I lived with my dad from 7 until 13, but then I think when I hit puberty I really felt the need to be with my mom, so I moved down to California to live with them. My high school years were really hell, and it culiminated with me getting married 2 months after I turned 18 (which was also the day I graduated high school) because I needed to get out of the house! I then ended up funding my mom's divorce and move and really began "parenting" her, which was a really f-ed up dynamic that lasted for years. Anyway, the bottom line is that she is VERY immature, selfish, and irresponsible. She has a total "victim" mentality; nothing is *ever* her responsibility or fault, she is super critical of everyone and everything, and just kind of loser, really. I've never truly figured out the nature of her relationship with her parents but she has alluded to the fact that she never felt really loved by her dad, so I guess that's where her story begins. At any rate, I feel that no matter what childhoods we had, it is OUR responsibility to grow and heal ourselves if we need to in order to be healthy parents. But to this point, she has never seen Brynn, though I have invited her twice to come out (she lives in California), so I'm pretty much done offering, and I'm not going to make a trip out there to see her. So there ya have it.

Helen and Teresa, those little stories of your toddlers and their food experiences cracked me up!

Jen, I hope you are right and that at some point, she will crave affection that isn't booby-related.

Spughy, I *love* Rowan's hair cut!! She looks absolutely adorable.

Gunter, I will talk to Victor about getting a print. Is that what you had in mind, or did you mean a digital copy? You can PM me and we'll figure it out. I am totally flattered that you want a copy!!

barcelona, that is so cute that Finley tells you he loves you so much! Brynn signs I Love You a lot, so I actually do get told that probably once a day at least, so I don't feel as bad about not getting cuddles. She also says the most hilariously sweet things, like, "Mama, you are soooo beautiful. Your hair is very soft," or "Dad, you are the *best*!!" It's so sweet.

So yes, Brynnie is going to be 2 on Monday, and I will tell you that it is pretty obvious lately. As I mentioned before, the tantrums have begun and we have found that the only effective way of dealing with them is to first give her a lot of love, empathy, and compassion. We ask how we can help her, if she can tell us what she needs, etc. The answer to everything is "NO!!!" So after a few moments of getting our full attention, we just say, "OK I'm going to go in the kitchen to make a snack. Let me know if I can do anything to help you." She usually runs into her room, throws her pillows and blankets off her bed, and then calms down and comes into wherever we are and is ready to be held. We were both saying this morning that we don't know if that's the "right" way of handling it, but nothing else seems to work, and I think as long as we are showing her love and aren't punishing her for her behaving that way, it should be OK. Are any of the other toddlers going through this? What are y'all doing in response?

The other news I have to share is that Brynn's birthday party is tomorrow (yay!), and we had originally planned to have the party at the zoo but it looks like it's going to rain tomorrow, so we've opted just to go really low-key and have a small get-together at a new coffee house/vegetarian cafe that also has a toddler play area. (Which Kavita so cleverly suggested!) We *really* didn't want to have a party at our house so I think this will be a really good solution.

Oh and happy wedding day, DiD!

[s_kristina]

Gunter, I'm currently only measuring ahead by 2 weeks and last time I was a full month up at least. Both my measurements were by the same mw. I do see her back up OB at the end of January, but hopefully that's the only time I have to see anyone else. I'm actually rather irritated with myself that I let her concerns make me worried. I know I got big early on with Joseph and was just huge by the end. I don't have little kids so it should be expected that I would get big. Oh yes I'm also about half gray at this point, but it's not my 30th bday coming up this week.

I'm still trying to figure out what to do with Joseph's hair. It's a huge mess at this point. Getting in his eyes and looking matted in the back in the morning or after naps. It badly needs a trim, but I'm worried if I do it he will either end up looking funny or with a really short cut like dh has. I wish I knew of a decent place around here that does boys cuts. I only know one person I could ask, the mom of Annette's best bud. However her best bud has a crewcut so I don't think I want to know where he got that. Just letting Annette's hair grow long or keeping it somewhat even is much easier then boy hair!


Happy Wedding Day DiD!

[spughy]

We have SNOW!!!! Way to usher in December, weather gods. I was going to make a trip down to Port Angeles today, but that seems not such a good idea, because whatever precipitation we get, they get about 5X more and the idea of pushing a stroller around the little hills there in ankle-deep snow just isn't doing much for me this morning.

And last night I went out with some friends to celebrate a good friend's return to SAHM-hood, and I didn't get home til nearly 1 and had quite a good time so I'm not feeling particularly ambitious today . Oh, and I was naughty last night - DH decided that if I was going out, he'd just go up to his parents for dinner (Rowan was already there) so I drove him up, and his mom was all "would you like dinner here too?" and it was overcooked chicken breast and overcooked green beans and runny mashed potatoes, so I said "oh no, I have to get going" and hopped on the bus and got downtown more than an hour before I was supposed to meet my friends. And I decided that I deserved a *good* dinner so I took myself to a lovely french brasserie for dinner. hee.

I have a breakfast request for pancakes, so I suppose I should go do something about that. Later!

[Gunter]

i realized that i wrote you all a short novel last night! i will just read along today. we're back home lounging on the floor by the woodstove which is pumping out some nice warmth.

[Queen of Cups]

Hello, all! I've been working on Christmas presents today and I decided to get the kids dressed up for a picture for our Christmas card... here's what happened.

Lovely, eh?

I did actually get an amazing picture of them, though, so I'm quite happy. Ellie looks like such a little girl to me, nothing left of a baby.

What's everyone doing to celebrate the various holidays this month? I'm so excited to have our first Christmas in our new home, back in our home state. This will be the first holiday since DH and I started dating that we'll both be living in Virginia! That means that no one will have to travel 1000 miles to see family - YAY! We always go to the Candlelight Christmas Eve service with my parents, and then go to their house and do Christmas with them that night. Christmas morning we'll celebrate at our house (we do Santa stuff), and then we go over to the in-laws later that morning. My in-laws always go way, way overboard with Christmas. They spend a ton of money, but its always really thoughtful wonderful gifts. This year for gifts for family I'm making quilts, making apple butter (the kids help with that), and I do a calendar with pictures of the kids that is their gift to their grandparents, aunts/uncles, great-grandparents.

[3for3hb]

Happy wedding day DiD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[flapjack]

Jen, your creativity never ceases to amaze me- and your quilts. I have no idea where you find the time. I love the photos (both of them)

OT, but does anyone have an idiot-proof pattern for dolly dresses? I was going to give Skye's two babies Xmas outfits- at the moment, they live life permanently naked, but I expect that'll change some time. Skye lives as naked as she can, so I shouldn't really be surprised

Spughy, we had hailstones here yesterday- does that count? It was quite cool, I was standing under the skylight in the new kitchen watching them. I can't wait till it snows (which will probably be July 09, based on the way the weather's changing over here.)

Amy, that's what I did with the boys and they aren't majorly traumatised or anything. Skye being Skye, it doesn't work so well with her so I sit near her and describe just HOW upset she is (and talk through what caused the tantrum- you feel really angry that mummy wouldn't let you eat a 2kg bar of chocolate)- and she calms down very quickly and comes and climbs aboard for a cuddle. For her, she needs time in to calm down, rather than time out. (not a Time Out, you understand.)

Oh, photos of the hole in the wall are on the blog We had a bit of a meh day yesterday- FIL has cellulitis in his hip and has been stuck in bed for the weekend, so we stayed in yesterday to keep him company. Made some snow dough and some roving angels, did some washing and generally chilled out, then discovered that some cretinous little toad has punctured our tyre. Remember how it happened so frequently when we first moved down here? Well, it's happening again, but tyres for this car cost four times as much. Grrr. The angels are great, though (and so is the snow dough- like salt dough, but pure white. Alex made some snowmen and they look great. )

[DreamsInDigital]

It snowed early on this morning and into the beginning of the afternoon. It was amazing and breathtaking and beautiful as I looked outside as I was getting my hair done.
My day was fabulous. Of course I ended up being 15 minutes late, I dropped the train of my dress into a puddle as I got out of the car, the minister called Jim "John" and everyone had to stifle a giggle, Winter spilled red sparkling juice on his white shirt, I tripped over the hem of my petticoat as I was walking down the aisle, but there were some amazing and beautiful moments that I will treasure for the rest of my life. Looking into Jim's eyes as he teared up while I recited my vows, Suriya asleep on his back in the Mei Tai during the ceremony, drinking champagne and dancing with my sisters and my kids, my beautiful niece asking me if I'd save my dress for her when she gets married, the cake and the food and the DJ and the flowers and everything was perfect and fantastic but I am so exhausted. I came home and fell asleep on the couch for two hours. I'm going to try to go to bed and catch up on what sleep I haven't gotten in the last two days. It's over. We're married. It was awesome.

[Kavita]

Wow, this is a lot to have caught up with, in just a very short time of not reading!!! Happy December everybody!

Did--congratulations on the wedding!

spughy--yay for taking yourself out on a nice dinner date!

Amy--see ya in the morning if I can get my insomniac *ss to sleep and drag it out of bed in the wee hours!!!!!!

flapjack--good luck with the renovations! that's so stressful. I visited a friend whose kitchen was getting remodeled and it was stressing *me* out just hanging out there for a couple of hours with all that construction going on! There is something about pregnancy that just stimluates remodeling, I swear--it seems like a ton of the home births I've done have been in the midst of some home construction project. Come to think of it, we had our entire house tiled while I was about 5-6 months pregnant, and DH spent most of my early labor painting and installing floor moldings in the one bedroom where we'd put down bamboo floor.

all the pregnant ladies--love hearing about your growing and glowing selves!

those who are going grey, prematurely or not, lol--this is one area where my youth is holding out rather nicely, I have to admit--even though I am one of the old ladies of the bunch here, I have very little grey hair, although I've started noticing a few more here and there of late. : But I feel like my skin is getting a wee bit less elastic. I was thinking about this all earlier today, remembering my visit to a dermatologist last year and her response when I asked how my skin was holding up overall in terms of sun damage, the ravages of time, etc., and she said, "your skin looks pretty good--for your age." Gulp! I didn't expect the "for your age" part to start mid-thirties!!!!

Regarding tantrums, sleep, nursing, etc. . . We don't really have a problem with Ella sleeping or nursing at night once she's to sleep, she sleeps with me and sleeps pretty much through the night most of the time until about 5 am, and if she does wake up to nurse it's rare and she tends to just nurse for a few minutes and then flop back to bed. However, bedtime and nursing at bedtime have become a huge struggle sometimes. At this point I'm just kind of burned out with it, and feeling like it's an area where I've really screwed things up. She will just nurse and nurse and nurse and nurse and go from side to side every couple of minutes, briefly interrupt to ask for cow milk, take a slug of that, go back to nursing, and on and on for literally an hour or two sometimes, interspersed with goofing around and doing things which seem designed to keep her from falling asleep. Which is bad enough, but I'm starting to sometimes feel really pissed about how pushy she is about it and how she doesn't respect boundaries--I have always been very clear that she is not allowed to twiddle the other side, or even touch the other nipple, while she's nursing, and she still always is trying to grope me. I don't even mind if she just sort of puts her hand on my breast, I just don't want the nipple grabbed. Which she really seems to understand as a distinction, but she is bound and determined to touch the nipple anyway. Like literally, over the course of a couple of minutes, she will sort of sneak her hand over a little bit at a time, almost imperceptibly, just seeing how far she can go, waiting for a reaction from me . . . it's like a flashback to the eighth-grade homecoming dance! And she just tries to yank my shirt up when she wants to nurse. And she twists and turns and kicks and wiggles in all sorts of ways that really end up killing my nipples. Her latch has never really been ideal I think, but it's been more or less workable, but right now I'm feeling a lot of teeth, which is possibly just because she's teething and kind of biting down harder than she should. And I've been through it and through it with trying to work on nursing manners with her and keeping her from doing things that hurt me, intentionally or accidentally. Lately I have been just feeling really fed up with it, especially because it ends up making me really sore. I don't want to wean her, but I also just am at the point where I don't think it's a positive thing for either of us for me to be just irritated to the point of being increasingly angry with her about the nursing behaviors, especially at bedtime (when I am tired and worn out myself but don't dare relax for a moment, lest I lose a nipple or gain an accidental nipple piercing from a misplaced toddler canine!) Anyway, I've worked on trying to nurse her then get her to fall asleep the rest of the way without nursing, but it's not always very successful. Last night she just nursed for an hour and when I finally couldn't take it anymore I told her that that was enough nursing, and that we were going to go to sleep now with snuggles and she could have more num-nums in the morning. She alternated with accepting stories, songs, back rubs, rocking, foot rubs, tummy rubs, walking, snuggles, resting on the pillow, etc., with asking for num-nums every few minutes and trying to wrestle my shirt up and claw my breast out, and intermittent crying or fussing. She is seriously determined and sneaky too--it's like she's manipulative ninja baby or something--she'll ask for a hug and then come in to hug me and then try to pull my shirt up and latch on!!! Finally after about an hour of this not-fun routine I was about fit to be tied and I ended up taking her in the living room and rocking her and she eventually fell asleep, meanwhile it had been two hours of this drama. DH, who is feeling sick and has gotten very little sleep in the past days, was exhausted and needing to go to bed, instead he came out and we talked about what we're going to do about this situation. So I think we've decided that the game plan is to go cold turkey on the me nursing to sleep at night--she can nurse at bedtime and if she happens to fall asleep during that then okay, but if not, she's then going to DH who will put her to sleep. We tried this tonight--it went fairly well, she wouldn't go to sleep when I was anywhere nearby and finally he took her to the living room and rocked her in the glider and she fussed and demanded mommy for about 30 seconds and then conked out within moments. The bad news was that in the interim I fell asleep in the bedroom for a few minutes, and then when he came back to put her into the bed next to me it woke me up and I wasn't able to get back to sleep. And here I remain, awake. :

But hey, at least I had a chance to come check up with my beloved nov. 05 mamas without interruption! :

[kaspirant]

It's only December 2nd...and I'm already behind. No fair.

Congrats DiD!!! I can't wait to hear stories and see pics of your special day!!

I come with a question to see if anyone thinks this is a good idea or if I've lost my mind....

We are moving out of state in June. As soon as school is out for both DH and I we are gone. He will be getting a retail job for the summer and then a teaching job in the fall. We are very much looking forward to getting away from this area.

We pay $1300/month for our apartment right now. Insane. It's a house payment in and of itself. We know that. Our lease is up at the end of February and we decided we'd rather find interim housing for February-June than pay the $1500 it will increase to. *Every year they raise my rent $100...for a one year lease, and $200 for month to month which we would have to do.

This doesn't sound too bad except for the fact that Adam only has 3 weeks of paid work left and then will be going to school full-time in January and then in March I'll be out on Maternity leave where I get *reduced* pay. With both of those looming that insane increase in our already insane rent seems ridiculous. Not to mention we need to be SAVING for the big move. *I will be getting 3 paychecks after the move from this school year that will be close to *normal* sized pay. which is really going to help with the move.

However, if we wait for our lease to be up before we move we will be moving the week before I'm due...so either with me 9 months pregnant OR *praying this is not the case* with a small preemie....Neither of those options seems remotely feasible to me.

Okay for the lost my mind part. I found a cabin for rent at the base of the local mountains for $600 a month. It's small, but definitely big enough for our little family for a few short months. I'm seriously thinking about moving us there this month and breaking our lease so that we can have the cheaper rent for 6 months at the cabin and save money...Within 2 months we will have more than made up the cost of the move and breaking our lease and then that's 4 months saving $900 a month. Yeah I can do the math it makes sense.

So I've lost my mind and I think that this Christmas break we are going to be spending it moving...the good thing is we are going to pack up some things *memories and books and things* and leave them packed for the 6 months so that they will be ready for the move in June and we will be able to keep all the boxes we use for this move for the move later so it's not like it's going to cost all that much to actually move us. The cabin is only 15 miles from our apartment so it won't be a hard move at all.

Yep I'm certifiably insane.

If you were in my shoes, would you do it?

[*Amy*]

Kaspirant, having gone through 2 moves in the past 6 months, I would say go with your plan if it seems like the best solution. Space out your moves a bit so that you forget how hard it is before you do it again! Is there any way you could sub-lease your apartment for the remainder of your contract?

We are home from our really lovely and fun party this morning. Having it at the coffee house was such a great idea, and I think it worked out great. The kids all had a really good time in the play areas, the parents all got to just hang out and talk and drink coffee, and then of course we had muffins and gifts, which was wonderful. It was perfect!

This time two years ago, I was at the birth center....with still 13+ hours to go!

[flapjack]

Kaspirant, if the cabin had heating I'd do it in a heartbeat. Big vote for yes.

Amy, happy birthing day to you, mama. Those hours might have been hard, but she is so worth it Oh, and on tantrums- we did what you're doing with the boys, of giving them a bit of space, and it worked OK and they don't appear to be permanently scarred or anything. Skye refuses to consider doing anything on her own, so we do a time in instead- I describe what's happening (you feel incredibly angry because I won't let you eat four slices of cake at once) and just sit still near her and breathe deeply and she comes and climbs in for a hug.

Kavita, it's good to hear from you, even if you did sacrifice sleep to do it. On mature skin, I've had mature skin since I was 24 or 25- definitely by the time I started working at Lush- so don't sweat the small stuff. Also, a lot of women our age have absolutely horrendous skin as the perimenopause rears its ugly head, so- you know- that really is a compliment

Jen, your kids are adorable and my boys laughed at the picture, then stuck their fingers up their own noses.

DiD, congratulations Go and sleep.

[kaspirant]

Originally Posted by flapjack

Kaspirant, if the cabin had heating I'd do it in a heartbeat. Big vote for yes.

wood burning stove and gas heaters...I am really thinking we are doing this...I feel:

[spughy]

Kaspirant, it seems the only reason not to do is the whole issue of adding something ELSE onto the Christmas season, and I think you'll feel better from a whole lotta sides if you ditch a big part of the food/gifts/visitation madness and just move. It sounds like a good deal. Make it your Christmas present to yourselves.

The weather has gone from fun to miserable - the snow is now rain - big sloppy blatty rain - and it took me until 11:30 to get out of my jammies today. I'm not amused. At some point I'm going to have to walk the dog today, and I think I'll actually do it in a quasi-jogging fashion so the cold damp air actually feels good at some point.

Amy, happy birthing day!

Jen - I laughed at the fingers-up-the-noses picture. I think you should send that one out. I mean, the other one is adorable, but that first one shows real, I dunno, personality?

Congratulations, DiD!!!! I'm glad it went well and now you're blissfully all married and all. And I'll be the first to start clamouring for PICTURES!!!!

Oh, and Kavita - I totally hear you on the nursing manners thing. Rowan's not a twiddler, she's a picker. I have some small moles on my neck and she likes to pick at them while she nurses. If not my neck, and bit of roughness on my hands, or she scratches my stomach, or runs her fingernails down the skin between my breasts, looking for any bit of unevenness that she can dig her little claws into. It drives me INSANE. But, repeated requests to stop doing that DO now eventually result in her jamming both her hands next to her body for some time. Sometimes they come out again, sometimes she just falls asleep. But it's getting manageable. And she knows better, now, than to get all picky for the 5 am boobies, because mummy gets REALLY irate at that and forcibly holds onto her hands to stop it. Maybe not so gentle parenting, that, but it's better than flinging her off me and running out of the room.

[MelW]

Happy December, everyone! My DH has been doing end of term work all weekend on the computer, and I finally begged for some time to catch up. I'm also slooooowly accepting the season change- we ate the very last of my tomatoes that have been ripening on the windowsill today, and the local farmer's market has moved indoors and is fully into winter vegetables. I always have a bit of denial at this time of year, since I'm a summer lover at heart. And I kind of suck at not craving expensive imported foods all winter long...

DID~ Congrats on the wedding! Wishing you (and Jim/John) many, many happy years together!

Kaspirant~ Another vote for cabin!

QofC~ I love both of the photos, too. I'm another member of your fan club- I'm always impressed with how good you are at updating photos and your blog. I've just started a Neela blog for family, but really doubt my willpower to keep up with it.

Kavita~ Can I suggest the no cry sleep solution toddler book? She has some ideas that really start working around this age- stuff that I laughed at before for it's nerdy preschool teacher enthusiasm (make a bedtime routine chart, etc.), but that seems to work for some kids. I never, ever thought that I would stoop to "magical" pajamas for night-weaning, but did and am grateful.

Amy~ Neela has started some self-imposed time-outs, too. She actually doesn't tantrum much for a two year old (perhaps she got it out of her system last year!), but does stomp off to her bedroom to cool down when she's frustrated or mad. Lately time-ins and talking about things make her really frustrated, so when I started suggesting that she take some time to be alone she really took to it. It's really funny, and I have to try hard not to laugh when she does a big pout and says "You're bothering me; I'm going to my room" and stomps off.

We have my MIL and two BILs coming for Christmas, and are saving our sanity (and relationships) by renting cabins on the Oregon coast an hour drive from here. We'll have a kitchen to cook meals, and hopefully can have a low-key few days together.

[DreamsInDigital]

As promised:

Wedding pics

[MelW]

And my new work in progress: http://www.bobeela.blogspot.com
(the camera batteries are currently re-charging, so I can't add the video about Neela's new imaginary friend bananaphobia)

[flapjack]

Lovely photos, Lydia . I feel all nostalgic for my wedding day now... but you have a gorgeous family.