Well That Was Fun

Christmas is over. Kind of a relief to have it behind us. We did really well. We had a great time at the party at my mom's. We fondued our steaks. Ate a TON of food. Did the cousin gift exchange. Did the sibling gift exchange. (thanks again, Jill and Kev! They spoiled us.) Opened our gifts from my parents. Had just a really enjoyable time.

Until...

Hayden unleashed a fury that could rival an over-tired two year-old. See, every year my mom goes to these "conferences". She works for the Church in the workers' comp. department. They send her and her friend/co-worker/co-hort/trouble-making-buddy, Cheryl to these conferences. Some years it's in Vegas. Some years in Chicago. Well she comes home a TON of loot. Seriously, she packs an EXTRA suitcase just to bring home all of her goods. These goods include pens (by the millions), playing cards, cute t-shirts shrink-wrapped to the shape of pigs, whips, chains, whistles, yo-yo's (OK, so I made the last few up but you get the idea). So she puts these goods in grab-bags for the grand kids. This year she separated them and put names on the bags. (usually they just take a bag and get what they get) So Hayden got his bag and FREAKED OUT. He got some playing cards in the shape of band-aids or something. Well, I couldn't really tell by the way he was screeching at the top of his voice, "does anyone want these STUPID cards?!?" but I don't think he was thrilled with what he got. He had already been fired up about the fact that he'd lost the foam little toucan my mom gave him earlier in the day. And by "fired up" I mean more FREAKING OUT. Sometimes I think he might be bipolar. He's already been diagnosed with ADHD. (Don't judge me. I KNOW it's waaaaay over-diagnosed but when we took him to the doctor to have him checked out the doctor went on to say that the protocol is to send home a form for us to fill out and for his teachers to fill out. Bring the form back in two weeks. And go from there as far as treatment. Well, after spending 30 minutes with my, then, 6-year-old Hayden, he said he was going to skip all that and get him immediately on some meds.) He took his pills faithfully all through 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade. But by the end of last year he was really skinny. (skinnier than he already was. He's always been skinny and flexible and wild and crazy.) He was 8 yrs old and weighed 55 lbs. His doctor told us that if he didn't gain weight he'd have to take him off the pills. That wasn't an option at the time so we fattened him up by feeding him prescribed milk shakes and Ramen. When summer came he was soooo sick of being "bored" because of the way the pills made him feel that we took him off of them. They really do make him into a zombie. He's not the same funny, sillly, goofy Hayden. This year he has refused to take them again. He's doing alright in school so we're not pushing it. However, we have noticed an increase in his anger. He's so quick to snap! Holy crap...I have digressed...A LOT! So, back to the party. He'd gotten a cool t-shirt from my parents that he LOVED. A nerf dart gun and Star Wars toy from Kennedy (aka, Jason and Ali) that he also LOVED and was sooooo happy! He kept saying how much he loved that gun and he insisted on putting the t-shirt on immediately and anything Star Wars will certainly make him giddy.

And then the grab-bags. Yikes.

So we spent the drive home telling him that we hoped Santa was too busy delivering presents to have noticed the abominable display he'd just put on. He fell asleep not long after we left my mom's which could have had a little to do with said display. We dropped him and Avery off at their dad's and went home. (The next day when Scott brought them home he said that Hayden told him he was surprised he got anything because he really had been kinda naughty this past year. Looks like Santa's a big softy. Either that or he really, really loves this kid. Or both.)

Christmas morning at our house was pretty dang quiet. Harley gave about zero craps about all his present. Singular. And true to all kids his age and just older than him, he mostly liked the packaging. One of these pix is of him eating the wrapping paper off the gift from grandma and grandpa Powers.

Tavis and I were able to exchange gifts and colds. He was really generous with both. He's a giver. What else can I say? Only when he gives, he does it ten-fold! I got the stuffy nose that he had but I also got a side of REALLY sore throat and cough. So, yay me!

He gave me a spa package and a tanning pass and some ear buds for my cell phone and a coat that's too small and a hoodie that's too small. K, we've been together for 3 1/2 yrs now. WHEN is he going to learn that even on my skinniest day I'm not a medium? Last year I was pregnant and he got me maternity clothes. A very, very nice gesture. Seriously. But he got me size medium because, and I quote, "the larges looked HUGE!!!". Really? 'Cause I'm an XL. Right on!

Anyway, I wanted to exchange the hoodie for a bigger one 'cause I really do like it but they didn't have my GIANT size so I decided to get the money and have him take me to dinner. (An activity that I love and may have something to do with my XL-ness.) Does that make sense? I got a shirt that doesn't fit because I'm too big for it (never mind that I really am a large when I'm skinny) and I exchange it for FOOD?!? I have issues.

K, well, I started this post two days ago and it's getting really long so I'm gonna upload those darling pix you're all DYING for and post this sucker before it turns into a freaking novel.

Hope you all have a happy and a healthy (and safe) New Year!

This is Harley eating his wrapping paper.

Christmas morning.Avery and Harley on Christmas Day.

This is one of about a zillion pictures I took of these three. Seriously. This is the best one I got. Naughties.


Two babies. One first Christmas.