Merry Christmas, Ya Filthy Animals

I hope everyone had themselves a merry little Christmas, because we sure did!

We spent the holiday weekend in my hometown at my parents' house, and it was so nice to just kick back, relax, and enjoy each other's company. Ryder was also much more aware of what was going on this year, so that made things much more exciting and fun.

Christmas Eve was full of anticipation. Ryder wasn't quite sure what all the fuss was about, but he knew it was exciting. We actually gave him his "big" present early this year -- a play kitchen! And we made sure to adhere to all of our traditional Christmas Eve activities: Holiday movies, Chinese food, church with Mom, and Moscow Mules of course!

Finally, the wait was over and Christmas morning arrived. Ryder could hardly believe his good luck: He could actually rip into all the presents we'd been saying "No, no!" about for weeks!

Is there anything better than the epic mess created on Christmas morning?

Yes, my entire family has matching Christmas jammies, which we wear with pride every year. And of course this Christmas I had to get a pair for my soon-to-be sister-in-law, Morgan. 

Ryder was just as excited about his play cookware as he was about the actual kitchen. 

Yes, even the dog has Christmas jimmies. Go big or go home.

Ryder had some interesting ideas about how to use the tools from the new set his Uncle AJ and Aunt Morgan gave him.

Now that's one good-lookin' family if I do say so myself. There's not much I love more than an outfit theme.

One of my favorite presents this year was a selfie stick! It provided endless entertainment all day long...

It's a tradition in our family for my grandparents, aunt, uncle and cousins to come over for brunch and a White Elephant gift exchange on Christmas morning. This meant even more selfie stick fun for everyone!

Aren't my grandparents adorable?

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Ryder with his Great Grandma and Great Grandpa.

All tuckered out after a very merry Christmas.

Oh, did you think that was the end of it?

Heck no, my friends.

Ryder still had things to do and people to see. 

Stewart had to work the day after Christmas, but Ryder and I took advantage of the opportunity to spend some time at my Grandma Sally's house.

My Aunt Karen also stopped by with her dog Sophie, and of course Ryder was immediately in love. That kid loves animals so much. I am secretly dreading the day when he asks Santa for a puppy...

And Christmas isn't Christmas without a little Seahawks football!

We attended the last bittersweet Hawkwagon Tailgate of the season, which included a disappointing loss against the Rams. 

Overall, I'd say that Christmas this year was one for the record books. We're learning that every holiday is more and more fun now that we have a child to share it with. Each one seems to contain just a little bit of magic again.

I hope each and every one of you had a wonderful holiday with everyone you love, and may all your Christmases be white...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Happy Holidays 2015

From our family to yours... 

Merry Christmas, and best wishes for a happy New Year!

Decking the Halls

The stockings are hung by the chimney with care way up high, out of reach from sticky toddler hands.

We made sure to adhere to some of our favorite Christmas traditions this year, and it all started with cutting down a Christmas tree at Enchanted Winds Christmas Tree Farm. Of course we had to do it in the pouring rain, but that's Pacific Northwest living for you!

Ryder didn't mind the weather one bit, and he was such a good boy helping us pick out the perfect tree. Stew exercised his manly patriarchal duties and cut it down for us while I huddled under the umbrella. We were happy to head inside afterward to stand by the fire and warm up.

We took our lovely tree home and spent the next afternoon listening to holiday music while we decked the halls and made the house Christmas-y. 

We knew that hanging our stockings on the fireplace mantle would result in an immediate disaster when Ryder yanked on them, so we had to come up with a more creative, toddler-friendly solution for the stockings this year. 

Stew's mom made his stocking for him when he was little, and a few years ago he had one made for me in the same style. Then of course last year we had to get one for Ryder, too. And my mom has been giving me these creepy carolers for years now for some reason...

Every year we try to buy Christmas ornaments at some point during our travels. This year we got some super cute stuff on our trip to Cannon Beach, Oregon. We got this super cute, wooden, Christmas-scene Advent calendar, plus a whole set of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle ornaments for Ryder and an adorable one of Santa at the beach.

Our tree is a little smaller this year, and we didn't go crazy with the ornaments (I still have a whole box left in the garage) but I still think it turned out so pretty. 

Receiving photo Christmas cards is one of my favorite things about December! I love checking the mail every day to see what else has arrived. And Ryder absolutely loves standing at the fridge, pointing at the cards and identifying all his friends and family members in the photos. It's downright adorable.

And of course Ryder visited Santa! Although he wasn't nearly as thrilled about the situation this year. I think he was just humoring Mom and Dad...

We will be spending Christmas this year with my family in Olympia, and I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. I'm so excited about all the gifts I bought for everyone, and I'm really looking forward to some nice relaxing holiday time with everyone I love.

Bring on the Christmas cheer!

Happy Holidays from the Hawkwagon!

Happy Holidays, Hawk Fans!

I have no idea if anyone has noticed (or cared) that I haven't been posting Seahawks football fan updates every single week this season. But don't worry — as loyal 12s, we've still been watching and cheering for every single game, and hanging out with our Hawkwagon Tailgater Association family whenever our boys play at home.

This past Sunday was our annual Hawkwagon Holiday Party, my favorite game day of the year!

We have a turkey dinner with all the trimmings, a white elephant gift exchange, and all the rest of our traditional Hawkwagon activities (like the shot-ski).

We enjoyed a nice solid win against Cleveland (clinching our playoff spot) before heading home to our little baby Seahawk.

Football is a huge part of the holidays for us, and we're so thankful to our Hawkwagon family for helping to make the season extra special.

Merry Christmas to one and all... GO HAWKS!

Splish Splash

I think the ability to swim is a basic human life skill.

So as soon as Ryder was old enough, we enrolled him in swimming lessons. Unfortunately, he ended up in the hospital just a few days before his class was scheduled to start, so we had to postpone the whole thing until after Thanksgiving. But he's been in lessons for a few weeks now, and our little water baby is absolutely loving it!

On Tuesday and Thursday evenings we head to Si View Aquatics in North Bend for Ryder's "Parent Tot" class. I really like this program because the class size is small, the teacher is great, and they focus on a lot of important skills: verbal cuing, reaching and pulling arms, kicking, bubble blowing, submersion, climbing out and safe entry. Plus since it's a parent and child program, Stew gets in the pool too — super fun father/son bonding!

Ryder has improved so much in just a few short weeks!

In the beginning, he was a little bit timid and reluctant to try some things, but now he's much more confident in the water, and we see more improvement at each lesson. He still struggles with swallowing water (you'd swear I torture him with dehydration the way he wants to drink the nasty pool water) and he really dislikes floating on his back. But he loves splashing and practicing swimming on his tummy, retrieving floating balls and toys, and "walking the plank." Overall it's been such a fun and positive experience.

Swim lessons have also been a great reason for us to go out and do something as a family on weeknights during the winter (when we'd likely just hibernate otherwise).

Fun times.

10 Annoying Behaviors That I Just Can't Stop

Sometimes it's like I float up out of my body, look down, and I can actually see/hear myself being annoying.

1. I can't stop talking about poop.

I find myself telling uncomfortable co-workers about Ryder's diaper blowouts. I discuss his bowel movements — shape, size, consistency. I tell my friends about how he pooped in the tub. I'm blindly oblivious to the fact that other people (a) don't care, and (b) think I'm grossly oversharing.

2. I can't stop the baby talk.

Before I had Ryder, I vowed to always speak to him like an adult, believing that this would be best for his own mental and verbal development. Instead, I find myself constantly using cutesy nonsense words in a singsong voice. And, unfortunately, this sometimes carries over into my adult and professional conversations.

3. I can't stop complaining about being tired.

I literally don't remember what life was like before suffering from chronic sleep deprivation. Ryder has been a crappy sleeper since birth, and even now, at 19 months old, he only sleeps through the night about half the time. And I'll tell anyone who will listen about how horrible it's been. Also, sometimes I fall asleep mid-sentence like a narcoleptic. 

4. I can't stop shopping online.

Leaving the house and running errands with a toddler is, essentially, torture. But purchasing Ryder clothes and toys is endlessly entertaining for me. So far too often, I find myself spoiling him with gifts from various websites, and packages containing gross displays of consumerism arrive on our doorstep constantly. Stew has not been pleased with the credit card balance.

5. I can't stop finding baby stuff in my purse.

After my maternity leave, I ditched my big, bulky, fancy diaper bag and began using a large purse instead. Whenever I'm going someplace with Ryder, I just toss his stuff in with my own. Then later, as I scramble for my wallet or phone, I'm constantly pulling out pacifiers, diapers, goldfish crackers, boogie wipes, and other toddler necessities.

6. I can't stop reading mom blogs.

I became addicted to several "mom blogs" when I was pregnant, and I still have quite a few that I follow with dedication. Scary Mommy is my favorite, and I never miss a post. I particularly like the comment section, although it tends to encourage judgement and mom-shaming. (But I secretly kind of like the drama.) 

7. I can't stop eating baby food.

I hardly bother to eat real meals anymore, especially when Stew is on shift. Once we started Ryder on solids, it became much easier to just nibble off his plate. Chicken nuggets, strawberries, bits of avocado, bites of mac and cheese... why bother making myself lunch when I can just toss a few crackers and bits of cheese in my mouth and call it good? 

8. I can't stop telling my birth story.

Whenever someone begins talking about pregnancy or childbirth, I always take the opportunity to interject with my own birth story. I can literally hear myself being self-centered, but it's like I'm physically incapable of not taking the chance to explain why my labor and delivery experience was the worst ever. It's like word vomit.

9. I can't stop Googling health info.

Whenever I notice something even slightly out of the ordinary concerning Ryder's health or well-being (a cough, a sniffle, an odd spot, a weird diaper, a strange rash, whatever...) I head straight to Google. This inevitably causes me to irrationally panic and call our doctor. Who usually tells me to stay the heck off Google.

10. I can't stop Instagramming.

A trusted friend once told me that taking over Facebook with photos of your baby is a huge faux pas, but Instagram is an acceptable platform for this narcissistic type of behavior. So whenever Ryder does something adorable (which, clearly, is quite often), you're sure to see it on IG within a matter of minutes. (That is, of course, if you haven't already un-followed me.)

So there you have it. A brief summary of my total lack of shame and control when it comes to being a new mom. I hardly recognize myself anymore. 

Somebody check me in.

It's My Party and I'll Cry if I Want To

I turned 34 today.

I've noticed that birthdays have started to seem less and less special the older I get.

Maybe it's because once you have kids, you spend all your time, money and energy throwing ridiculous, elaborate birthday parties for them, leaving nothing for yourself. 

We thought about taking a trip this year to celebrate another year of my life, but ultimately decided it wasn't worth the stress and hassle of planning. Instead, we're going down to Olympia this weekend so my parents can watch Ryder, giving me and Stew an entire afternoon and evening of uninterrupted adult fun. 

We're going to go Christmas shopping, catch a movie, and have a nice dinner on the waterfront. Actually a pretty nice little Saturday. Maybe Bed, Bath, & Beyond, I don't know, I don't know if we'll have enough time. 

But as for today, my actual birthday, it was very quiet.

Stew woke me up with adorable cards and a balloon from him and Ryder, I got some thoughtful things from my new co-workers and bosses, I received an obscene amount of text messages and birthday wishes over social media, and I came home to an exciting mountain of packages on my doorstep, including a birthday Stitch Fix and thoughtful gift from my sister, Erin.

My best friend Tara also sent these lovely flowers, which absolutely made my day. 

Unfortunately Stewart had to work today, so Ryder and I had the evening to ourselves. We went to swimming lessons, and he made my birthday special by whining the evening away until I finally got him to go to sleep.

Now I am cuddled up in bed alone, watching Clark Griswold try to get his Christmas lights working while I write this post on my brand new MacBook Air (I bought one for myself as a birthday gift).

And here I am, one year older. I don't really feel any different.

But I'm looking forward to the year ahead and all the adventures it will bring.