Friday, December 28, 2012

My Box

I don't know how many people saw my Facebook post earlier this week.  Morgan accidentally spilled the beans on my Christmas present when she said, "Mom, Dad made you a box for Christmas. It's not a secret, it's just your present, okay?" I didn't actually put too much stock into what she said. Really, who's going to give their wife a box for Christmas.  My husband, that's who. And I love it.
 
Because our wedding anniversary falls on Christmas Eve, David and I have always been committed to finding inexpensive, unique ways to celebrate. David built this box for us to use as a time capsule. Each year, we will place a bottle of wine and letters to each other into the box. The following year, we will share the wine, read the letters, and reflect on the year that has passed. Genius.
 

  
 



As soon as I figured out what he had made, I was a hot mess. Nothing like spending Christmas morning looking like a blubbering idiot, complete with puffy eyes and a runny nose. But you know, I'll take it. If the gift is going to be this good, Morgan can rat out her dad every year.
 
 
































Saturday, December 22, 2012

Five Golden Rings

Every year, Morgan's class has a Christmas recital. Last year was a total train wreck. Kids were crying, wandering around, and no one knew the words to anything. Granted, they were all three, but it was safe to assume none of them were American Idol contenders.
 
This year was a completely different story. Morgan had made props, was excited to sing, and belted out Rudolph like no body's business. Unfortunately, I was at work and missed all of it.
 


So at dinner last night, I asked Morgan to sing Rudolph again. She declined. Instead, she offered to sing the complete rendition of the 12 Days of Christmas, complete with a side ponytail and a lisp. Yes, this video is five minutes long, but if it doesn't make you fall in love with Christmas, I don't know what will.


Sunday, December 16, 2012

Hurting

I wasn't going to write about Friday.  I wasn't going to try to understand. I couldn't talk about it or even think about it without breaking down. I just wanted to go home and squeeze my daughter like every other parent did that night.
 
I am not quite sure when I realized that Morgan wasn't the only person I should be holding on to a little more tightly. Maybe it was when we talked to Morgan about what to do if she ever saw someone holding a gun. Maybe it was when David called his principal to see how she was holding up. Or maybe it was when my sister asked David if he would be willing to die for a student. 
 
I am grateful my little family is still intact. My heart forever hurts for the families that are not.
 
 

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Big Girl Bed

I have decided that watching your child grow is not for the faint of heart.  We recently transitioned Morgan to a full-sized bed, an event that made her giddy and not surprisingly, made me cry.
 
I was immediately brought back to 2008, when David was so proudly assembling Morgan's crib in her new nursery and I was so proudly supervising. 



In what seemed like just a blink of an eye, there we were again, only this time David was taking it all apart.


And I was putting it back together for our little girl, virtually erasing any memory of the tiny newborn we once laid in that crib.

I was a little concerned that Morgan would be unhappy with the new look. I don't know what I was thinking.  Morgan immediately called my mom, climbed into her new bed, and proceeded to tell her all about her big girl room.

Of course, I stood there blubbering, dumbfounded at the realization that she'll be 15 before we know it. I just hope my heart can take it.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Big Ole Pile

Last week, we finally did the fall clean up in our yard. Our yard was a mess - the grass was too long, leaves were everywhere, and nothing had been pruned for months.
 
To make this more of a family activity, we handed Morgan a rake and had her help put leaves in a pile. That lasted about three minutes. She was running around using the rake as a spear, which I was sure it was going to result in her losing an eye.  Rather than risk a trip to the ER, I told her I was going to let her do one of the things I had always longed to do.  I don't have any memories of jumping in leaf piles and I thought that would something sweet to let her try. Girlfriend was immediately all in.

 


At one point, Morgan asked me to cover her in leaves. I was happy to oblige...anything for the sake of a cute picture.
 
 
Morgan suddenly shot out of leaves, grimacing.  When I asked her what was wrong, she said "Mom, this pile smells like poop.  Like dog poop.  I think I'm sitting in dog poop."



Unfortunately, she was right. Looks like the neighbor's dog had beaten Morgan to the pile. Nothing like turning a lovely afternoon into yet another childhood trauma.