so far, i am an efficient sleeper

I can't believe it's over. Christmas. And only another 364 days or so until next time.

The toy store exploded in our living room as it tends to do this time of year. Almost everything that Lily opened was "just what I always wanted!" and Noah couldn't have cared any less about actually unwrapping anything. And he actually didn't even unwrap anything. Everyone else did it for him, including Lily- who had absolutely no patience for his lack of interest in opening his own presents. Can you imagine being 5 and related to someone that doesn't want to open their presents?!

Jason kept bringing home candy all week, baked a bunch of things full of sugar on Tuesday, and then gave me a fitbit for Christmas. So.. you know..

It's an interesting gadget. It tracks you. Your steps. Your sleep. If you go up a flight of stairs. It can keep track of other things as well.. if you input the information on your own. And it tells you how many calories you've probably burned etc.

According to the fitbit, I've taken over 14,000 steps since on put it on almost 48 hours ago. Semi-scary when you realize that's mostly around the house. (I did get up at 6am today to go to Target, but that another story for another day.)

But.. one of the most interesting things is that I get to see the stats on my sleep..

I've only used it one night, but even just the one night is scarily accurate. Twelve minutes to fall asleep, four and a half hours of sleeping, and, apparently, waking up constantly. I say "apparently", but honestly, I do already know that. It just looks for must worse in blue and red.

the parts of christmas i'm looking forward to

1. more Christmas music
2. the end of shopping season
3. wrapping presents
4. being done with wrapping presents
5. Lily and Noah's Christmas morning
6. a new Doctor Who on Christmas night
7. Target's December 26th clearance sales

i've been..

..knitting things a lot lately. It has to, mostly, do with Christmas. But also, you know.. winter. I made myself a pair of mittens. The first pair I've ever made in my life. And.. they came out pretty awesome if I do say so myself.

No, I didn't use a pattern. I just kind of thought.. okay, I know how to knit a hat (probably in my sleep too) and I get the idea behind socks, cables, etc.. so mittens are probably fairly easy.

They were.

I started with my double pointed needles and once I got past the (ribbed) cuff (and added enough extra stitches) I switched over to my circular needles. Until I got to the thumb, then I left those on a double-pointed needle until I finished the rest of the mitten. Of course, once I set aside the stitches for the thumb I had to switch back to the double-pointed needles, but.. I lived.

I made a few new things, as well as finally completed two unfinished projects. One had only been waiting since the beginning of the year, but the other was something I have worked on for the past 3 (4?) Christmases and just never finished.

Right now, I'm working on a hat. For myself. Because although I've made endless hats.. most of them have been for Lily. (I hate measuring anything out first.) It'd be nice if it was done before it gets cold again. Or it snows. Or Christmas. Or some kind of significance.

Not a Sunday

Something about today that's making it seem like a Sunday. I don't know..

It snowed again today. Actually it's still snowing. Lily, Noah, and I finally got out into it this time. I wanted to take them out over the weekend when it was snowing, but by the time there was really anything to play in it was bedtime. Beyond bedtime really. And then it rained. And the next day everything was just a skating rink.

So out we went today. Really, I guess it was more like "tonight," but who's keeping track..

It was already dark out, but I could practically say the same about three o'clock these days. At first Noah wanted to play with Grandma's dog and was hysterical that I was taking him outside instead. He didn't want his mittens on. He just wanted to cry because I took him away from the dog and out into the.. Wait a minute. Snow? Outside? With snow to play in? Oh. Alright, I see where you're going with this mommy, you aren't not the most terrible person in the world after all.

The poor thing was mostly thrilled as he shuffled around in non-snow boots, a jacket one size too big, and snow pants that were 2 sizes to big.

In my defense: 1) didn't buy him a new jacket this year because the one from last year seemed to fit okay. I was about to buy him a new one, but then I realized I had bought him a new one for this year at the end of last winter. But it's huge on him. 2) I could have SWORN he had snow boots for this year. I mean, I have a 5 year old.. what happened to the snow boots she had when she was his age? Were they pink? Is that why I never unpacked them from her stuff? I finally decided that must be it, so I tried to get him a pair. In December. Under a million dollars. So funny. Not really. Eventually I ordered a pair of booties that you can where over shoes. They arrived and were too small. So I ordered another pair. I also tried to find a pair in stores. So funny. There was a pair of Lily's old rain boots that were really huge and I didn't want him falling down like he did the last time he wore them. His ankle-height shoe-boots were the only option. 3) Lily wore her size 2T snow pants for 3 winters.. that's how big they were.. and now Noah gets to "feel her pain."

Aaaanyway.. we tromped around outside in the semi-dark. Lily threw snow. Noah walked around. Lily made snow angels. And Noah wanted to make one too. So he did. And then didn't see the fun of it and wandered on.

Then it was time to go inside. And Noah hated that idea. Because what else is there to do when you aren't even 2 yet except to constantly change your mind about what is okay and what isn't?

It will all still be there tomorrow morning. And then it will start to melt. And melt and melt and melt. Until it's all gone. Leaving us to have to wait until next time.