And onto 2009

I can't believe that the holidays have come and gone. I always get a bit blue just after them. It is such a buildup, we get all excited, buy a tree, decorate, find the perfect gifts for everyone on our list, wrap them up, send the cute holiday cards, bake until the pants are tight and plan plan plan and then in 24 hours or so...it's all over. True there are a few more days between Christmas and New Years where there are typically more celebrations and visiting with relatives. But then the tree is down, needles wiped up and rubbermaid totes re-packed with the green and red type decorations.

My brother and sister in law were in Maine this year to visit her side of the family so it was just going to be my parents, brother Chris and us for dinner. But instead we had surprise visitors. My mothers first cousin, Georgeana, who lives in Vermont was dog sitting for her son who went to visit his in-laws in New Mexico. So she came down with her grown daughter and other grown son who is single to visit for the holiday. We love this cousin. Her mother and my grandmother were sisters and I have many fond memories of her mother and my grandmother together and their great stories of growing up. Her mom's name was Florence and what a trip she was. Crazy could only be the tip of the iceberg to describe a lady who had a foot shaped gas pedal in one of her cars. The oldest of 6 kids, she lived until she was 92. Amazing.

So this cousin who has visited before has become a favorite to my children...even worthy of her own nickname..."George-nana". And she is very flattered by this nickname as well. I think that it is a very special person who gets a nickname from a child. This person becomes a focal point in the child's life. In fact when I told Aimee of the news that George-nana was coming to visit for Christmas, she looked at me and said "We haven't seen her in a long time." Which was completely true we had not seen her since July.

So it was a busy day for the girls with bursting through their presents on Christmas morning, going to my in-laws for breakfast and more ripping of wrapping paper. Then home to review the toys Santa left. Nicole napped and Aimee and I went next door to see George-nana, her children, uncle Chris, Nana and Papa. More festivities followed and that was one of the only nights that bedtime went off without a hitch.

To say we are without schedule lately would be an understatement and I am actually looking forward to Monday when daycare reopens and I get to go back to work. Yay! I need some schedule back in my life and the girls clearly need more stimulation than I can give them. Once again I am humbled by full time stay at home mothers. It is tough stuff to be home full time with kids. We only have been home together for two weeks and I am about at the end of my rope. I do think that part of it has to do with all of the new stuff suddenly in front of them. They don't know what to play with first and instantly get upset when a sister picks something that may be of interest to the other sister. A fight ensues and many times punches or hits are thrown. I think the words "time out" have been uttered just as often this week as "I love you". Not fun.

So bring on 2009, lets go back to work, this "vacation" stuff is for the birds.