Gone By in a Blur

This is what i remember from this past Christmas weekend.

My weekend is about as blurry as this shot of our Christmas tree.

Christmas always makes me think back to Christmases of the past . . . Even way back to when I was a kid. There is a traumatic story about why I really don't like laundry and finding out the "Christmas Secret", but I'll save that so I don't ruin anyone else's Christmas.

I obviously take a lot of photos, not necessarily more than any other mom or camera fanatic, but during the holidays, I try not to overdo it. I want to be present, not just capturing it through my camera. I definitely still got some funny shots, which help to remember all the things that happened over the last few days. So many places, so many people, so many cookies, so many fits, so many boogie wipes, so much wrapping paper hopefully recycled. It's always a lot packed in to a short amount of time. But it's always worth it. Once again things will be different next year. Just like last year we knew Christmas would be different with Sam this year. It's always seemingly the same, but the little things are different. So even though I didn't get 100 shots of Sam opening his many many presents, I got a enough to look back and remember, "Oh yeah, this is the last Christmas before [insert baby #2's name here later] was born." And as each year gets better with more and more joy, I can only sit here excited for next year as I smile at the memories these photos already bring.

Happy Christmas.

Wow. It's Christmas Eve. How did that happen? All the sudden my world and brain slowed back to normal human speed from the alien rate it has been going for several months. And suddenly it's almost another year, I'm halfway through pregnancy #3 and I'm left puzzled. What the hell happened to the last few months??!

Being pregnant again has definitely stunted my brain function and having the busiest season ever with my photography business has demanded that it function properly, if not at a higher rate. So exhaustion set in and I feel like something else took over to get me through it since September. I'm not sure what; it's all a little fuzzy.

It doesn't really matter what or how, but what mattes is that I am starting to feel awake. The shock of how fast time goes is still very present. But it's Christmas Eve. One of the days I look most forward to all year. We had our little Boyer family Christmas this morning. Whether Sam had his mouth wide open because he was in awe or because he can't breathe through his nose it doesn't matter. The face was priceless either way. I'm warm, happy, and proud. Our little expanding family being together with blueberry pancakes this morning was all the present I needed. And Booger (my nickname for this baby) was just as involved in the morning with the Christmas jig performance after each bite of breakfast I took.

I hope each if you is lucky enough to feel as blessed and happy as I do right this very moment.
Happy Christmas.

Sam on Christmas Eve morning...already stealing Daisy's toy.

my 19 week belly...

One

Happy New Year!

I stayed in last night. For the first time ever. It really does make NYE seem like just any other day. Even with the drunk passers-by last night, and the 25 minutes of fireworks in the harbor booming through our walls, it was just another Friday night. Sam was sleeping, Phil was snoring, Daisy was dreaming about whatever it is that makes her wimper. It definitely made me feel old.

Next year, I'm springing for a sitter.

If you're looking for a "reflecting on 2010" post, it's not going to happen. I think I reflect plenty for everyone :) You all know I LOVED 2010 so much I want to marry it so no need really to go on with the love affair. Its over anyway. I'm all about 2011.

I do wish for you all to have the best year of your lives. I know I'm planning on it.

I can't go 2 posts in a row with no BUBBA!

***ETA - for the record, Phil DID stay awake to watch the ball drop. He might have been mad if I insinuated otherwise - although it was a struggle to keep those lids propped open ;)

Happy Christmas

I'm still in a bit of a Christmas fog, but from what I can remember, it was the best one yet! We changed things up a bit this year and cut out 2 visits on Christmas day that we usually make. Although I missed seeing some of my family, to make 2 fewer stops on an already busy day was definitely a good decision. Since last year we went to 6 different places on Christmas eve and Christmas day, I decided that with Sam and Daisy and for the same of my sanity, we needed to make some cut backs. And it was definitely a good decision. Christmas day was actually fairly relaxing. I have NEVER had a relaxing Christmas. I LOVE my insane family, but relaxing is not something they do well! It's always loud and fun and non-stop - laughing, playing, joking, pestering, teasing. It is pretty great.

I think had I decided last year to change the tradition, I would have had a really hard time with it. This is the first Christmas ever where I haven't gone to both of my grandparents houses. But I realized this year, that the old Christmas traditions aren't the same anymore. It will never be quite as exciting as when I was a kid. Running into Nanny's kitchen to see if there are any crumbs left on top of the coffee cake, or if my cousin Ginny already got to them. Stealing Nanny rolls before dinner by literally putting them in our pockets. Playing canasta trying to figure out if my dad and uncles hid the good cards up their sleeves (they usually did, the cheaters). Snaking down grandma's stairs on our bellys getting rug burn but not caring. Laughing at the grown ups passing around the bottle of apricot brandy and later showing off their best cow impersonations by moo-ing (seriously they were really good). Fighting over grandmas coconut cream pie which someone usually hid before everyone else could get to it. Crying because I literally got a sac of coal (a trauma from which I haven't fully recovered).

Things have changed. And this year, I realized that I am not the kid anymore. I've always felt like a kid (and really still do) but now it's about my kid. And I hope to teach Sam to slide down the stairs on his belly, and sneak to get Nanny's rolls and to hide the wild card under his chair. But he's a bit young for that. So before the years of chaotic Christmas return, having a relaxing one was exactly what I needed.

 Heres a little taste of our holiday from Sam's perspective:

I heart eating paper.

When I saw it was PJ's, I was REALLY excited!

I don't really know what to do with this thing yet, but it seems kind of cool.

You may think I have lame parents for giving me a wooden shoe, but shoelaces are my favorite thing ever. And these taste less dirty than Daddy's.

Grandma and Grandpa's house was loud, but before I passed out, I got to open (and eat) a LOT of presents!

Christmas morning was early and messy. I got to play with all the presents I got the night before. I didn't see too many of them then because I passed out before they were opened!

We went to GiGi and Grandpa's next and Daddy was really silly after drinking bloody marys. He was chasing me all over! It was awesome!

Daisy was mad that I kept her up most of the night, so she missed out on lots of fun and took a nap.

The morning after christmas - I finally was too tired to do anything but nap with GiGi.

Then we went to GrandPop's. There was MORE toys there for me!

But the toy I really wanted was Carson's.

Carson is trying to take over Mommy's job.

GrandPop helped me walk around.

I don't remember this picture. I must have been tired?

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On an unrelated but fun note, check out the new site, Sugar Row. They are showing some of my recent sessions! This site is awesome and I am so excited to be on it!

Lions, Tigers, and . . . Sam??

Oh, my.
We have a growler. A LOUD growler. It's fantastic! As if I wasn't aging quickly enough, Sam insists on making me laugh all day and my wrinkles are gettin' deep, my friends. I'm going to need some night creme.

When Sam is happy he is growling. Smiling and growling. When he wants something and he needs you to know it, he growls at you with his eyebrows down. When he gets it, he keeps growling but with his eyebrows up. He growls at Daisy and she just looks at him with a blank "there he goes again" eye rolling face. I dont actually think dogs can roll their eyes, but I get her, and they are rolling.

He's an animal. We need to keep him in a cage. Oh wait, we kind of already do...hmm.

the animal will fight tooth and nail - well just tooth really - to get out of his cage...

with his giant paws he'll reach the top . . .

 
oh wait - he seems to be a friendly animal....

a VERY friendly animal...

He is a friendly animal indeed. And thankfully, so is Daisy. I think he might love Daisy more than he loves me. It's ok. She really is great. And as soon as she starts washing diapers she'll be almost as good a mom as me.

Sam's other latest trick is dancing. I am afraid for him. He just doesn't have it in his genes. I mean, have you SEEN Phil dance? Those of you who think Phil's a good dancer, you must be white. Because he definitely is not. And me, well, I'm sorry to say it's been tried and tried again but all the booze in the world can't make me a good dancer. Trust me. I put a lot of effort into testing that theory. It was called the "5 year college" plan.

The funniest thing he likes to dance to is the intro to weather tune that plays for maybe 1.5 seconds before the usually inappropriately dressed Sandra Shaw gives the morning forecast on WBAL. So now that I think about it, maybe he's dancing for her? Crap, we are going to have to have a talk.

His butt does keep some kind of rhythm though. Not usually the same rhythm that is playing in the background, but some kind of rhythm all right. I am thankful for Pandora's toddler station. I can play that on the ipad and he dances in his jumper while I shower. That station plays a lot of Disney movie music. It's funny that I still know all the words to Under the Sea and A Whole New World. Hakuna Matatta played the other day and that so far was his favorite Pandora song. In fact, the last 2 times he has been urrationally screaming for no apparent reason, I found myself chanting "hakuna matatta, hakuna matatta" softly and he calmed right down. Those Disney peeps, they're a wacky bunch with a long history of teaching our young girls they need a prince charming to save them from every life situation, but they got it right with the Lion King. In my book anyway.

I have been beyond busy in such a fabulous way with the photography business I really miss my poor neglected blog. We haven't done too many exciting things recently. We are just playing a lot, learning new things each day and eating a ton of good food. Sam's a carnivore for sure. He had some beef stew I made for dinner the other night and he has never growled so much over any food before. It was as if he was growling "MMMMMMMEEEEEEAAT". Thats what I heard anyway. Like I said before. Animal. After all that meat eating, the bath was much needed.

And now I'm off for some sleep. I don't get enough sleep and it's my own darn fault. Oh well - or should I say "Hakuna Matatta"? :)

He's practicing for blocking the paparazzi when he's famous and so rich he's supporting his parents :)