Happy Festivus!

Happy 1st Christmas to my little protege! Dominic wasn't nearly as excited about the holiday as I was. My little brother and cousin had everyone in the house up by 5:30 AM this morning but my child slept through all the festivities. It was worth getting up early to see how cute he looked in his Christmas pj's though. I love how I wrapped all his gifts just to unwrap them all again myself - totally worth it though just to get me in the Christmas spirit! He ended up making out pretty good - got himself quite a few new clothes and toys, a Bumbo chair, a play mat with a keyboard and a bear that can be programmed to spell his name and play his favorite songs. Next year will be a lot more fun for Dominic, although it was great to spend the holiday with my family in NY for the first time since 2006.  My little man was the hit of all the family parties, I barely got a minute with him on Christmas Eve with all the people who wanted to hold him. Christmas Eve started at my great grandma Katie's house with good company, a five generation picture and the best peanut butter balls ever! Then we moved the party to my grandma's house with her 12 foot Christmas tree. And finally ended the night at my cousin Cory's house for a huge party with my mom's side of the family. It made for a long, exhausting, and fun filled day. I can't wait until next year when Dominic might actually be excited at the prospect of "Santa" coming. "Christmas is for children. But it is for grown-ups too. Even if it is a headache, a chore, and nightmare, it is a period of necessary defrosting of chill and hide-bound hearts."

I had myself a couple glasses of wine last night at the Christmas party.  Although it was damn tasty, I must say not entirely worth the hassle of having to pump and make a bunch of bottles in advance. I suppose if I made it 9 months, I can make it another 3 or 4 until I'm done nursing before I decide to partake in drinking adult beverages again. And quite frankly it's not a top priority at this point.

I swear, I fall more in love with my child every time I look at him. When I had Dominic, I expected to be faced with an overwhelming rush of emotion upon seeing him for the first time. But it wasn't like that for me. The first time I saw him, I knew I loved him right away but more than anything else I felt an overwhelming sense of relief that he was safe and healthy. The first week I was focused mainly on getting the hang of things and figuring out how to take care of him. But now that I've got the mommy gig down pat, I've been able to enjoy my time with him more. I find myself spending a lot of time just staring at him, in complete awe that I made him. It amazes me how much personality he has already. His huge smiles crack me up. And he's taken to growling at me when he's hungry. How anyone could not love him is beyond me, this kid couldn't be more perfect if he tried!