Daddy's Hero.

(a post by daddy) So, if you know me, you know I like comicbook heroes. Today I met a real hero.

I come back from the bathroom and start playing with trains with Alex. (Yes. That part was important - and yes - I DID wash my hands).

Suddenly I hear water running...

I go into the bathroom and sure enough. The toilet is a waterfall. I reach down to turn off the valve under the toilet and realize something horrid... It's stuck against the water line. A stream of profanities is probably escaping daddy's mouth at this point. So I pull the top of the tank off and pull up on the float and it stops the torrent of water. I reach down to turn off the feed line again, and it definitely won't move.

My sweatpants are starting to get cold and very wet from the water on the floor. Suddenly Alex pops his head into the room. He walks in a ways, and slides on the wet floor getting his sweats soaked as well. "I slipped dada!" he said with a bit of confusion.

I look to my son and think... "He's nearly three, and not totally stupid... He might have his mother's grace and ability to state the obvious... who am I kidding... I'm stuck at this toilet or I need to go outside and turn off all the water or race upstairs and get the plunger.."

I throw caution to the wind, "Alex, can you go upstairs and get the toilet plunger. It's red and black and next to the toilet upstiars."

He stands up, takes 3 steps into the hallway and his wet feet slip out from under him again. "I slipped!" he giggles. I have visions of the toilet brush, mommy's comb or 15,000 other things appearing when he gets back from playing under the bedspread and watching a little tv.

But amazingly, he appears nearly a minute later holding the disgusting end of the plunger in his hands (I washed his hands after this.)

He takes three steps into the bathroom to hand it to me and slips in the water and gets even wetter.

Three plunges later the toilet drains and we use all the towels to wipe up all the water. Then we change our clothes and go back to the important stuff... playing with trains.

What a Difference a Trip to Ikea Makes

From this

To this.

Christmas Recap

Christmas Eve morning is pretty low key with us. After naptime, we head up to Grandma Great's house.

Christmas Eve has been at Grandma's house since Mommy can remember.

This year, Grandma Great waited for two little elves to decorate her tree.

Uncle RJ gave Alexander a lift to decorate the top of the tree.

After decorating the tree, we ate a delicious prime rib, corn souffle, broccoli casserole, and mashed potatoes. Once dishes were done, we dove into the gift giving. While dishes were being washed, Alexander found this barking dog.

He doesn't like dogs so the very fact that he enjoyed playing with this toy was hilarious to us. After a bit of time, he and his cousin Lorelli ended up hanging out with Ho-Ho Papa.

We start in the front room with stockings and move into the back room for the white elephant exchange.

Thankfully, Umma gave a few gifts to keep Alexander occupied during the exchange.

Christmas morning found us chasing a toddler into the living room as he yelled, "WOOWOO TRACK". As he opened each gift, he would look at us and say, "woo woo track now?" Finally, he opened his last gift - a GeoTrax train system.

And hasn't stopped playing with it since.

A few hours later, we headed over to Ho-Ho Papa and Umma's house for more family time.
It was a whirlwind of wrapping paper, flying monkeys, a princess in pajamas, and a toddler screaming, "more woowoo track".

Like most of society, the economy has impacted our family and we all cut back. Instead of worrying about how much money was spent, we each took time to find presents with meaning. From wedding pictures to a Star Trek phaser, the gifts had extra meaning this year because each purchase was made with the thought of how it would be received, rather than whether it would be enough.

Alexander's gift to Ho-Ho Papa was no different. Ho-Ho Papa has announced football for the local high school for 21 years and we suspect this year will be his last. He would never allow a ceremony to mark his retirement, so Mommy worked a little Christmas magic. She asked the coaches to have a helmet signed by the entire team (who placed second in state this year) and even in the midst of the playoff run, the team came through for her.


Do you think Ho-Ho Papa liked it?




Someone else certainly did!

It definitely was a Christmas to remember.

Happy Holidays

Phew! What a busy 48 hours. We're winding down from all the fun, surrounded by new toys with bellies full of tasty treats. A post with all the details will arrive in the next few days.

For now, here are a few photos of us from Christmas Past.

Christmas 2006

2 weeks before Alexander was born
Daddy was very excited and Mommy was VERY ready for Alexander to arrive.

Christmas 2007

Alexander (11mos) and Grandma Great

Christmas 2008

Alexander (23mos) looked ADORABLE in this sweater vest!

Christmas 2009

Happy Holidays!!

WooWoo Train!

An early Christmas present arrived at our home today.

And this little guy hasn't stopped watching it go round and round, under the tree!!


Thanks to today's Secret Santa, for the hours of WooWoo Train fun!

Thank You Secret Santa

Alexander and I participate in a gift exchange occurs every year between the women from the birth board I joined in '06. Many of us have remained in close contact three years later and have a gift exchange for the holidays. This year, we enjoyed buying gifts for a sweet three year old girl and waited to see who drew Alexander's name.

Earlier this week, Alexander's Secret Santa gift arrived. And it was absolutely perfect. Deb and Erin Rianna found personalized gifts that Alexander absolutely adores.

The gift awaits for Alexander to wake up and open it

Opening the gifts

Woo-Woo!
A personalized train book for Alexander

Someone insisted Mommy immediately read it...three times in a row.

Hanging a personalized train ornament on the tree

Thank you, Secret Santa!!

You Go. We Go.

In three years, we've managed to avoid all of us being sick at the same time.

All good things must come to an end.