Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas

Just Because

This is just a quick picture post. I figure I wrote enough text yesterday. Besides, does anybody actually READ it?

TJ loves bright lights. The fire enthralled him.

I love the following sequence of pictures:

The Nightmare Before Christmas

And I'm not talking about the show produced by Tim Burton; I'm talking about the week we've had, produced by Delta, Continental, the weather, and Honda. We spent the past weekend in Houston doing a second-look interview. Monday morning, I woke up with a painful mastitis infection. Rob was scheduled to be busy interviewing until 3pm. We planned on doing a late check-out from our hotel: Rob would finish interviewing, help me pack, and then we'd fly home. Well, when I called the front desk to request a late check-out, they said it wasn't possible, and I HAD to be out at 11AM. I had a frantic morning (all while feeling lousy), trying to pack with one arm while soothing a wailing infant in the other. By 10AM I was already totally frazzled. I hauled all the suitcases down to the parking garage (no mean feat while lugging 14lbs of flailing baby), only to find myself locked out of the car, and without keys. Apparently, while still half-asleep, I'd told Rob to leave them at the front desk, and then forgotten all about it. So I was under the impression we'd stuck to our original plan to leave them inside the car (yeah, this is never a good idea anyways). And I couldn't call Rob and ask him about the key's whereabouts, because he did not have his cell phone with him on this trip. So I spent the day sitting in a hotel lobby, freaking out because I believed the keys were locked inside the rental car, with a really mad baby who NEEDED a nap, and just couldn't get calm enough to take one in the noisy lobby (I made sure to sit close to the desk of the mean guy who'd made me leave my room at 11AM; he kept giving me dirty looks about my crying baby, and I kept giving them right back). Rob finally showed up at 4PM. By this time, I'd called a lock-smith to unlock the car (which I was fortunately able to cancel). We drove to the airport, dropped off the rental car (where they accused of us denting the car-- yeah, right: it didn't hardly leave the hotel parking garage, thanks to the key gaffe-- we're still fighting this one out), and hustled off to our gate... where we learned that our flight was delayed due to weather. We sat in the airport for HOURS, waiting and waiting, and the flight kept getting pushed back later and later. It was about midnight when they finally cancelled the stupid thing. We were able to get a hotel (I'll spare you the blow-by-blow account of this-- it wasn't real easy, as there were alot of people in our same situation), and work on rescheduling a flight. Since all flights to Little Rock for the day had been cancelled, they were all booked out until Wednesday; but they said we could fly through Atlanta, and get home on Tuesday. Okay. Fine. So we went to the hotel, slept, got up the next day and went back to the airport. Again, our flight's departure time kept getting delayed. Then we finally boarded and sat on the runway for an hour (TJ LOVED this part-- and remember that I'm feeling awesome myself with the whole mastitis thing). By the time we made to Atlanta, our connecting flight to Little Rock was long gone, and the next one was full. But the helpful Continental lady said she could get us home to Little Rock flying through Houston. Ha ha ha. So we were stranded for another night. Luckily, Rob's sister, Heather, lives near Atlanta and was able to rescue us from another hotel. The one redeeming facet was being able to spend some time with her family (see the cute kids in the previous post). So the next day, we again return to the airport to try and get home. Again. Our flight keeps getting delayed. Again. We FINALLY finally make it to Little Rock this time, though. It is with a deep sense of relief that we get off the plane, walk to our car, load up, turn the key... Hmm. Turn the key again... Please start, please start... TJ is screaming, it's cold, it's late... We fought that car for a while, but it just wasn't going to happen. We were able to find a ride home from the airport (THANKS, Sally!!!), and crawl into bed sometime around 1AM. Thursday morning, Rob had to work so he took our remaining car. TJ started to develop a fever, which climbed slowly as the day went on. He got fussier and more uncomfortable, which--being the new mom I am-- made me start to panic a little. Rob was going to check his ears for an infection, but, lo and behold, the other car wouldn't start. So one car was stranded at the airport, one was stranded at the hospital, and I had a sick and crying baby. Awesome. Just awesome. So our night ended with getting the car towed to a repair shop, going back to the airport to get a rental car, and finally collapsing in bed sometime after midnight. I'm still waiting to hear what the repair shop wants to fix the car. That may be the real nightmare.

Here are a few pictures from the hours spent in the airport. Isn't my baby awesome?
And here is Rob, working on teaching TJ about football. Early indoctrination is key, he claims.

How did this happen?

No, TJ did NOT fly solo to Atlanta; we had an unplanned layover there, and were able to spend some time with his cute Gonzalez cousins.


Abby and TJ

Charlie, TJ and Abby

The Other Man In My Life

Forgive me if TJ has a tendency to dominate my blog (hey, I know he's the REAL reason anyone ever checks this thing). But today's post is dedicated to the other man in my life, my sweet husband, Rob. Today is our anniversary. Looking back over the past three years (THREE years? Really? Surely it hasn't been that long?), I have to say I would make the same decision again: Marrying you is by far the most clever thing I have ever done.

We maybe should have picked a warmer day, though. What I remember MOST about that morning is how darn COLD is was...

And I was trying to be beautiful for posterity (as were you), so we neither of us had coats. Silly, silly, silly.

But that lapse of error in judgement aside,

THANKS for the best three years of my life.
I am so lucky to have married my best friend, who is always willing to play with me,

who will help me rise to any height, hike any trail,

explore bizzare backwoods neighborhoods,

and not so bizzare or backwoods tourist attractions,

be pleasant when I make a TERRIBLE error in judgement about the length of a trail,

travel to exotic locales,

and absord the spendour of the world with.

There's no one I'd rather walk through fire with,

walk the world with,

climb through the jungle with,
explore ancient wonders, and now raise a child with. I'm looking forward to where the next year takes us.

I LOVE YOU!!!

What I'm Thankful For

This Thanksgiving was certainly not the funnest one we've ever had. Rob had been asked to take call for the day, so I had not even bothered to buy a turkey. Who wants to cook all day for themselves? Well, late on Tuesday it was discovered that Rob could NOT take the call due to a glitch in the paperwork. Okay. So there we were, no turkey, no time to thaw one even if we bought one, and no place to go. A family from our church had graciously offered to share their turkey with us, and we called to accept. Thanksgiving rescued, right?

Wednesday night, my poor little baby started getting fussy. Then really fussy. He didn't sleep well that night--this is unusual for him, as he's usually a champion sleeper (he's even started sleeping through the night on occasion). Thursday morning dawned to a nasty temperature, head congestion and swollen, watery eyes.

We kept hoping he'd rally in time for turkey, but it was not to be. He went from bad to worse. We called and declined our dinner invitation (however, Rob is a champion and whipped up this fabulous ham dinner--thus saving us from McDonald's), and began combing the Internet for ANYTHING that could help our baby. We spent a nasty night with the humidifier, holding him upright, and sitting in the bathroom running the shower on hot to create a steam-room. By 4:30am this morning his fever was still climbing, and it was time to pay a visit to the Emergency Department of Arkansas Children's Hospital. As far as ER visits go, it was exceptional service; we did not wait in the waiting room AT ALL (I think someone tipped them off that TJ was the doctor's kid)-- the entire visit took about 5 hours. The doctors were very good, and did a thorough work-up. I am thankful to report that, although I have a very sick little boy, he does not have any of the dire diseases common to small infants. His fever still hasn't broken, but we have been able to make him comfortable enough to sleep, and his fever is now under control. We have had to cancel our trip to Houston; but the important thing is that our baby is going to be okay.

As we left the ER, I joked with Rob that holidays just aren't that good for us lately: last Christmas we almost offed the dog, and this Thanksgiving, the baby. Apparently we should have stuck to house-plants, or some anaerobic organism.

The Week In Pictures

Monday: Was the day we sized-up in diapers.
This boy is G-R-O-W-I-N-G.

Tuesday: Was one of the first baths that was not a Scream Fest. Although, as you can see from his face, he's still not sure if he actually LIKES this bizarre ritual.

It's much better to be dry...
and clothed.

Wednesday: Was a hard day for my little boy. It took a good long cuddle to feel better.
Thursday: Was a nice long run. Check out the Boss in his ride.

I just thought this outfit was cute.

Friday: TJ had to come with me to do my Visiting Teaching. This is what he thought of it. You could say that I was bawled out by the Boss.

Later I consoled him by letting him order me about.

I sure hope everything meets his approval.