I'm enjoying my last couple of hours of Christmas vacation this morning. It is 14F outside right now, with a high of only 16F. Tonight it is supposed to be 7F. What a way to welcome me back to the working world!
I've had lots of time off with my baby girl, and it has been wonderful! Here's the recap.
The weekend before Christmas, Lydia ran fever all weekend. We didn't get to spend Thanksgiving with family because Lydia had the flu, so I was paranoid about her being sick for Christmas, too. I took her to the doctor on Monday, and all that was wrong was a sore throat. She ran fever on Christmas Eve morning, but was fever free by that evening. We had planned to go to church at 4 pm on Christmas Eve, but we ended up staying home. I did not want to expose her to any more germs or to expose the other kids to hers.
Christmas morning was fun. I made a breakfast casserole, baked some Millie Ray's orange rolls, and Chip made his wonderful cappuccinos (as always).
Lydia played with her toys from Santa and opened her gifts from Mom and Dad. Santa brought her bath drums, a shapes puzzle, a mallet toy, and some clothes. Mom and Dad gave her a quilt, art smocks, and some books. (Bear with me on the photos. Baby girl does not sit still much these days.)
After opening gifts we finished packing the car and headed to Chip's parents' house in Hinds County. Lydia was a hoot. She even sat through Christmas dinner in her high chair. She faded fast after dinner, and we had to put her to bed before she could open all her gifts. The good and bad thing about having a set bedtime every night (7:30 pm) is that she is does not like to vary from the routine. Around 7:15 pm we reach meltdown stage if she isn't already in her jammies reading a story with Mom or Dad.
On the 26th we headed to Sallis for my nephew Lawes' first birthday party. It was a pancake party for breakfast, which I thought was so much fun! At the end of the party all the kids got on ride toys and rode in circles around the pool table in my brother's rec room. A toddler derby! Lydia rode a train while I pushed her around. She loved going fast with the other children. My legs were killing me!
We went back to Chip's parents' house after the birthday party, then I worked from their home office on Friday. On Friday night we went back to Sallis for Cain family Christmas. It was a fun night. One of my uncle's grandchildren gave Lydia her first bite (a nibble really) on her finger. It was all very dramatic. She loved playing with all of the other children and had a ball in the middle of the floor playing with wrapping paper, tissue paper, boxes, bags, and bows.
Saturday was rainy so we ended up staying inside to play most of the day. Then, on Sunday it was time to come home. We headed to the barn just before we left to let Lydia pet the horses and her uncle Scott's dog Ernie.
I worked Monday, then was off the rest of the week. It has been so great to be a Mom for a week. We went to the library, went shopping, took walks, and played, played, played. I'm so sad to see my time off come to an end. Lord knows I will miss her today.
