Home for Christmas...

 Dear Husband... sorry if this blog is too personal.  But I guess that's what you get sometimes when you keep encouraging me to blog more...

This Christmas season, my heart hasn't been in it.  Even my blog about Christmas lights was off.  (seriously, that post was almost deleted later because it just wasn't my best.)  Mostly because the Christmas Season was eclipsed this year by another event.  My husband coming home from war.  Which was also, and more importantly, my daughter's daddy coming home from war.

For traveling from the other side of the world. those guys look good.

No longer do I say "you're doing such a good job, but don't roll over until your daddy gets here."  Nope... she rolls.  And her dad saw it before I did.

No longer do I think "this child is adorable - I need someone right here to talk about how cute she is."  Nope... he says to me "man, she is so cute."  All I have to do is agree.

He came back... and I woke her up.  They're both very tired in this picture.

No longer do I cuddle with her and have a secret hole in my heart thinking "her dad should be here to do this, too... she is so big."  instead I hand her off to her dad, and go about my merry way while they cuddle themselves.

The 6 year old girl inside of me is in shock:  WHAT?  How is Christmas not the most exciting?  How are you not on the edge of your seat knowing it's around the corner?  Pull out the JohnDenverAndTheMuppets:AChristmasTogether because it's time to enjoy the season!  And give me cookies!  I demand Christmas Cookies!

Yes, inner-child, I will give you Christmas Cookies, and we will listen to the appropriate Christmas Music... but this year Mariah Carey was actually right.  All I did want for Christmas was (him).  Him to be home with me.  Him to not be at war.  Him to come home and be a dad. 

(but if you're reading this, and you've already bought me presents, don't feel like you need to return them.  Because I am also accepting other, non-husband-related gifts.  For the record. )

CHRISTMAS MIRACLE BONUS:  I don't know where this came from, so I can't put attribution where it's due... but this is funny and true stuff.

Goodnight Moon

You know how sometimes you've had a thought in the back of your mind for a while, but it's never had a reason to come to the surface and then... all of the sudden... BAM!  It's like you realized something you have been subconsciously been wondering about for years?  I had a moment like that this week, as I was reading to my child. 

It was early evening and we were reading "B is for Bear" (and excellent touchy-alphabet book), and then went on to read Hop on Pop (not my favorite of the Dr. Seuss books, but since we have two copies I feel like it's in the rotation a fair bit).  And then, just for fun (and because we also have two of them - one "lap version" (big) and a small, diaper bag sized edition) I decided to read "Goodnight Moon."

Holy crap, that bunny's room is haunted!

That's why I've never liked this book!  Because it's a freaking haunted book!  Try reading it in your best scary story voice and you'll know it to be true...

Goodnight room. Goodnight moon. Goodnight cow jumping over the moon. Goodnight light, and the red balloon... (muah ha ha ha ha)

Goodnight to the freaking noises everywhere because that old lady in the rocking chair is going to kill you.  

I mean, just look at it.  If I were a set dresser and I was looking for a master bedroom in a horror film, I wouldn't have to look any further.  The weird curtains.  The fireplace.  The black and white pages (mug shots) in the middle of the book.  The room gets darker and darker, and the mouse eats all that bunny's bowl of mush.  It is not a safe place, and not a room I would want to fall asleep in.

So, Goodnight, creepy book.  Until the next time I forget and think "this is good for children."  No wonder babies hate sleeping - we read them such scary stuff.

twinkle, twinkle

I... umm... judge things.   Things I have no business judging and should just be happy they are there, instead of talking about how I feel about them.  For readers of this blog, this shouldn't be a surprise.  However, for anyone new to the Tiny Adventures of me... it's a thing I do.  And I can't stop myself.

I love when people decorate the outside of their house for Christmas.  I don't love doing it personally, but I do enjoy OTHERS decorating the outsides of their houses for Christmas.  It's so bright and sparkly and interesting to walk your dog at night.  I just love it.  But... I'm afraid I over-analyze things... because I nearly always walk in the door with a rant.

Because I feel like there are houses in our neighborhood that are having a Christmas-off and soon it's going to turn into this, and somehow it's my job to rant about it.

Because inflatable lawn decor really is ridiculous to look at when it's not inflated.  (personally, I don't care for inflatable lawn decor any time, but to each their own... and since this is my blog, this is MY own.  So I can say here that I don't really like it, or get it, or want it.  But it does seem to be an easy way to decorate quickly, so overall, I give it a C+). And, yes, it's my job to rant about it.

Because some house decorations made me cry (some of them make me cry a lot...)  I don't rant about this.  but I want to talk about it, and possibly cry some more...

"Welcome Home Mom and Dad: I have missed you!"  You're breaking my heart, sign...

And sometimes (and I am so so sorry to not have a picture of this, but it's on a fairly busy street, and I now have a baby so I can't just park on the side of a road and go traipsing through people's yards to get a good picture) I am super concerned because the nativity scene is like 1/3 life size, and the moose is actual life-size (or larger), so I'm not only questioning the priorities of this household, but also the safety of that baby Jesus who is likely to be a quick snack for that giant moose. 

... the same can be said for the giant penguin down the street that is likely to eat the polar bear.  Or the giant helicopter that is going to rain fire down on the Santa Train.  Perspectives, people.  Did nobody else have to take (and do horribly at) an art class in 7th grade?  Let's keep everything the same ratio here.

And I did find a house whose lights I loved enough that I thought "maybe one day I should put Christmas lights up at my house."  Obviously I didn't.  But I thought about it, which is a big step for me.  So I felt the need to rant about how much I love those lights.

I'm not sure why I put myself in charge of being concerned about the way that people chose to celebrate their outdoor holidays... I just have a lot of feelings.

Merry Christmas Season, friends.  I hope you have better neighbors than mine do, and everyone can just be happy that it's a happy time of year where walking your dog at night is less boring.