Waiting for Santa

So, here it is 1:00 am Christmas morning. We would like nothing more than to play santa and go to bed. But alas...

nieces

Thank God for teenage nieces who like to baby sit.
These last few days leading up to Christmas can be crazy hectic. I had a few things I still needed to get yesterday for Christmas Eve dinner, in addition to cleaning, laundry and baking. The thought of accomplishing everything on my to-do list with a 5 month old on my hip was daunting. Not to mention the feeding, bathing and diapering required.
Fortunately, John has a 13 year old niece who is amazing with children. In exchange for a night away from her brother, we get a babysitter. We're trying to build her confidence so that we can have a babysitter for date nights. She's comfortable with the bathing, diapering and entertaining aspects. She's still getting comfortable with the feeding and getting to sleep part of it. I can't say that I blame her, Dominic can be determined not to fall asleep and not to burp.
So Tiara spent the night Monday. I woke her up when Dominic got up yesterday and handed him over to her. In between check marks on my list, I relieved her. But other than that, she was his full time caregiver yesterday. As I was out and about, I just kept saying to myself, "Thank God for Tiara." I couldn't imagine trying to get in and out of the crowded stores toting a car seat with a 17 pound child in it.
She did such a wonderful job that we couldn't bear the thought of taking her home. So she stayed with us last night as well. Hopefully the experience boosted her confidence enough that she might be willing to watch Dominic for date night. But even if we just use her for relief on hectic days she is a huge blessing and we are thankful.

Dominic's addition: Santa comes tonight! I've been practicing waiting up for him! Me and Mojo have been REAL good. Merry Christmas!

pizzelles and other musings

So, I was going back through Erin's blog trying to find the picture of her "baby bump." I came across a post titled "Afghans." I immediately knew what it would be about. I stopped my scrolling to read it and then proceeded to read it out loud to John. (He was busy playing with the boys.) I have told him many times about my attachment to my "Grandma blanket" and how the original will always be my favorite. He's always responded with a look that says "Ok, I think you're crazy, but if you insist, the blanket can go on the back or the couch, even though it doesn't match any of the decor that you obsessed over for weeks. Whatever." I think he gets it now. Or more accurately, I'm redeemed in my craziness, for there are 7 of us out there as attached to our Grandma blankets as I.

I was amazed as I read that post and others on both her's and Stacey's blogs, at how similar our childhoods must have been. Many of the traditions Matt and I grew up with were the same ones that Stacey, Julie and Erin were participating in on the other side of the Atlantic. And 13 years later, the Snyder family carried on as well.

They are traditions we are passing onto another generation.

So I guess that means that Mom, you had better start knitting:-)

I couldn't let mom show me up

My goal for this blog is to share my thoughts and feelings about motherhood as well as sharing Dominic's antics with the world.

I guess I should start by getting up to speed on our family. John and I have been married since April of 2007. November of that year brought the news that our family was going to expand. In Feburary of 2008 we adopted our Mojo, a 6 month old boxer/pointer mix, from the local humane society. Our intention was for him to become the faithful companion to our child. Little did we know how well our plan would work out. Dominic Matthew was born July 13, 2008. Mojo was rather wary at first, but than again, so were John and I.

As Dominic grew, so did Mojo's acceptance of him. Now at 5 months old, Dominic and his trusty sidekick Mojo are inseparable. I am sad to say that nohing, not even Mommy, can make Dominic smile as much as a mere glimpse of his Mojo. When I pick up Dominic from his crib in the morning, the first thing he does is to look to the floor for his Mojo. Of course the feelings are mutual. Although Mojo still sleeps in our bedroom, when we come downstairs, he immediately goes to the nursery door.

I'm sure we are in for some messy days as the two of them grow up together. Mojo is very much a little boy's puppy dog. There can be 20 inches of snow in our yard and Mojo still manages to track muddy paw prints into my kitchen. It is sure to be a wonderful, messy adventure. And I will love every minute.