no two the same

Not snowflakes...

Christmas presents.

 It's a family tradition.

Christian's Grampy had this rule when wrapping gifts that no two presents could look the same and we like it so we have carried it on.

We have spent many hours wrapping over the past two nights.

We have watched several movies from of our large collection of Christmas DVDs and just soaked in the holiday spirit.

This year, we decided to wrap all of the presents in plain brown butcher paper then embellish them with unique ribbons and gift tags.

Christian bought a HUGE roll of builder's paper at Sherwin Williams for $11 (though I'm guessing we could have found something similar for less at a big box hardware store).

I got out what is left of my scrapbooking/stamping/ribbon supply. 
I was forced to purge a whole lot of my craft closet when we were preparing the nursery, (see the crazy pre-organization closet picture here) but I don't scrapbook anymore anyway so gift embellishment is the perfect use for all of my papers, stickers, chipboard letters, ribbons and stamps.

Christian wrapped each gift with paper, (he's better at that than me), and I let my creativity run wild.

Some are Christmas-y:
 

 

 

Some are just fun:

 

  

 

This one is probably my favorite.
It's for my 12 year old niece and she will be able to take those strings off and make them into a bracelet.
(At least that's what I would have done when I was 12).

The only exception to the "no two the same" rule is that when you are giving multiple gifts to the same person, it's fun to have a theme with some slight variation.

 

This is especially useful for young children who can't read because once they know what their tags look like, they can figure out which presents are theirs.

   

For Christian, I used the same stamp that we used three and a half years ago to make wedding favors, (for a little sentimental touch...)

 

Tomorrow morning all of that hard work will be torn to bits but our hope is that everyone's gift will feel just a little bit more special because of the time we spent packaging it.

from our family to yours

4 months

You smile, he smiles.

You laugh, he laughs.

You talk, he "talks".

You blow raspberries, he does too.

That's the theme this month.

He is so much fun, I can hardly stand it.

 

I went with the football baby legs and the x's and o's tie in support of Henry's Papa, despite the Colts' 0-13 record this year.

Some highlights this month:

Henry's Auntie Lesha and Uncle Dan came to visit for Thanksgiving.

 

Henry got to hang out with his cousin Reid at Thanksgiving too. 

They've both grown so much since they hung out at 2 months.

I love, love, love watching these two together.

Just 9 days apart, they are (surprisingly) about the same size.

 Henry is weighing in around 18 pounds and is 26.5 inches long, (90th percentile for both weight and height).

He is getting so busy.

Diaper changes go something like this:

Wiggle, wiggle, pull off sock, foot in mouth, roll to side, grab new diaper (or whatever is near by), put that in mouth, wiggle, squeal, laugh, grab, foot in poop, kick, kick, kick...

I am so nervous knowing that this is just the beginning.

He is barely mobile and already I can hardly keep up.

Not only is he busy, but he is very aware of everything going on around him.

He shows interest in whatever we are saying, doing, eating or holding.

He loves watching animals.

He and the kitties are bonding.

Sort of.

I cherish the sounds that fill our house at all (and I do mean ALL) hours of the day (and night):
shrieks, squeals, laughter and baby sneezes.

birthday madness

This year, my birthday came with a full force realization of the challenges I face in trying to balance my life as a grown up, a mommy, a wife and a teacher, all while trying to squeeze in some fun with friends.

My day was bananas from start to finish.

7:03 AM: I wake up to Henry crying and realize that I have slept through my alarm.

I have ten minutes to get myself and Henry ready and out the door in order to make it to work on time.

That obviously didn't happen.

8:25 AM: I arrive to work 25 minutes late with no makeup on but a delicious Pumpkin Spice Latte and fresh fruit in hand thanks to my amazing mom.

I rush around my classroom, making sure everything is ready for the day.

I have a short gingerbread activity planned but otherwise, we have library every Friday and on this day, we also had a fun little walking field trip to the public library planned.

A double library day...

It should be nice and easy right?

Wrong.

8:50 AM: students arrive, some of my girls huddle together in the hallway, whispering.

It is evident that they are trying to plan something for me so I let them be for a while.

9:00 AM: I call the girls in from the hallway, apparently destroying their plan, (though I still don't understand what that plan was exactly).

9:03 AM: one of the girls is sitting at her desk, sobbing.

I call her to my desk and ask her what's wrong.

"We wanted to surprise you" she says, still sobbing.

"Sweetheart, please don't be sad.  I'm sorry that the surprise didn't work out, but the best birthday gift you can give me is to smile and have a fun day."

It was a good try on my part but she didn't buy it and cried on and off for the next hour, literally.
I did my best to ignore her in hopes that she would snap out of it.

9:15 AM: A student screams, "It's snowing!" and 19 of my students, (all except the girl crying at her desk), begin screaming and running toward the windows.

I am powerless against these first snow falls of the season.

Snow is way too exciting for five-year-olds and the gingerbread activity I had planned for those next ten minutes flies right out the window.

9:25 AM: I tell my students to get their library books and line up.

9:35 AM: After several, "Mrs. Jansen, can I get a drink/use the restroom/will you tie my shoe"s, we arrive at the school library (late).

For some reason, the other kindergarten class is still there.

I volunteer to take them until their teacher gets back.

(Turns out she is outside chasing down a bus full of first graders who are headed to see The Nutcracker in order to deliver a message).

We go to their classroom and play a little impromptu math game called "Guess How Old Mrs. Jansen Is?"

Guesses range anywhere from 13 to 100.

By the time their teacher arrives back, I go to get my class from the library where they surprise me by singing "Happy Birthday" and the librarian pulls me aside to tell me that my class was great, "except for the girl who sulked the whole time", head back to our classroom to put away our books and grab our coats, we are already about ten minutes late for our field trip and the other kindergarten class has been standing in the hallway waiting for us.

10:10 AM: We walk to the public library, our students beside themselves with excitement to be out walking in the snow.

10:15 AM: We (finally) arrive at the public library.

10:35 AM: One of my students is injured during a game of charades and needs consoling and a walk to the drinking fountain.

(I love how water solves about 98% of problems with Kindergartners).

11:00 AM: Due to a series of unfortunate events, one of my students is crying and stomping her feet on the floor of the public library.

Oh boy.

11:30 AM: We are walking back to the school, (late of course), and encouraging our students to walk "briskly".

Now, one of my students is complaining that her knee hurts and is walking with a limp, (many, many feet behind everyone else).

I gently try to help her along by explaining to her how late we are, but to no avail.

In my desperation, I think about picking her up and carrying her but decide it just wouldn't look right to those parents waiting in their cars in the parking lot of the school.

Just to be clear, I do teach kindergarten, so that does mean that things do not always go as planned and occasional tears are to be expected but that many breakdowns, behavior problems and interruptions in one day is NOT typical by any means.

11:45 AM: All of my students make it safely (though late and not all of them happily) to their cars and I am relieved to have that part of my day behind me.

I rush around my classroom shutting things down for the weekend.

12:10 PM: I walk out the door carrying far too many things and feel something wet dripping down my arm.

I look down to see that the container of organic berries which my mom had packed for me has popped open and is now dripping all over my white down coat and into my purse.

So, not only have I not eaten yet today, but my uneaten breakfast is now punishing me.

12:30 PM: I feed Henry and my mom offers to make me something for lunch but I don't have time.

I leave Henry with her and rush home to collect our new kitty and take him to the vet.

(Yes, we have a new kitty! More on that another day...)

1:30 PM: I arrive at the vet, realize that I have forgotten all of the paperwork they asked me to bring, and in my distraction, leave my car running in the parking lot.

It didn't slow down from there.

After a $60 vet bill (for an appointment which was supposed to be free), I met my friend Emily to hang out for a short time.

Since I have been away from Henry for a while, I sit and pump while we chat.

After Christian arrived home from work, we rushed off to meet up with my mom and his parents for a Henry exchange, (his parents were taking Henry for the night).

I still had nothing to wear to my birthday party.

All week long I had intended to find the perfect costume. (Yes, that's right- costume-in December.)

Now I was out of time.

Sad.

I borrowed some clothes from my mom, threw some decorations from her house around my neck and we were off.

8:00 PM: We arrive (very late) to what ended up being the best birthday party ever.

Of course, it has already been 4 hours since the last time, so I go straight to the bathroom to pump again before I am able to hang out with my friends.

And this is how my day ended:

I am so thankful for my amazing friends, who bring so much joy and laughter to my crazy, busy life. 

Here's hoping that 27 will bring few less days like that one and that somehow, I will be able to find some way to just SLOOOWWW IT DOWN.

pedicure peanuts

I had a pedicure today as an early birthday gift from my mom.

It was heavenly.

I haven't had any time to pamper myself since Henry was born and I savored every second of that warm water, hot stone massage and Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Edition.

First of all, I am loving the festive color combo I chose.

(I can't believe I am posting a picture of my weird toes).

 

That's OPI's "Gettin' Miss Piggy With It" over "I'm Not Really a Waitress".

How cool are those giant flakes of glitter?

So, maybe I'm the last person in the world to learn this trick, (wouldn't be the first time), but in case I'm not, I just have to share this little, ingenious idea.

You know these little things that are used for shipping breakable goods?

I call them packing peanuts.

I was confused when my pedicurist pulled out a box of these today and proceeded to stick them between my toes.

It was totally unexpected.

I've been to this spa a handful of times and they usually use those traditional foam toe separators.

Those can be painful and awkward but they are what you expect at the spa.

Well, packing peanuts may be cheap and not so glamorous, but they work perfectly!

They squish up and conform to just the right width.

They were the comfiest toe separators I've ever experienced. 

It's the little things in life, right?

It looks uncomfortable in the picture, but I promise it's not at all.

So, this holiday season, while you are packing up gifts to ship off to your loved ones, save some of those packing peanuts and pamper yourself.