The Confused Neuron

Finnegan’s first Thanksgiving has come and gone.  We made the rounds to both Christy’s family and my family and Finn and Brae handled it very well.  Finn got a half hour cat nap in there while we were at Christy’s grandparents so he got a little recharge.  He was his usual charming self for everyone who wanted to talk to him and hold him.  He’s just an amazing baby!

Braeden was his usual energetic self.  He had his cousins Jack, Tristan and Isabella to keep him busy at the Willey’s.  Running around like little crazy people.  We were also treated to performances on the organ from all of them.  Later, Brae got a piano lesson from Kevin where he learned how to play part of the Peanuts theme.  Hehe.

Finn also tried to crawl for everyone at the Irish’s.  He managed to flop forward a couple of times but it definitely won’t be long until he’s motoring all around trying to keep up with his big brother.  Both boys managed to down two dinners!  Finnegan loves his sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, stuffing and turkey.  And today we found out he also likes pumpkin pie.  THAT’S MY BOY.  =o)

Yesterday we decorated the house for Christmas.  The tree is up and there are lights and snowmen, snowflakes, and all sorts of other decorations about.  During the decorating process we continued the tradition of watching Christmas Vacation a few times.  That movie is such a classic.  I’m sure that Finnegan will be well acquainted with that movie by the time he’s Braeden’s age.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to a very exciting Christmas season for the boys.  Especially Finnegan’s first!

Pictures from our Thanksgiving adventures can be found on Christy’s Flickr page.

Both boys are growing like weeds.  Finnegan is probably at 10 pounds already.  He’s begun not fitting into the newborn size diapers already and we’re going to have to go a size up now.  He’s eating like … well he’s got an appetite that beats out any one of us, that’s for sure.  He’s like clockwork every two hours and you can tell if he’s late in eating because his belly starts rumbling like a freight train going by.

Brae’s in the “I’m clumsy and tripping over the floor” stage as he’s getting taller.  It’s almost like his legs are moving faster than he thinks they are.  He’ll get up and start walking and trip over the carpet or he’ll be walking in a straight line and suddenly one of his legs will hit the pack’n'play on the floor.  I’m sure it’ll get worse.  We’ll just have to have plenty of band-aids and ice packs on hand.

Finnegan seems to have trouble pooing lately.  He gets very uncomfortable when he has to go (hey, who doesn’t?) and then really struggles to fire away.  We usually have to get him on the floor and work his legs like he’s peddling a bicycle to help him go and that usually works.  He’s also learned where his thumb is on his hands.  He has not, however, mastered the art of getting it in his mouth.  Usually he’ll end up trying to eat his fist or another part of his arm, did I mention he gave himself a little blood blister on his arm because of how hard he chomped down on it?  I fear this guy when he starts sprouting teeth.  Right now he’s swinging in his little swing making random noises.  He’s dressed in his moo-cow onesie and appears content with rocking back and forth.

Christy’s been amazing.  I don’t really know how she can do all she does running on practically no sleep.  I am getting more sleep than she is and I feel delirious at times, I can’t imagine how she feels.

Nearly 1am on Thursday January 1, 2009.  I think I’m like a lot of people right now in wondering where 2008 went.  It really feels as if it just flew by.  I’ve been told that the older you get, the faster time seems to pass by and I’m not sure I want to see how much faster it can go.  We celebrated the new year with my parents, some pizza and some sparkling apple cider.  Brae got to show off all his new toys that he got for Christmas and he even let my Dad play his pinball machine and that’s saying something since to date, no one has been ‘allowed’ to play it but him.  =o)

Brae made it all the way to midnight to watch the ball drop on TV.  He got to watch Jonas Brothers perform on ABC and saw all the people wearing those silly looking 2009 glasses.  It was nice and relaxed and warm, considering it’s well below freezing outside.  He even sipped on the sparkling apple cider even after he told us he didn’t like and tried it before and didn’t like it…  haha.  Christy got some pictures of us all clinking our glasses together at midnight.  I’m sure she’ll post them sometime soon.

I’m glad I have a day off tomorrow even though I know I’ll pay for it in full on Friday.  Work has been increasingly stressful lately and it is a trend I don’t see reversing at all.  Ever.  Then after that, it’s the weekend again.  Short work weeks would be wonderful if it weren’t for the double work load we have to accommodate on the days we are in the office.  It isn’t like most jobs where if your office is closed for a day, the work just gets pushed on to the next business day.  In an infusion center you have to jam the days you’re in the office with 2 – 3 times as many patients to keep everything up to date.  Oh well.

Well, time for my usual nightly ritual of playing WoW for a bit before going to sleep.

Happy New Year everyone!

It’s quarter of ten on Christmas night and I’m sitting on my couch listening to Christmas music on WJBR and watching the video of Brae opening his presents from Santa this morning and after presents this morning and having gone to two dinners with both of my families, I feel so very happy and content.  I’m looking around at the total chaos that is left over from the demolishing of the gifts this morning and I’m finding it very difficult to describe the exact feelings going through me right now.  

I know that Christy and I did our best to give Brae the best Christmas and there’s not much of a better feeling than that.  Watching his face light up this morning as he opened gift after gift was priceless.  Seeing him go flying down the stairs at 7:30 this morning wanting to see what Santa brought him was priceless.  It’s such a wonderful feeling to experience and I don’t know that there is anything comparable.  

Seeing both families today was just as wonderful.  I’m thankful to have married in to such a great family and it was good to see everyone today and hear everyone laughing and having a good time.  And the food…man, let me tell you an Italian family knows how to throw a feast on Christmas.  =o)  Chad was there, we haven’t seen him in a while.  He’s sporting a mop-top now.  He looked like he is doing well.  Uncle Larry wasn’t there though.  I wish I would have gotten the chance to see him and see how he’s doing.  

Brae spent 12-6 with his father and his family today.  In the meantime Christy and I went to see my family.  My sister and Ben came in last night from Michigan and it was very good to see both of them.  I miss my sister since she’s moved away but I know that she’s happy up in Michigan and that makes me happy for her.  I know that she knows she’s missed here so it was very nice to see her today.  My uncle David was in from New York with his girlfriend Sheridan who is very, very nice and sweet.  She’s Australian and it was so fun hearing her accent when she spoke.  She seemed to fit right in with us and I know sometimes that can be difficult because my family is loud and raucous.  She didn’t seem intimidated by us at all, which is very good.

I think we had a very very good Christmas.  I’m very happy =o) 

Merry Christmas everyone!

Saturday evening after a very LARGE meal courtesy of Applebee’s Carside To-Go.  Today is my father-in-law’s 51st birthday and to celebrate we went to visit and had dinner with them.  I ate too much.  Anyone who has seen any recent pictures of me knows that I do that frequently.  I had some roasted turkey ciabatta sandwich and some boneless wing things.  Too many of them.  Haha.  My father in law isn’t the big celebratory hulabaloo type person, though I do really think he enjoyed the company and the meal.

He does love to cook, and he uses only cast iron cookware and so as Christy and I were on our way back from Scranton last weekend, we ate breakfast at a Cracker Barrel somewhere in the middle of PA.

(Note to self: Learn to make chicken fried steak)

Browsing through their store, we found a small piece of cookware that could probably be used to make cornbread.  (He makes really GOOD cornbread).  So we got it.  Along with some of those Chunky candybar thingies that I’ve never had and are very hard to find.  (Cracker Barrel had them…go figure). Those are his favorite and I spotted them in the middle of a candy display in their store.

Tomorrow is party #2.  Christy’s grandpa turns 80 and there’s apparently a huge bash at my inlaws for him.  I’ve been requested to make something for the occasion since it’s been said I’m the ‘gourmet’ cook in the house.  I’m not sure I deserve that title.  If randomly throwing ingredients together and hoping it doesn burn yet cooks enough not to be raw defines ‘gourmet’ then ok, I’ll accept the title.  Anyway, I’ve picked out what I want to make tomorrow morning and I’ll share the recipe if it turns out well.

We watched You, Me and Dupree tonight for our family movie night.  First time I’ve ever seen it was actually funnier than I expected.  Christy thought so too.  Brae didn’t quite get all the humor but he laughed pretty much whenever we did.

Right now though, I’m stuffed and exhausted.  I’m going to waste some more time in the world of Azeroth because, as you know, it’s my favorite place to be other than with my family.  (I rhymed.  w00t!).