Christmas 2009: The Recap Edition

When you're pregnant (preggos, back me up on this one), everyone you meet (be it in a restaurant, grocery store, doctor's office, etc.) will try to give you advice. They will try to explain to you what being a parent will be like. They tell you to cherish every moment ("they grow up so fast"), to sleep when the baby sleeps, and the select few will every scare the piss out of you with their own labor and delivery horror stories (To these people: I, as evidenced by this large bump, have not had the baby yet and can't really get out of doing that. Shut up.). But, these "wise" people forget to warn you about all the tedious things that go along with motherhood.

Thing They Don't Warn You About #52571: In order for Santa to come, other stuff has to go

On the Wednesday before Christmas, I undertook the task of cleaning out some of Beckett's toys to make way for what Santa was going to bring him. Oh how I wish I'd been forewarned. This process took 3 1/2 hours. WHAT? When did that child accumulate that much stuff?

Thing They Don't Warn You About #2679: Santa can be a real jackass

He brought drums this year. What the hell was he thinking?

Other than that minor transgression, Santa was actually very good to Beckett this year. He got cowboy boots, Yahtzee!, a soccer goal and ball, SuperWhy bingo, DRUMS, and a flurry of other things.

Beckett puts on the cowboy boots and marches around singing "Cowboy, cowboy, cowboy. Rasso, rasso, rasso." "Rasso" being "lasso."

More to come later.

Christmas break, why can't you last all year?

Seriously. Aside from some memo writing, the last couple of days have been FANTASTIC. Well, that and the fact that I am phoneless. Well, after writing it out, maybe Christmas break isn't that great after all. Well, at least Christmas Eve and Day will be fun. There is nothing more pleasant to watch than Beckett seeing for the first time what Santa has brought him or ripping recklessly into a pile of presents.

So, no grades until January. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise. Yeah, we'll go with that.

Update: Beckett LOVES "The Wizard of Oz." We watched it last night while rocking before he went to bed. My life really couldn't rock harder right now. Well, it could. I am having serious issues with the Flip Video Camera, my computer, and the stack of blank DVDs. But I suppose I can figure all of this out.

It's Christmastime, Pretty Baby. And the Snow is (not) Falling on the Ground

It's finally Christmastime (at least for law students)! And it could not have started better. Beckett had his choir showcase at church last night. It was precious. I'll post part of the video later. Tomorrow, he has his Christmas program at school. That video will get posted as well.

Beckett has made his Christmas list. Here it is:

(1) Drums (and, because Santa has lost his damn mind, he's getting them. But shhh, don't tell Beckett).

(2) "Noisy" guitar (I have no idea what this is about).

(3) Microphone, microphone, speaker, speaker (yeah, this is a karaoke machine he saw at Costco. Shockingly, it has 2 microphones and 2 speakers.)

I thought for this blog, I would include the things I love the MOST about Christmas (or rather, things it's just not Christmas without):

(1) "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" -- Gayla Peevey

(2) The Nutcracker (the music, the ballet, the everything. I heart it a lot more than I should).

(3) On a related note, it's just not Christmas until our Nutcrackers are placed on the stairs.

(4) "Last Christmas" -- Wham! (THE BEST. Don't argue with me, you know you love it, too)

(5) Lenox Christmas China

(6) "Dominick, The Italian Christmas Donkey" -- Lou Monte (Although this year, it just makes me think of "Jersey Shore." Which , I guess I'm okay with)

(7) It's a Wonderful Life (Best. Christmas. Movie. EVER.)

(8) Elvis Christmas music

I'm sure there's a ton more stuff, but I have cleaning to get to. Hope everyone has a great Christmas!

Livin' on a Prayer

Beckett has told me no less than 20 times today that he loves me and is proud of me. So sweet. But how will he feel when I fail my exams? :0) He's precious and a constant reminder to keep trying harder. A very cute, sweet constant reminder. Also, he wants to grow up and work in the "corkhouse" and be a "lawler," just like his mom.

AND......I AM HALFWAY TO MY LAW DEGREE. Feels fantastic!

T-Minus 12 Hours

You'll have to excuse the myriad of Richard III references that are sure to pop up in the next few days. It's one of my favorites and I decided to try to fit a reread of it in somewhere in between my studying. It's nerdy, I know, but there's something about Shakespeare that helps me de-stress and calms my nerves. Wow. I just reread that sentence and realized that I really am a dork. Well, I'll own it for now.

Last week, B had a birthday party to attend. Isabelle's birthday party to be specific. Now, at school, Beckett, Isabelle, and Nate are basically your run-of-the-mill 3 Musketeers. Inseparable and ALWAYS playing with each other when I go to pick B up. In fact, B tries to take one or both of them home with him almost everyday. But they love him back, so I feel pretty okay about it. I mean, at least he isn't that weird kid that just follows them around, hoping to get in on the action.

They played in her playroom, decorated sugar cookies, and had pizza and cake. A 3 year old's dream come true. Well, after most children had finished decorating their cookie and and left to table to return upstairs to play, Isabelle was still trying to finish hers. And Nate and B were sitting there at the table, finished, and doing nothing. Nate's mother said, "Nate, why don't you and Beckett wipe your hands off and go upstairs to play." To which Nate responded, "We have to watch Isabelle finish." Nate's mother, Gina, and I both about died laughing. I said, "Note to self: Teach boys not to stalk girls. It makes them uncomfortable." Truer words were never spoken.

Finals update: Four down, one to go. Crim Pro is tomorrow morning.

Thou cam'st on earth to make the earth my hell.

Richard III, 4. 4

In Two Weeks, it will be the Winter of our Discontent.

It's been a good while since my last blog, and for good reason. It's that most anticipated and dreaded time of year once again....FINALS. This year they have descended upon me in a way that can only be described as "with the quickness." My next 2 weeks will be filled with outlines, Kaplan questions, Q&A on every subject possible, and just enough desperation to let me truly know that finals are indeed upon us. I made the mistake of picking up Richard III last night. I am supposed to be reading the ICWA or ALI principles or something about the ICJ, WTO, or GATT. But how, or more importantly why would I want, to put down Shakespeare to drudge through what may or may not be the existence of international law?

Onward to stories about Beckett:

He's a mess, as I have reported on many, many an occasion. And no more so than recently. He tells me daily that he doesn't love me. One day, I made the mistake of asking why. His response? "Because you put me in time out. If you'd stop doing that, I'd love you." My response? "Well, if you'd do what I say, you wouldn't have to be put in time out." Rebuttal? "Well, I do what I want." I do what I want? Are you Eric Cartman or Beckett Nelson? REALLY? I do what I want? I had to get up and leave the room for a variety of reasons: (1) I was about to LOSE it. If a 3 year old tells you that they "do what they want," you know your first reaction would be to laugh. And not giggle, or chuckle, or snicker. I mean full-out, laugh until it hurts and tears are running down your face. That's the exact laugh I couldn't let him see; (2) I couldn't fathom where he had heard that phrase and needed to put myself in time out for a moment to think about whether or not I had, in fact, taught him that; and (3) I also needed a moment to think of a more creative way to punish him. Besides the fact that he says he doesn't love, time-out has completely lost it's edge with him.

Well, I should really get back to work. But we got some great news today: Jones School of Law received full approval from the ABA! Something to celebrate!

Will be back with more later.