Cleaver Christmas 2009

The only bad thing about Cleaver Christmas 2009 is that it's over. Much relaxation was had. Pants are uncomfortably snug.

Top ten things about this year:

1. Cousin time! These two had a blast together. Well, D had a blast. Cousin M hung out for the ride and ran laps around the house with D mostly unnoticed, but he did afford her a few hugs. This girl is now obsessed with her cousin, saying his name first thing in the morning, trying to follow him to bed, and running after him like a puppy. Toddlers may be whiny, but there's nothing like two of them hugging each other.

2. Coconut cake and margaritas.

3. Only working 1 day (Normally I work. This was nice.)

4. Skipping Atlanta and just staying in SC. Normally we squeeze in both every year. I really missed seeing my Atlanta friends, but since they have Chick Fil A in SC and I am turning over a new "relaxation" leaf, I decided to keep it simple with one location. Good decision.

5. Chick Fil A.

6. Avatar -- I want to go live in the forest and talk to animals with my braid!

7. Free babysitting. Free babysitting. Free babysitting.

8. New lens (thanks Brett)! Christmas pictures here.

9. Strip-malling during clearance sales (Target $1 bin, please come to NY).

10. Being with our family and seeing the bestest of friends. Cheesy but if it's not included, I'm a snot. Anyway, it is true and was the best part.

December fun, snow, and ice cream

I kicked the season off Friday night at my work holiday party, where I swore I would not dance and swore I would leave by 9. Truthfully, I was too lazy to even attend but got sucked in by the trendy location and excuse to dangle my new super-long earrings. Failing to uphold my swears, I spent way too much time on the dance floor and ended the evening at midnight with a bag of cheetos and bag of Pepperidge Farm, both fully eaten (yes, that's disgusting). Fun was had. It's clear I don't get out enough. See, I like to dance. A little too much. This living room just isn't enough sometimes. I hope no one looks at me weird tomorrow.

So, I vow the 33rd (huh?) birthday will be celebrated with girls equally eager to get out, cocktails, dancing, great eyeshadow, and carrying a small, small purse.

The weekend continued with some holiday cards mailed, followed by severe procrastination of the rest. We'll see.

The weekend continued further with the first official snow of the season (1 foot!), frosting our window and providing a winter wonderland backdrop for our two-foot Christmas tree and its 9 ornaments.

I LOVE SNOW. Look at it! (More pictures on Flickr.)

Last but not least, food. Bri and I had planned to try liquid nitrogen ice cream at Lulu & Mooky's and didn't let the snow stop us. The magic with which this ice cream is created opens up a world of flavor possibilities you can't ignore. Worth it and recommended.

*

30 seconds after my order, strawberries, peanut butter, and cream enter a stand-mixer:

Then the dude adds liquid nitrogen:

Poof! Delicious, fresh, customized ice cream! (Bri's mango-cardomom creation pictured, in honor of my Indian-ness.)

Next up: 7 days of Cleaver Christmas! Margaritas, ham sandwiches, and trees in every room. Can't wait.

Holiday cheer

You know that Gap commercial with the little girls -- "Forget those girly dresses...or talk to the moose"? Miss D is obsessed. We dvr'd it, so every day she brings over the remote and grunts for you to play it, pathetically uttering "mo, mo, mo". If you play dumb to avoid listening to this for the 5731st time, she dances holding the remote in an effort to let you know. And then you must play it. About 20 times. Per day. I know every word.



If I am not standing or dancing with her while it plays, she pulls at my clothes to get me up. And if I'm not in the room to enjoy the girlie cheers with her, she must come get me.

This is seen here. (And yes, it's winter, but it's very hot in our apartment and there are only so many times in your life you get to run around in your skivvies.)



And here's a phone-talking video from September that was too good (in my unbiased mama opinion) not to post. Whatever the imaginary being on the other line is saying, it's knee-slapping funny. Note at 00:43 where she takes a brief moment to dance to the dishwasher swish.

About all I have to say after midnight

But I'm in the mood for mindless and glued to this laptop apparently.

What's up with me:

1. Four Christmas cards received from over-achieving (and of course, female) friends. Zero put on fridge, because too painful to clean off fridge. Zero sent. Zero written. Zero addresses checked. Zero stamps purchased. FIVE important holiday gifty crafty projects in my head. Zero started.

2. Many toddler tantrums daily. She's a cheeky one and spitefully flashes you that little look of satisfied evil before she deliberately disobeys (or throws things). Tuesday was "I will wear no shirt, no shirt dammit, just jeans, NO SHIRT OR I WILL SCREAM AS IF BEING MURDERED, and P.S. I hate my mother" day. The whole day. I put off buying milk till 5pm, which is when I finally built the courage to face the ultimate i-hate-that-crazy-lady-kajee-who-tortures-babies-with-shirts-i-am-SUFFOCATING-in-this-shirt-kajee-is-evil tantrum. No shirt, no service. My latte needs milk. Mommy wins.

3. Work. Enough said.

4. New Year's Resolution is to learn to say no (to adults) and not feel bad.

5. With the toddler tantrums thankfully comes the toddler desperation to help with everything. Today I made her clean the toilet. I'll have more babies if they clean.