The Second, Third and Fourth Days of Christmas!

Continuing our Christmas festivities and celebrations, Tate and I returned to our house on the 26th.  Guess who had come to visit???

Santa Claus of course!!  He stops at all the houses of good little boys and girls as well as ladies and gentlemen.

Our first family bike ride!!

 We were both a bit wobbly and unsure but we made it around the block twice.  Tate isn't so keen on his yet because it's so 'bumpy', but mine rides like an absolute dream.  Well worth every penny and all the research I Santa did.

We spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out and playing with his Lego train which he is over the moon for.  Then we went out to for a post Christmas Day dinner, just the two of us.

He's been working so hard on coloring
inside the lines!  He was so proud!  Me too!

Friday we got up leisurely, ok as leisurely as you can with a morning bird.  I laid in bed after making him go back to sleep at 6 and turning over the train vids at 6:45 and didn't get up until 7:30 or so...heaven!  We ate a little breakfast, I washed my hair, Tate played and played.  I'm so very lucky that he plays so well by himself.  He always misses his toys when we're gone,  even just overnight.

After everything was done, we loaded up the car to go down to Galveston for an overnighter at Moody Gardens for the  Festival of Lights.  We were meeting up with our friends from the cruise!!!  The hotel is just gorgeous...

 Of course Tate managed to find the only train in the lobby while I was checking in and begged for a picture with it...

He could barely tear his eyes away from it :)

Once in the room while we waited for everyone else to arrive he was more than happy to play with his take-along trains which I leave in our trunk for just such occasions.  He was also thrilled to open his little present from the hotel which we received at check-in.

Finally the others arrived!!! The four kids were absolutely beside themselves with glee, so excited were they to see one another!  We let them run around like banshees in our adjoining rooms (Ramona and her family were staying over with us, while Njeri and her fam had come the night before and were leaving that evening). 

 

We then made our way over the aquarium for a bit.  Tate surprised me; there was little shark passport book you could stamp as you made your way to see all the sharks in the exhibit halls;  that's all he wanted to do.  He wanted each and every stamp...forget the seals or the penguins or anything else, just fill out his book (reminded me of myself!).  He was happy to leave his friends to do so.  I did manage to convince to look at a few other ocean dwellers.

See the other two running off to see something together?
And there's Tate thinking of where the next stamp might be.

We moseyed back to the hotel for some s'mores.  I cannot believe my child did not want to eat a s'more.  Let me amend that...he loved roasting the marshmallow.  He abhorred the idea that one would combine a black marshmallow with a graham cracker (his new favorite food) and chocolate.  He ate all three portions separately (meaning he asked for a new marshmallow).  I on the other hand devoured two fully made, yummy, gooey s'mores.

Njeri and family left :( and the rest of us went on to dinner.    I hustled Tate upstairs after dinner to put on his pjs and brush his toothies, because the lights didn't start until 6, and I wanted him to see as much as possible (I wanted to be there when it started at 6, but best laid plans when traveling with others right?  We didn't get there until 6:30).  I knew he would be exhausted and would fall asleep before 7:30...just like at Zoo Lights and our Christmas party last weekend...both times he asked me to lower the stroller seat around 7:20 because he was tired.  We went on over to the Lights by ourselves while Ramona and family finished dinner etc.  And it was a good thing we did because as soon as we arrived Tate noticed the train rides!! Sigh.  So we climbed into the little train along with our stroller and took a 7 minute train ride.  (so not worth the $6, but so worth it because he was so damned happy).

It worked out perfectly because by the time we were done on the train the others had arrived and the kids were able to enjoy the lights together.  It was a beautiful, magical time.  Tate and G had an absolute blast oohing and aahing together.  I'm also extremely grateful that Ramona and I have two 4 year olds who love being in their strollers.  Her husband B was a trooper as well, just hanging out with us girls jabbering away.

The Festival of Lights...

Fish school!

Coming up on the Polar Express!!

Tate wanted a photo with all things Polar Express, so here he is.  I had to lighten the photos in order for all of us to show up :)

After the Polar Express (complete with sound effects from the movie) Tate climbed back in his stroller, took his hippo from me, got covered by the blanket, stroller cover down, plastic cover over stroller and promptly went to sleep.  7:35.  I know my boy.  I was then able to continue the rest of the lights with everyone else.

Sweet sweet boy!

 We went back to the hotel around 8:30, and I got him transferred into the bed with no problems.  I ordered myself a sundae and hot cocoa and climbed into bed with my sweet boy.

Saturday morning found Tate up at 5:30.  I convinced him (NICELY) to go back to sleep.  He tossed and turned a bit, but seemingly complied and I didn't wake again until 10 til 7, so I assume he went back to sleep because otherwise I get kicked and poked and prodded.  I handed over the train videos and slept until 8!  GLO-RI-OUS!  We hung out a bit then wandered downstairs for breakfast which was just meh.  But oh well.  Went back to the room, he played with G who was awake after having gone to bed at 11!  Yikes!  But G usually sleeps until 10 or so when he goes to bed that late...if only Tate would.  Today he was up by 9, but probably because of all the excitement and knowing Tate was just next door.  Tate and I bid everyone good-bye and headed off to the Galveston Railroad Museum.

Tate was in heaven and insisted on having a picture with every single train he could find.

We then went on a chilly little train ride.  Cause yep, you're standing outside on the little train coach in 45 degrees less than 1/2 mile from the beach.  But it was wonderful.

After a stop at the gift shop (of course) we made our way back to Houston and just enjoyed being home together.  We put together his other lego gift from his Uncle Roland and family (gee whiz when these Lego sets say ages 6-12 they mean it).  It took us about 90 minutes...Tate gets bored, I get frustrated and both our butts start to get sore :).  But it was all worth it.  We had a fantastic afternoon just being at home.  Goodness I love this boy with every fiber of my being.  I see so many people posting about how their kids are driving them bonkers or they're worried about how they're gonna spend 10 days straight with their kid and I realize I'm so blessed.  I love love love every minute I get to spend with Tate.  I never have wished a Monday would come.  I still dread every single Monday I have to go to work and leave him.  I'm already lamenting that next year we won't have Fridays together anymore when I'm off, but he's in school.  And maybe it's because my job is so very stressful, and I'm stuck being with other people's kids for 8 hours a day instead of my own.  I don't get to sit in an office and just be (usually).  I'm always on when I'm with parents and patients.  

Tate is my respite.  My joy.  My blessing.