How I Ruined the Baby.

Do you guys do Elf on the Shelf?  I seriously love that little thing.  Nothing says "Santa's watching!" like a tiny little person shaped stuffed animals, whose beady little eyes follow your every move.  It's like she's daring my kids to misbehave, and they know that the consequences won't be worth it, so they act like little angels.  Do you think I can keep this going until July?  Cause I'm thinking I should.

Ooh!  This weekend the Christmas season officially kicks off for us!  I'm so excited.  Reese is in the towns holiday parade and tree lighting ceremony on Saturday.  It's super, super cute.  And then I have a cookie exchange party, and I have zero ideas for what kinds of cookies to make.  Anyone have a great recipe?  Last year I did almond shortbread with raspberry thumbprints.  They were delicious, but I'm thinking I should go more for chocolate this year.

I am so bored these days.  I have so much extra energy, and nothing to funnel it into.  My kids sports are over, so now all of my afternoons are free.  So I'll sit down to play with my kids and they don't want to play with me, they want to go outside and play with their friends!  I don't even know what to do with this free time.  Oh wait, yes I do.  Cleave onto Everett like he's the last baby on earth, and possibly ruin him for all time.  He's just so cute that when he's naughty I can't even do anything about it.  Yesterday he had a Gogurt, and I told him to go and eat it in the kitchen and he straight up said "Nope."  RUINED.  He has the sweetest little voice though, so when things like that come out of his mouth I just die of cuteness.  And then he gets even worse.   It's a vicious cycle, and I'm playing right into it.  Last night he was throwing a tantrum because he wanted to play with the iPad, and we don't let the kids use technology on school days, and I said "Snowflake (the elf) is watching you, do you want her to tell Santa not to bring you any toys?"  that little turkey said "Yes!"  

I really, really want to go back to the gym.  I'm getting so strong at my day to day activities that sometimes I forget that I really am still recovering, and need to take it easy.  Black Friday was the perfect reminder.  I shopped all night with a friend, and by the last store I could physically not walk anymore.  It took me three days to recover from that.  I see the doctor next week and I will see what he says about me joining and doing some upper body work.  I haven't really been cleared to engage my core yet because of where my incisions are, that the muscles and cartilage in my upper thigh/right where my hip bends are still healing.  Whomp, whomp, whomp, another week just gives my body time to get stronger, and heal more.  But!  I'm 100% done Christmas shopping now.  I just need the rain to stop so that we can go and get a tree.