Getting Into The Christmas Spirit

Karol is definitely getting into the Christmas spirit, whether she realizes it or not! When we went shopping over the weekend, she started saying 'Santa!' Okay, so she can't really do the 'S' sound or the 'T' sound yet, but we know what she means. The first time I thought she was randomly pointing and babbling when she gestured to some Santa Figurine pictured on a box and said "Naa-Nuh." I said, "that's right, Karol, that's Santa, isn't it?" Then we passed another Santa image and again she clearly pointed and said "Naa-Nuh." Has she really figured this out this quickly? We have been talking about him a lot. We saw him on TV, in the mall, and in our clay-mation Christmas movies that she's been watching. After doing it a couple more times in a different store, I think she's made the connection that Fat Man + White Beard + Red Suit = Santa, and that Santa is something worth being excited about.

For some reason, I thought she still wouldn't quite grasp the idea until next year, maybe because she was so oblivious of the significance of her birthday just a few short months ago. But she's done a LOT of developing since then. Walking (now running, almost) and a lot of talking have developed just in that short span, not to mention the concepts she's obviously able to understand. Maybe having such an iconic figurehead, Santa, helps bring home the message that something exciting is going on.

Now that we've got the Santa/commercial Christmas ball rolling, we really need to start with the real Christmas stuff. I've decided to write a little book for Karol (and Patrick and whomever should follow) that tells the nativity story in a context that relates to them and to our Catholic spirituality as a whole. That's asking a lot of a children's book, I know, but at least it's stewing in my brain!

This week is the LAST week of my current PR class. In fact I'm avoiding working on my final project right now! So I'm looking forward to throwing myself into the Christmas season and all the projects I have planned after that. Matt's classes end in two and a half weeks, and then he'll be free to hit the internship-search full blast. I'm hoping Patrick will arrive at least a week before Matt's classes start again so that he can have some time with us in those first few days. Really, Patrick can be born anytime after December 16th if he wants, and I'm hoping he's as anxious to be born as I am to be not-pregnant.

Oh yes! For those of you ancy for a Patrick update, I have a little tidbit of news: Patrick 'flipped' last night. That's right, he's waiting at the gate now, which means a little more discomfort for me, but I don't mind it. I had to take down the baby gates today, because I simply can't get my legs over that high now, and walking in general has slowed down a bunch. I'm glad we did a lot of mall-walking/Christmas shopping this weekend, because I'm sure a lot less 'up for it' now. We've only got a couple people left to cover, and then we're done with our shopping!

Also, our next doctor's appointment-and ultrasound-is this Friday (Dec. 5). It will be exciting to see how big he's gotten! I'll be sure to update you, and I fully intend to email out the ultrasound pictures this weekend!

Well, it's officially time to stop stalling and start working on my final project, so that's all for now :)