Have a Bitchin' Christmas! Love, Holden

I'd been debating taking the kids to get their picture with Santa since before Parker was born. While it seemed sort of pointless.. and ridiculously expensive- i'd taken Holden for HIS first Christmas- so it only seemed fair to get Parker a picture with Santa on his first Christmas well (still trying to avoid that pesky 'second child syndrome').

The problem was the wait time, and the freakin' PRICES. Always the procrastinator, I once again waited until the last second to make up my mind to take the boys. We waited until the last weekend when Holden was an infant to take him and had to wait something like 2 hours.. and then pay RIDICULOUS sums of money to buy the package (because you have to). you'd think with the prices the pictures would be high quality, right? Wrong! Fuzzy, crappy picture. Cute, sure, but crappy definitely!

This year we're pretty damn broke.. so as much as I wanted to take the boys to see Santa, it didn't seem plausible. Plus with the wait, even LESS so. Two kids waiting for 2 hours? Not gonna happen.
Then a friend of mine suggested we go to Bass Pro shop. Guaranteed less than a 30 minute wait, and FREE pictures. I was sold.

After checking the schedule, I decided we'd go Saturday morning (today), and ALL week I got Holden excited about the idea. Telling him we were going to see Santa (who he already knew was the one who'd be bringing him gifts on Christmas morning), and practicing what he'd say until he had it DOWN!
He would say "I've been a good boy!" and then when you asked him what he'd wanted it would vary from cars, or a firetruck, to "coloring books, cars, and Lightning McQueen!"
Things seemed as though they would go off without a hitch.

I know that 2 year olds are NOTORIOUS for being incredibly shy and scared of life-sized characters.. but Holden is typically scarily non-shy. Touching strangers, saying hi to random people in the store.. I honestly didn't think we'd have an issue.

Even as we waited in (the ridiculously short) line, Holden got upset that HE couldn't go to see Santa first. He kept crying "want Lightning McQueen!!!", so I thought that once our turn came, all would be well because he'd finally get to tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas.

Well, if you can tell by the serious foreshadowing I just did.. things did not go as I had planned. Once it was our turn, and we told Holden to go sit on Santa's lap, he froze. We tried to force him closer, he sat on the floor and stared.. we tried to put him in Santa's lap and that is when he absolutely LOST IT. We're talking complete and total hysterics. You would think Santa was the antichrist with the reaction this kid had.
Poor Santa. Nicest Santa EVER, and although i'm sure he is used to it, I was mortified.
Santa tried to bribe him with a candycane, and while Holden took it, it still did not entice him to happily go near Santa.

Allow me to show you photographic proof:

Public humiliation? Check!
I think Holden is scarred for life. I do love that Parker is totally and completely ambivilent. "Meh, me and Santa go way back"
I did get him to smile, but of course, it being a free picture session-they didn't wait for him to do so before snapping the pictures.

All the time I spent picking out coordinating outfits for the boys, getting Holden amped up and fixing Holden's seriously effed up cowlick.. and I get the Santa picture that every mommy dreads.. yet can look back on and laugh years later (and embarrass said child with).

Oh well. Maybe next year??

Beware baby flat head

There are many things I wish I would have known before Holden was born that people failed to mention in their onslaught of advice. Circumcision care, shushing, reflux advice.. but the one that bothers me the most is something that happened to Holden that I could not correct before it was too late.

The flat-head syndrome.

Doctors always tell you NEVER to put a baby to sleep on their tummy because of SIDS. While I understand the concern, tummy sleeping babies generally never have issues with getting flat spots on their head. No one advised us to rotate Holden's head or to make sure he's not always leaning on the same side while playing or while in a swing or bouncy chair.. so before I knew it, he had a massive flat spot on the back right side of his head.
Once I noticed it, I couldn't stop noticing it. It wasn't severe enough to warrant a corrective helmet (Which was a horrifying thought. He wouldn't care.. but I would be humiliated by it).. but it was very very noticeable.

Many a night I snuck into his room and quickly moved his head off of his favorite spot to try and round his head back out.. and while we corrected it slightly, I can still see just how flat his head is compared to other children. While cutting his hair short has never even crossed my mind because I like short hair, it's not even really an option anymore because of just how flat his head still is.

As soon as Parker was born, I was already paranoid about his head getting flat. It won't get out of my mind. Every minute of every day I think about how the same thing could happen to him.. so since birth I have tried to make sure it doesn't happen.. and unfortunately regardless of my attempts it appears that it is.
Just like Holden, no matter WHAT he is doing, he wants to rest on the back right side of his head. Unlike Holden, he gets REALLY pissed if I try to move him off of that side and onto the other. I've tried turning his bouncy chair backwards.. no dice. Tried moving his favorite hanging toys on his playmat to the other side- not interested. I've tried more tummy time and holding him while he's napping as well just to reduce the amount of time he spends on his head at all. If we try to move him while he's sleeping- he wakes up. Sadly it appears to be a lost cause and I can already see a flat spot forming and it makes me so so upset.

I'm not sure what to do at this point. I've done everything recommended to me by everyone and it's still happening- so what do I do? I do NOT want him to get a massive flat spot like Holden. He's still so young, I can't even comprehend how it's beginning already (as we didn't notice Holden's until he was probably 4 months old, maybe older).
Is he just destined to get one regardless of our efforts? Do my kids come with unusually soft heads that mold to every surface no matter how little time they spend on it?

In no way am I suggesting to put your baby to sleep on their tummy- I am just telling you to BEWARE! There are so many things to stress out about when it comes to having a new baby in the house that their poor little head is the last thing you think about. Most of the time it's "OMG stop screaming! Just sit in your bouncy chair!" and it doesn't cross your mind that they're always resting on the same side of their head.. but it happens, and it's BAD!
I'm stressing out just thinking about it right now. I almost want to go in to make sure Parker is NOT on that side of his head but I fear waking him up and the absolute havoc that would wreak in this house.

Gravy lovers- don't fear!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Club House. All opinions are 100% mine.

I'll admit my fatness- holiday gravy is one of the top things I actually look forward to during the holiday season. NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING beats fresh gravy made from turkey drippings.

For those assigned to make it? Sometimes not something to look forward to. A serious source of stress, because if you mess up- there are no more drippings to make a new batch with. It's one shot to get it right or nothing.

Have no fear, gravy lovers and gravy makers! Club House gravy can save you from any gravy-induced stress this holiday season.. only hardly anyone knows about their tear-free solution!

Club House gravy makes it easy. All you have to do is add your drippings to their mix, regardless of quantity or quality and you will have perfect gravy for everyone to enjoy.

For extra help, you can check out their gravy tips video , and then there really won't be any way to mess up gravy this year! Or even suggest it to someone who has the habit of making crappy gravy.

You can also go to their newsletter sign-up and contest entry for tips in your e-mail and a chance to win a Club House Gravy gift package.

You know it's too small when...

My current size.. is not pleasing to me, still. While my measurements are slowly getting smaller, and the weight is ever so slowly coming off- my pre-pregnancy pants aren't really fitting much better. Sure, I can actually zip & button them now, but calling them comfortable would be a big fat lie. They're the kind of tight that leaves red uncomfortable indents in skin.

I just keep telling myself that MAYBE if I squeeze into these pants now, they'll act as a girdle and help my hips go back down to size. It works with the tummy area on all that jiggle, so why not the hips? And I definitely would have bought one of those special postpartum tummy sucker-inners, but they run about $45, and who the hell can afford that for some fabric?

Still, it's easy to tell when things don't fit when you're old enough to put your own clothes on. Slide it on. Doesn't button? Doesn't fit.

When you're trying to figure out if your baby can still fit into clothes of a certain size- it's not so simple.
You can try to tell by holding it up to them- but there's really no way to know for sure without squeezing that poor thing into it.
First it seems like their head is too big, and you have to pull and yank and stretch it over that noggin- which they are never ever pleased about. Then, and only then can you really tell if that little onesie is the right size.
If it fits like a spandex leotard- you'll probably want to go up a size. I'm notorious for putting Holden in clothes that are too small time and time again. I guess I liked his clothes way too much. That poor chubby kid looked like he was wearing skin tight muscle shirts most of the time.

Parker is now getting to the point where i'm having to maneuver and squeeze things over his head. He hates when I change his clothes enough already to where i'd like to avoid making the situation worse by having to struggle to get him into something, even if it seems to fit once it's over his head. He's nowhere near as... round.. as Holden was, but the child is definitely long and seems to have a pretty bulbous head- so things are not fitting anymore length wise.
I do think that if I attempt to move him into 3-6 month clothing that he'll once again be swimming in all of his clothes, and I dislike that just as much as I dislike clothes that are too small. Plus i'll have to accept the fact that he's already almost 3 months old.

With an infant, you can't really ever expect anything to fit perfectly because they grow ridiculous amounts very very quickly. One day something will fit, the next day- way too small.
Sad sad times these are!

Oh, the cookies I could bake

Being broke on Christmas means that if you want to give people gifts, you have to be incredibly creative in order to make your dollars stretch far enough to cover everyone.

The easiest solution in my opinion? Baked goods, of course!
Before this past pregnancy, no way in hell would I ever subject anyone to my baking. It was not good- and that's being nice. Rock hard brownies? Check. Cakey dried out cookies? Check.

I'm guessing it was my fatty-preggo tendencies that made me try the whole baking process all over again.. and it definitely started out rough- but towards the end, something just clicked. I am incredibly picky when it comes to cookies and other baked goods, and I couldn't get enough of my own confections (probably why i'm having trouble losing the excess fat.. but what can you do?).
Lately i've even been coming up with my own recipes- and they are AWESOME. Ask Holden, he thinks so too.. and even though he's a fat kid, he is pretty picky about what sweets he'll eat.

So now i'm stuck. I know I want to make baked goods and use the results as Christmas gifts- but what in the hell do I bake? I love everything so much (and it took a lot of trial and error to perfect the recipes I have now) that I can't make an objective decision.

I could make cookies- I have the perfect recipes for Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Craisin (with a touch of penut butter to make them super chewy), and the best chewy Chocolate Chip cookies you'll ever have.
BUT
If I make cookies, how many would I have to give to each person for it to not seem like I was being cheaper than I already am being?

The other option is to make mini loafs of peanut-butter chocolate chip banana bread (can you tell I have an affinity for peanut butter?). Which is an appealing option, and I can think of a few really pretty ways to wrap them up.. but at the same time- I have no idea how many times i'd have to double/triple/quadruple the friggin' mixture to have enough for everyone.. and that might end up being far more costly than just a few batches of cookies.

What to do?? Which would you rather have?

Loving without being provoked

No matter how many issues Holden has had since we brought Parker home, one thing that has never wavered is how affectionate he is (minus the first week when he wouldn't come near me). Always asking for kisses and hugs (which he calls 'snuggles'), or just giving them out whenever he feels like it- which is very often.

Generally- i'm not a very lovey dovey person. With my kids, of course, but prior to them- not really. Just not how I was raised, so the fact that Holden is the total opposite, always wanting to be loved on is one of my favorite things about him.

I always wondered if the affection he shows towards Parker is completely genuine, or just something he's learned by watching us since he's in a phase of wanting to do and say absolutely EVERYTHING we do (including wiping his own ass. Can't complain about that).
He always gives Parker kissesand snuggles when I ask him to, sometimes he'll comfort him when he's crying by saying "it's okay, honey!" (something he's heard me say many times)- but lately the way he's been acting seems less like something he's learned by watching us, and more like he's doing it because he actually wants to and really does care for his little brother.

Today for instance, I left Parker who was unusually fussy on his boppy so I could run to the kitchen and make him a bottle only to come back and find Holden snuggled up on the couch next to him with his arm wrapped around Parker smooching his head. Naturally, I was a little worried he was being too rough.. but watching how caring and affectionate he was, trying to calm his brother down brushed all those feelings away. The best part is that it actually did kind of soothe Parker. It happened more than a few times today, where i'd hear Parker crying while trying to get something done only to suddenly hear nothing and to come back and find Holden cuddling him and making him feel better.

To know that even with as ridiculously jealous Holden sometimes gets when Parker is getting attention, that he has such strong love for him makes me a very happy mommy.

I only hope the affection continues when Parker starts becoming mobile and getting into Holden's toys.
Sibling rivalry is inevitable i'm sure- but i'm holding out hope that they don't have an awful relationship like my brother and I had. Fighting, hitting and screaming at eachother all the way into our teens- that's the absolute last thing I want.. so perhaps this is a sign that they'll have a better relationship than my brother and I did.

A holiday vacation

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hiltons of Branson. All opinions are 100% mine.

Have you ever just wanted to escape during the holiday season? Away from the crowds and the nagging family and the sick, screaming children everywhere (other peoples children specifically)?

This holiday season, bring the family together in the warmth and comfort of an Ozark Mountain Christmas with the Hiltons of Branson.
With packages like 'It’s a Wonderful Life', starting at $329 per night and running from Nov 15 through Dec 23, you’ll get to experience the ultimate holiday getaway for shopping, relaxation and entertainment. You'll even get discounts at local shops and a spa treatment.
You can choose to stay at Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing or Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel , both offer wonderful packages full of perks and fun for the whole family.

This package runs from Friday thru Sunday Nov 15 thru Dec 23 where your little ones can enjoy Story Time with Mrs. Claus in the lobby of the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel, and Santa himself will deliver presents, cookies and milk to guest’s rooms with the Santa’s Coming to Town Package, starting at $189 per night. No more trying to convince your kids that Uncle Bob is Santa and having the night end in tears when they yank his beard off!

While you're there, catch a show at the Moon River Theatre, grab some food at their amazing local restaurants, have your husband play a round of golf at Branson's luxury golf courses, or take the family and spend the day at Silver Dollar City.
With these exciting holiday packages at the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing and Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel, you are in for a true holiday treat!

No more sleeping on pull out couches, listening to random family members snore through paper thin walls- give your family a once in a lifetime experience this Christmas with the Hiltons of Branson.