Dear Blog:

I feel like we have been growing apart lately. Don't worry though, it's not you; it's me. Can we still be friends?

WARNING: LONG POST. I repeat, LONG POST.

December is always a hectic month, but don't worry, we did try to remember the whole reason for the season. As we performed some service for a family on Christmas Eve, my 5-year old began insisting "Christmas is about getting, NOT giving!!" and my husband and I looked at each other and said "How have we screwed this up so badly? What is wrong with our family?" Maybe nothing is wrong with us. Maybe it's just part of being five. I don't know. Anyway, here's what we've been up to this month:

NYC - I was lucky enough to spend a very cold but very fun three days in NYC for the first annual? Mother-Daughters weekend. I came home happy and relaxed to a husband who was overheard saying things like "I don't know how you do this!" as he collapsed in bed from utter exhaustion. We decided that it is good for both of us for me to have a get-away each quarter, whoo-hoo! What did we do? We watched movies, slept in, browsed the Bryant Park Christmas booths, ate too much delicious food and got to catch up with our friend Nichole and see her amazing new home in Tribeca.

Ryan's Preschool Christmas program - Emphasis on CHRISTMAS, thank goodness for a Christian preschool since you better not actually say the "C" word at public school, where my kindergartner celebrated every holiday but. We spun the dreidel, talked about Kwanza and and busted a pinata for La Posada, but do you think we talked about the little babe who changed the world? Sorry, tangent. Back to preschool. How cute is Ryan. How cute are his friends. How cute is he singing Jingle Bells all the time. Just pretend to hear the singing. He is cute.

I'm going to go ahead and interrup this Christmas-themed post to share an interesting fact since this is the next photo on my memory card. If someone happens to pee all over your Sonicare toothbrush (and your face as you are running in when called to assist and find them spraying the bathroom counter and not the toilet), Sonicare toothbrush heads apparently don't do well in boiling water if you try to disinfect. Just so you know, in case you ever find yourself in this situation.

Christmas Outfits - thanks Grandma! So cute! Too bad it's impossible to get a good photo of all three of them smiling. They tried, it just didn't work out that great.

Christmas Traditions - We like to go the the National Botanical Gardens to see the train exhibit and then went to walk around the National Christmas tree downtown. Here is proof we were all there together:

I cannot count how many people stopped to stare at this cute kid in his dalmation hat and gloves (complete with little tongues!). What can I say. He's my kid, I have the right to think he is the cutest kid ever.

Here is the kid who was so determined to throw change into the cars of this train, he desperately retrieved his coins every time he missed until he finally claimed victory. We spent about 10 minutes watching him from the opposite side of the tree, actually we were mostly watching other people watch him and look around to see who was supposed to be parenting this child sticking his legs under the fence to retrieve money.

Where was Ryan? I'm not sure. But they all ended up wrestling on the ellipse after warming up by the Yule Log.

Okay, listen, this is getting too long even for me to stand. Christmas Day will have to be a separate post. Because I know you are just DYING to see my kids and their presents.