GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Around here, the countdown to Christmas is not a countdown to just the day itself. It is a count to keep track of how many days of celebrating we have left. In that way, Christmas marks the end of advent, the end of waiting, the end of celebrating. And by that count, we only have 6 days of Christmas left! 6 days of recounting the Christmas story, to make our gingerbread house, to finish our cards and present wrapping, to add to our tree, to go look at the Christmas lights, and to listen to Christmas music all day long.

My favorite thing to listen to right now is Prepare Him Room by Sovereign Grace Music. SO good.

Sloane keeps hoping for now, and although each year I hope it doesn't snow at all, she is looking forward to it so much that and is convinced that it will snow on Christmas day, that I can't help wishing for it too. It doesn't look like we are going to get anything close to snow though, 70 degrees on Christmas day...!?

We had our own kind of snow all over the carpet and coffee table last week because we made our gingerbread cookies there. Sloane had made a bunch of Christmas cards for friends and family and we decided to make some cookies to go with them. My sister Eunice was in town that day, so she joined in on the fun, and we had Bill Murray's A Very Murray Christmas Special on Netflix going on in the background.

We also had Ken in the background here. He just came back from performing in his first weightlifting competition (video here! if you want to see) and he is reviewing the footage.

Ta-da! I love edible ornaments. 

We used this recipe and I really liked how flavorful and spicy they were. Also, our cookies last year! 

WHAT I'M READING V. 11

Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling

I wasn't terribly fond of her character on The Office, but I loved the show, and once I found out she was a writer on the show, I was intrigued. Then I watched a couple of episodes of the Mindy Project and even though I don't think it's the best thing on television, I instantly warmed to how funny and smart the humor was. I learned from reading her first book how hard-working she is; add that to the fact that she is a female writer who is kicking butt in her career, made me a fan. That's a long way of me saying that I fan-read her second book.

Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson

It's a hilarious book about mental illness. I appreciated the way she explained what having a mental illness feels like. Once you buy into a quirk, it is a delight.

Funny Girl by Nick Hornby

This is my first Nick Hornby book, and by the fifth chapter, I was totally charmed by the British humor. And because of that, I found myself immersed in the setting and the story. I also like how it's a story about the creative process - in this case, the making of a British comedy show.

Purity by Jonathan Franzen

Oh man, this book. I came away from it not liking the characters - he writes one of the most unappealing female characters I have ever read - and feeling lukewarm about the plot, but extremely impressed with the writing and the story telling skills he employs.  It feels similar to his book, Freedom, but a different cast of characters and a more current setting with recent events. It involves several characters and their separate stories, which all come together eventually, and each story is so involved and explicated in such detail - it's irresistible.

MINI APPLE PIES WITH LITTLE LADIES

Something about the holidays makes me want to take a big bite of butter, followed by a thick slab of bread, and then maybe a pie to round it out. This is totally normal, right? Since we want to plump up to keep warm for winter?

I love baking with Sloane - it gets messy, there is extra prep required, and there is some managing to do - but it's totally worth it to see that concentration and sense of accomplishment on her face. Plus, she's totally getting good at it. I'll have an expert helper in the kitchen in no time.

Earlier in the week I told her that we were going to make small pies with her friend Eden on Friday and she was so excited and looked forward to it all week. These two got through dinner the best they could until we released them to go at it with their rolling pins. Eden is a little ball of energy and joy whose growth and development and charm amazes me each time I see her, and I loved seeing the two bake and play together.

Also, on this night, I tried two new to me drinks: winter wassail from Trader Joe's and Bowman Brothers bourbon.  Both delicious! and warming to the bones.

She's all, " I got it, don't you worry."  There's a lot of "I got it," with toddlers. 

We cut out little circles of dough to put in muffin pans, filled it up with apples tossed in lemon, sugar and flour, and then topped it with a crumble that turned into more of a paste.  We let the girls spread it on top and covered it up with another piece of dough to cover the pies.

They were so into it. 

They were also really into eating the apples. 

After the little pies came out, I was like, "hey! look over here and I'll snap a photo of the finished product!" and then...plop.  It's okay, we brushed it off and ate it anyways.

Logan got caught under the mistletoe! 

Logan didn't get to make any pies but she got to hang out with Robert. 

We ended the night with a couple of books in a cozy heap next to a Christmas tree, with pie and wassail in our bellies: maybe the best way to be!

LOGAN AT FIVE MONTHS

At 5 months, she loves sitting up, tries to roll over and likes to grab anything she can and put it in her mouth. She likes taking in new people, gets entertained by Sloane, tries to play with Sloane.  She communicates with coos and laughs, and lights up when she sees me. She is also enamored with Ken and when he walks into a room, her eyes get shiny and follow him around with a hopeful expression of her face that turns into a huge grin when he looks at her.

There is this phenomenon that happens when Logan is crying, in the middle of the night, as she is oft to do these days. I'm tired as I stumble over to her, but then when I go to check on her and see her instantly light up into a smile when she sees me, it feels like I am meeting her again for the first time, and each time I marvel at the sensation of being refreshed with love for her. Granted, sometimes I am half asleep and I can only do so much marveling, but I still can't help but feel appreciative of a few more cuddles in the middle of the night after having been away from her all day.



We are gearing up for some sleep training (we did it with Sloane around this time, too) and I'm not looking forward to it, but I am looking forward to helping her get unbroken sleep (and me too). I'm of the mind that she understands me and I understand her. She does know how to fall asleep on her own, but needs more practice - once in a while she'll do it like she's a pro, but other times, she needs lots of check-ins and pats and reassurances, over and over again before finally settling in.  She can't tell me so, but I can tell that she knows how much she is loved as I come to peek at her when she is upset. She has certain things that soothe her - the sound of water, pats, songs, vibrations, a pacifier and sometimes she will make a low humming noise to soothe herself down. She has a scream on her, but I've heard her go from a scream to a wail in seconds, so that seems to be a way she settles down too, sometimes. She hasn't given up her middle of the night feeding yet, and I don't think she will for a little while longer, which I am fine with for now.

We also started solids with her this week - some avocado in the beginning and then a couple of days of rice cereal - and she loves it, just as I suspected she would.



Logan is learnings from me that I show her love through hugs, kisses and words, and I can tell that she trusts me. She trusts that I will come back for her.  This rapport we have of learning each other's cues and communicating needs and love to each other is a love story I can't get enough of.  Her babyhood has me head over heels in love -  this baby makes me have more baby fever, and it's unexpected but feels good. It feels right.

I just can't get enough of her rolls. Her cheeks, her chubby hand, the multiple lines in her thighs...it's all too wonderful. 

Does this look like Ken? with cheeks?


p.s. Sloane at 5 months...in the same outfit.

ST. NICHOLAS DAY BOOK EXCHANGE VIDEO

Here's a video of the St. Nicholas Day book exchange I posted about this week. Are you feeling the Christmas spirit yet? Only 14 more days of holidaying left!

ST NICHOLAS DAY

Is there anything better than watching a kid discovering a clemintine and a tin of soft peppermints in their shoes? Nothing.

Well, maybe watching them gobble down ginger cookies while listening to a story about the real St. Nicholas...

or opening a wrapped book pulled out of a Santa bag....

or prancing around in their pajamas with friends...

or seeing them in rapt attention at the reading of the Grinch Who Stole Christmas.

Needless to say, there was much greatness to behold during this gathering of tiny St. Nicholas Day celebrators. We pajama'ed, learned about St. Nicholas, consumed cookies, drank cocoa (glass bottled Cokes, wine and spirits for the adults), exchanged books that the kids brought to share, and discovered treats in their shoes.

Sloane and I have been having lots of conversations about the meaning of Christmas because I'm keen to instill in her the idea that Christmas is for giving - like the real St. Nicholas and like the ultimate Giver - rather than receiving presents.  And she gets it, she really gets it. We've been picking out things of hers to give away and she does it happily, and also gleefully because she loves being able to help wrap the presents. I even suggested that she pick out a stuffed animal of hers to give to Logan as a Christmas present and she offered up Marie. Her beloved Marie, the cat! When I asked her why she would give up her favorite animal, she said simply, "Because  Logan likes it." My momma heart swelled with pride and humility - am I so willing to give away the possessions that I hold most dear?

Let this season be about making more opportunities to demonstrate a joyful and giving heart - for those who are in need, for our family who love us in our daily best and worst, and for our friends who are the net that catch us when we are tumbling down and help buoy us back up  in celebration.