Four Calling Birds...

It's tempting to say that Christmas has come and gone already... but we're only in the fourth day of Christmas today, so why rush it? With no child care this coming week, and no work expected from Joe, we're at a loss for what to do with ourselves on our at-home vacation. Yesterday the bank sign said the temp reached as high as 75-degrees, and it might have been right, with about 100 % humidity too. But last night a windy cold front moved through and the weather is just a little chilly, dry and sunny. Maybe a good day for a walk in the afternoon, but this morning we're hibernating with our coffees and milk sippy cup.

This has been Calla's second Christmas, but the first where she had some recognition of what's going on. She points to the Christmas tree and says something that sounds like "angel" when we find those ornaments. And by the time we opened up the last of our gifts, she was understanding that there were fun things under all that pretty paper.

One of her early presents - a new nature photograph book from her dad. It's a story about the coming of winter, but in far too many words for a toddler's attention span. So for now, we page through and look at the deer and the birds and the squirrels.... all animals we have in our own little backyard habitat.

Since I had wrapped the gifts, I gave them to Calla to open in a very strategic order. Books first, then toys, then the ultimate new toy. A new doll ("Baby!" said Calla when she opened the gift) complete with her own stroller and diaper bag. Not sure where the bag is now, but Calla's been driving that stroller around our house non-stop. Sometimes there's a baby in the stroller, and sometimes it's just the stroller going for a walk. Either way, it's a big hit. Thanks, Grandma and Grandpa Cheatwood!

We have many more merry Christmas 2008 memories... most, but not all, include a fun little girl growing up before our eyes. On this fourth day of Christmas, we wish you all the calling birds, french hens, turtle doves and partridges your holiday aviary can handle.