Holiday Break: Part 1

Even though Max is still awake and Sean is home early from work, I'm stealing a few minutes to write. I normally wait until Max is asleep. He likes to push the buttons on the keyboard, and if I sit at the table out of his reach, he simply hollers. My mom finally voiced her frustration today about my missing posts, and I defensively told her that by the time Max gets to bed, I'm often too tired to concentrate (don't forget, I get up at 4:30 every morning which is not easy for most people). I don't want to post drivel, but I feel kind of bad for snapping, so by way of apology, I post.

We don't have a family Christmas tradition yet. Max came into mine and Sean's lives quickly, and since his birth Christmas has been unusual. For Max's first Christmas we all got the norovirus, including my parents and my brother's family. Max and I spent Christmas Eve at Massachusetts General Hospital.

This is what Max looked like back then:

Max, at Massachusetts General Hospital, Christmas Eve, 2010.

Last Christmas, Max and I both had fevers, but we all boarded a plane in the afternoon of the 25th headed for sunny Fort Lauderdale. By the time we landed our fevers had broken and we were fine for the rest of the trip.

Max on the beach, Fort Lauderdale, FL, December 31, 2011.

This Christmas, we cruised through the Carribbean with Sean's family. Apparently, a cold front hit the northern Carribbean because the first couple of days the waters were rough. I don't have many pics from that time because I was holed up trying to hang on to my lunch. But by Christmas Eve, the waters calmed, the temperatures rose, and we had a lovely family dinner in a French restaurant.

Max and I getting ready for dinner.

Max and Nonni (Sean's mom) waiting for our table.

On Christmas morning we awoke in St. Maarten. It was a sweltering and very sunny day. That morning we all gathered for presents, and Max explored.

Crawling through the tunnel.

The next day in St. Thomas, we took Max to a butterfly garden. Max was so jazzed, our pictures of him are blurry. But here's a pic of the star attraction:

I took this picture. I feel quite proud!

Despite the casino, the shows and the most scrumptious food, the most fun thing to do on the ship was watch Max in the kiddie pool.

And the best part is that Max figured out how to climb onto and ride down the slide with no help from us.

Max would start out on his bum, twist around and finish on his belly. You can see the whole move in this short video.

So, in the interest of preserving some family time with my two handsome guys, I will sign off. I have a little more to share, but that will happen this weekend.

And to my very close friend, Heidi (who is traveling the world with her studly beau). I know your birthday was on December 31. I thought of it for days before, and days after, but on that actual day, I forgot. Please know I'm thinking of you, and I can't wait until you come home. Happy Birthday.