Twas the night before Christmas

............... and all through the house, not a creature was stiring, not even a mouse.

Well NOT exctly especially when you celebreate Christmas Eve with the Parsons crew. And that we did.

This was Bridger's first Christmas and boy did he have a great one.

 

The traditions continued with Oyster Stew, new from Becky was White Chicken Chili and Momma brought the hor'derves.

 We started a bit earlier this year since there was a new bundle of joy to add to the mix and open a few rounds of gifts, ate dinner, opened a few more and then it was off to Christmas Eve mass with the Children's Chore.

Of course there were a few mishaps along the way that must be noted and not forgot: Lets start at the begining first thing in the morning.

While baby was down for a nap I was busy preparing all the apps to bring which included a snowman cheese ball and of course for my father-in-law (who loves spicy stuff, okay not really) I was cutting, seeding the jalapenos for the jalapeno poppers.

There were 12 that I needed to do, which meant lots of jalapeno juice spraying everywhere. Little did I know how bad my mouth and eyes were going to burn. So I took my sweatshirt and put it over my face, so that I could only out just a bit. Later as I cleaned up I put back on my sweatshirt and continued about my morning. Well after I got out of the shower I noticed through the mirror that my entire neck was flaming red. Why you may ask, well I am sure that it had to do with all the jalapenos that I was around! Luckly by the time we left to head to Grandma and Grandpa's it had calmed down.

Next on the list of mishaps:

• As I put Bridger into the highchair I pinched his finger right before dinner was to start. Ouchy

• Bridger pee'd through his diaper and new outfit onto my dress right before it was time to go to church. So Bridger ended up wearing his Christmas jammies to church.

• At church Bridger gave me a nice bloody nose after managing a few finger swipes up my nose. don't as how!!

• Grandma got a lovly paci swipe at mass too!

After a beautiful mass and seeing a dear friend (Mrs. Lora Bushee) we headed back home to finish the last of the gifts.

This year Ben wanted to get everyone a very unique gift that they would be able to use the next time we all go camping, so it was child size camo hat with LED lights inside.

 Lets just say it was very funny watching everyone put them on and question why they were a bit too small. We found out later that Ben grabbed the wrong sizes. Whoops!

 

Bridger and his cousins had a great time, unwrapping gifts, playing with their new toys and there was lots of excitment over Grandpa's tin cans!

School Chrstmas and a trip to see the Mall Santa

The Friday before Bridger and I had break we both celebrated at school and daycare.

All week my students worked on their snow globes. It was the first time I did this craft and I was super excited. But with any new craft there will always be things that don't go as planned. For example, the lid not sealing shut and turning the globe over just watch all the water pour out of it in front of your students. Lovely:)

Or not gluing the decorations down all the way and the decorations floating to the top. And asking parents to bring in jars and forgetting to clarify that they need to be a certain size, not a Lipton ice tea bottle.

But after all the trials and errors they turned out better then expected and I got lots of wonderful comments back from the families.

How cute are they!

Bridger went to daycare as normal on Friday and all week long his teachers had donuts, coffee, and even a crazy photo booth set up when you walked through the door for the parents. We enjoyed many pictures lots of chatting and catching up with his teachers and their plans over the break and we even managed to promise them that we would work on naps over break too.

To my surprise my dear friend Sarah, who is our PTSA President over at school, and her husband dressed up as Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus and headed over to see Bridger at daycare before the school sing-a-long.

We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends. They said that he tugged alittle at the white beard and his friend Sophia didn't want any part of it!

So darling.

Friday after school was out and break had started Bridger and I decided to meet daddy at the mall so that we could see Santa.Well little did we know that everyone in town had that same idea. So we finished up some mall shopping and decided to do Santa a different day.

the fall

The fall happened yesterday after we got Bridge's flu shot and headed over to Hobby Lobby. I was in a bit of a hurry and hustled Bridge and I into the store to gather supplies for our classroom snow globes.

As I put Bridge into the cart and set my diaper bag down into the cart area I continue to push the cart from isle to isle. Not thinking twice that I didn't buckle him in with the carts buckle. I was just finishing up with the last of the few isles when I turned for one quick second to look at something and something must have caught Bridger's eye. The next thing you know I turned and heard a huge thunk, my boy pulled up out of the cart and rolled off of it falling down onto the bottom shelf landing on his tummy.

I have no words to describe the shear panic and fear that followed. He took one of those big no cry breaths and then let out the most horrendous scream I have ever heard from him. The next thing I knew I looked up after picking him up and there must have been at least 50 people coming into the isle. The manager was in the isle next to me and came running over. She was helping me to try and find Bridger's paci all the while I am standing their with him in my arms shaking, not knowing what to do, crying because he is hurt and I still couldn't managed to find the paci. Sure enough he had it before he fell and it landed on the ground beneath the cart.

I have never ran so fast out of that store in my life, all the while trying to get a hold of daddy. Well daddy's phone was dead. I didn't know whether to go the ER, or Urgent Care. Since Urgent Care was closest I drove as fast as I could (on eagle road at 5:15 at night) and ran inside to the lady at the front desk sobbing and telling her, "my baby, he fell out of shopping cart." She was so nice and we were seen right away. I was truly impressed with the staff there.

After the doctor looked him over, and asked me a bunch of questions this is what he said, "Okay mama take a deep breath..... He is going to be okay." He told me that if he had any inclinations he would have sent us to the hospital, but since Bridger didn't cry longer than 5 minutes, no vomiting, bleeding, major swelling and he was acting his normal high energy self by the time we saw the doc, he thought that the best thing for us to do is go home and relax.

I can't tell you how awful I felt. I am still shaken up from the event. It felt like slow motion. I know he is only nine months and we will have other accidents in our lifetime, but as a mother I never want to feel the way I felt last night. I praise Jesus that he is okay.

Love you big boy!
Mama

Mini Gateway... SV and a 9month check up

This weekend we headed to Sun Valley for a little relaxation, some business (for daddy) and most of all much needed family time.

It was a blast.

Saturday was spent strolling through the old town shops.

Picking out unique gifts and Bridger even managed to choose his own toy ... a dradel/ top (in honor of Hon aka).

The town was covered in snow with the sloshing of cars driving by in the snow, the chill in the air and all the happy faces made for a fun weekend.

While daddy worked an event at Pete Lane's

Bridge and I managed to watch some ice cravings going on through out the lodge area,

strolled by the ice skating rink to see the families having a blast, watched the geese and ducks glide through the pond,

grabbed some hot coco and some cookies and even mangage to sneak in a nap all before daddy finished at 4.

We met up with daddy afterwards and headed out for the tree lighting ceremony, follwed by carolers, and Santa's arrival. In the anticpation of this all happening the sky got dark, the weather turned to snow and the chill in the air got even colder.

Unfortunatly, Bridger didn't make it all the way through. It was just too darn cold.

So off we went, back to warm up and get some food in our bellies. We ate pizza and quickly headed back to the lodge. With a little baby you gotta move fast, and fast we did because he was in a full blown fit by the time we got back (he was exhausted) and so were we.

We were asleep by 8pm.

The next morning we were pleasently awakend around 6am and since check out wasn't until 11am we headed to the outdoor heated pool to watch the sunrise. It was beautful.

The snow was falling lightly, the pool's temp was PERFECT for Bridger and it was only us and an older couple (who loved Bridger).

That was probably my favorite part of the trip.

 It was so peaceful, Bridger was smiling ear to ear and the beauty of Baldy Mountain in the background was stunning.

We finished up our vacay with a trip over to Dollar Mountain and a stop by the Sun Valley Barn for a quick photo op.

 

Bridge slept the whole way home and we ended our trip with a refreshed and renew mama and daddy!

Have a wonderful week.

 

9 month Checkup Facts (to note):

 

Bridger is 21.9 pounds.... 61st percentile

His height is 30 inches long....91st percentile.

 

Doc. says he is going to be tall and said that Bridge was very alert and probably the most active baby his age that he has seen! looks like we've got our hands full.

 

Have a great week. 4 more days till Christmas Break!





Tragedy

This letter is to my beautiful boy, Bridger.

Bridger,

Today you can home after school and mommy was able to pick you up from day care and bring you back home. But for 20 other little students and their families that did not happen. I am horrified, shocked, sadden beyond words, and mommy and daddy can't stop holding you tonight. We love you.

My beautiful son. Mommy and Daddy love you so much and there are no words to describe the horrific tragedy that took place today in Connecticut. Mommy's heart is sadden beyond words, but I know one day we will sit back and reflect on this day and I want you to know just how much I love and how we as human beings can come together and do good in this world.

 Bridger, Mommy first found out about this from one of the cook ladies in the lunch line. It seemed surreal, impossible, foggy, but it wasn't soon after that when I had a parent of one my students stop by and sort of fall/collapse into my arms and beg to just see her daughter and give her a hug. The look she had in her eyes is one that I will never forget. My emotions are a mess. Why, why did this happen to such beautiful young souls?

Mommy took you to the doctors today after school for your 9 month check up and as I listened to you saying, "ma ma and dadda" in the back seat all I could think about was how lucky I was to have you in my arms tonight. Those parents of those kids who lost their lives today don't get to hold their babies like I do. I can't even begin to make sense of this.

And as we were driving home tonight from Walgreen's I heard an interview on the radio that hit me so hard in the heart that I finally broke down while you were sleeping peacefully (thank you lord). I balled, cried my eyes out in the driveway with daddy by my side.  I was listening to one of the 1st Grade teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary telling the accounts of today, she said she took her kids to the bathroom where she locked them in and as the pop pop pop of the gun went off one of the little boys said to her, "I can go out and get the bad guy teacher, because I go to Karate practice." The innocence of the lives that were lost and the tragedy that this event will have on these children, families and all who were involved will be tremendous. My heart breaks, my eyes are red and today I am ever so grateful for my family and friends.

I love you big boy. You are our star in the sky and those 20 precious lives that were taken WAY to early I will pray for them and their families. Jesus received 20 beautiful little angels today and some wonderful teachers too. Heaven is a little fuller tonight and for that I am blessed.

Hug your babies tight, say I love you more and pray for all the families who are hurting in ways I can't even imagine. God bless.

Love,
Mommy and Daddy