Roundup

I feel like it's been pretty light around here with content and it's not necessarily a lack of things to blog about... more a lack of time and creativity. I definitely have lots to say, but now that I've actually sat down to type this I can't really think of anything. Great. This is a pointless post! haha.

Ok, let's do a catch up of things that have happened...
Callan's first Christmas. I realized that other than a short little video of Callan opening his Christmas present from Santa I have a lack of material commemorating such an event. For shame! I personally love Christmas. I love the lights, the music, the crisp cold air, the snow, Christmas trees and wrapping paper. It's true -I love wrapping paper and wrapping presents. Although I often succumb to using gift bags, I'm a little sad about how they're replacing wrapped gifts. My dream job in high school was to be a wrapper at Bloomingdales or Neiman Marcus.... all the different papers on rolls on the wall and the beautiful ribbon and adornments really beckoned me. But, alas, I never was a wrapper there and now a girl can only dream. (wow, that was quite the sidebar there!) Anyway, our first Christmas with Callan was also our first Christmas in Chicago. This was the first year in 8 years that I haven't travelled at Christmas. As glad as I was to not rush around and hop on flights to Boston and Montreal, I was a little sad to not be with family this year. But, it was nice to be here in Chicago and to celebrate our first Christmas together at a leisurely pace. We went out to dinner Christmas Eve with our friends, Akiko and Jeff, Mike, Stace and Lucy, and Amy, Eric and Logan to Indian food. Callan was a trooper and seemed to enjoy it a little bit more than he did the last time. Christmas morning was spent at home opening presents and skyping/facetiming with our families back east and then Huge cooked a delicious dinner for us and some friends, Yogesh and Ming, Denis and Anaar. We had a relaxing meal and spent some time playing with Callan and hanging out. Yogesh and Ming made really tasty hot Toddie's (which reminds me that I need to drink more of them) and an equally delicious dessert (that I enjoyed for many days after). Even from afar we were spoiled and I still can't believe Christmas has come and gone already!

After Christmas comes New Year's Eve and this year we spent at home celebrating with Tara, Craig and Ellis and Akiko and Jeff. Craig and Huge whipped up a delicious (and decadent) dinner and Craig, owner of Perman Wine Selections, paired everything with fantastic wines. I felt like we ate for 10 hours, but every bite was totally worth it. I love hanging out with friends while eating and drinking delicious things, so this was a great way to kick out 2011 and ring in 2012.

But an even better way to ring in the new year is spending the day at the spa! And that is exactly what I did. As part of our Christmas presents, Tara and I received a day at the spa at the Elysian Hotel. Oh my goodness, it was an amazing day. We decided that unless one of us is preggos, we are starting every year that way. We each got pedicures and one hour massages and relaxed in the hot tubs, eucalyptus steam room and sauna. After spending the entire morning there we ate a really delicious lunch at Balsan and then spent a little bit of time walking around enjoying our freedom. By the time I got home the boys were both waking up from their afternoon naps (well one of them was still sleeping) and then Callan and I hopped in a cab to go visit our friend Angela who was in town from London.

Since then, nothing really exciting has happened to me. I'm back at work and I keep telling everyone around me that my motto for the year is "new year, new attitude, new me", but I'm thinking it's more for my benefit than anything else. It's one of those "fake it until you make it" mantras, and maybe if I say it enough, it'll be true. So far, no dice, but for a few days it was blissful.

Callan has started his swim class and he is really enjoying it. They are only 30 minutes long, but he hasn't cried yet (and nearly every other baby there has). The first class he was a little skeptical about it all and although he didn't cry, he was definitely a little wary of everything going on and only started splashing around at the very end. The second class he warmed up much quicker and was splashing for most of the class (unfortunately for the little boy next to us). I think Callan is a natural and we'll have a lot of fun in the water together. He's not afraid to get his face wet and has been dunked (accidentally -oops) a couple of times and he did fine. I'm looking forward to the next few weeks and then we'll get to go swimming every day on our vacation! Another sidebar -this past week there were 5 other babies at the lesson all of whom were about the same age as Callan and they were ALL boys! But, the point of this was that there were 4 other babies there with both parents in attendance. I for some reason assumed that all the moms would be in the water and the dads would merely be spectators. Boy was I wrong. It was me in the pool with all the dads! Huge was with me and I joked with him that it kind of made sense that I was in the water instead of him because all the moms were at the edge of the pool taking pictures and calling out to their husbands to be careful/watch out for the baby/etc... really being backseat drivers and all the guys were real laid back telling the wives to not worry. Yup... that's definitely us -Huge worried and me telling him it's fine. haha.

Well this post has turned out to be way too long and kind of boring. I guess if you made it this far you deserve a picture.

Fun family picture c/o iPhone 

OH my goodness. In my ramblings I forgot to mention that Callan's newest friend was born. Haruki Alexander Martin! He's gorgeous and tiny. I love him already.

I can't believe Callan was that small just a few short months ago!

I think they're already best buds.