Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Holiday Indulgences

(Also known as a post where I summarize the holidays and bitch and moan way too much.)

To be honest, this year’s Christmas was a strong motivator for us to start to compacting in 2007. Let me explain.

Christmas day started nice and simple at our house. This is the first year that Gabe really noticed the holiday as an event. He found “Ho, ho, ho” everywhere (his term for Santa) and loved the decorations (more than just something to see like last year). We got him a few toys, only four, and this and this are his favorites by far.

Then we get to my parents house where it becomes gift-a-palooza. The kid actually becomes bored with the opening of gifts because there are TOO MANY. Don’t get me wrong- I appreciate all of the generosity and the fact that he is their first (and currently only) grandchild. But geez! And there are things in the collection that I insisted would be saved for his birthday...and they weren’t. Again, love the thoughts but wish they had been spread out over a year’s time.

Then we go to see A’s parents (in another city). It seems that everyone in that town ignores the age restrictions on toys. He got so many things that said ages "3 and up", "5 and up", or just simply "choking hazard" from friends and family. The deadly toys were accompanied by many clothes that will not fit for a few years. Everyone is buying him 4T and 5T. The kid still wears 12month stuff at age 20 months. Ok? Does anyone get this? He is not his cousin who was always exceptionally big (the kid looks at least 10 or 11 and is 7) and saying "it’s ok, he'll wear it next month" does not make the outfit magically fit. Ok, fine, we can just put it aside for a few years from now, but geez, people, when the length of the pants is the kids entire height, don't you think they might be a little big? Just a bit?

The time with the family was wonderful, though, barring all choking hazards and large pants.

Speaking of that, what the hell is up with the big jump from 12 month to 18 month clothes? Gabe needs a 12 month at the waist and not quite an 18 month for the length. So, he either has plumber's crack (tastefully covered by a diaper) or wears floods. We have given in to sweatpants because of the top and bottom elastic, and I am now anxiously awaiting summer and shorts...which are supposed to be, well, short.

At the end of the holiday adventures, we attended the wedding of our friends (congrats again L and S!) in the way north. The wedding was lovely, the reception was lovely, and they are both lovely. And they had, by far, the best damn wedding cake I have ever eaten. And I LOVES me some cake. It was truly incredible. It had four small chocolate cake layers (1/2” thick as opposed to full size layers) with a cream cheese type frosting and strawberry preserves in between. I skipped the outside frosting for the most part (so that I could main-line the inside frosting) but the bits I got were good and not too sweet.

Mmmmmmmm, cake.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

My daughter is the same way with clothes. She is two years, five months old, and she is just now starting to wear some 24 month/2T clothes. But only about half of them fit. With regard to the other half, the pants are about three inches too long, and the shirt sleeves are still a little long as well. Ugh. I never know what to get now, and I just don't have the room to store more clothes.

Anonymous said...

My 21-month-old was never very chubby, but relatively long, so we've had a similar problem. Once he started walking, all his pants would fall around his hips (not so attractive on a little boy). Fortunately I've discovered that some toddler pants (check Gap Kids) come with an adjustable waistband (hidden inside like some maternity pants), and he lives in those. You could buy Gabe a 2T (I don't think they make them smaller), adjust the waist to fit and roll up the cuffs. Our little man stays completely covered this way. The only drawback is that you'll occasionally get accumulated crumbs falling out of the cuffs at a diaper change.