santa2Originally uploaded by Bryan Comer.

I’m stealing this from my husband’s Flickr stream because I thought he was going to explode if I made him wait one more minute to share this photo with the world. Bryan has been so adamant about Tony having his picture taken with Santa that it’s bordered on obsessive. I, honestly, could’ve cared less. (He’s too young to look cute. And venturing to the mall would mean I’d have to shower. And be in public.) But, to ease his need to stand in line with eighty-thousand other kids, I obliged him today.

It really wasn’t all bad. The mall was more crowded than the day after Thanksgiving, and they seemed to mostly be teenagers, so that part sucked royal ass. But for the most part, Christmas spirit was abounding. That, and people get out of your way if they think you’ll plow them down with a huge stroller.

Tony had his own way of dealing with the crowds, as we found out as we sat down to lunch. We knew the hat was too big, but damn, it was just too cute to pass up. And I think the ode to Mush Mouth was sweet.

Caroline came over today and we were talking about how, this year especially, the holiday season just doesn’t seem as magical and/or important.  She encouraged all of her friends to spend time together (instead of money) and just gather ’round some eggnog. (Fabulous.) I was going to bypass the holiday altogether; we’re just too tired for Christmas. 

And then I remembered The Boy. 

Bryan’s actually picked up my slack this year, THANK GOD.  He bought a gingerbread house kit for the two of them to do together, and they went today to get a tree. (Note to self: chop-your-own-tree-at-the-Christmas-tree-farm - $40.  Buy one at Lowe’s the week of Christmas - $6.  Hmm.) Tonight, all four of us are braving the cold drizzle to drive through the Galaxy of Lights. 

These are things I usually LOVE doing, but this year everything is so out of whack.  We have no lights on our house.  I have not purchased a single Christmas gift (except for Bryan’s, because his became a necessity when his old phone died a day before my due date).  And I can’t even remember what day of the week is Christmas Eve without checking a calendar. 

But, there is a silver lining here: on Christmas Day, we can leave the Wii hooked up.  And play it unabashedly, without worrying that The Boy will find a stray manual or controller.  That will be awesome.

Tomorrow, we may brave the mall to have Tony’s picture taken with the mall Santa.  I’m not totally sold on this idea yet.. because I hate mall Santas.  It’s not a paralyzing fear or overwhelming anxiety, but I just find them so.. gauche. (Hate me.  It’s fine.) But it is cheaper than setting up some private session with a local photographer and hiring a guy in a Santa suit, I suppose.

And it will make for a great story.

Alright.

Spill your secrets.  How did you lose the weight after the baby?

Like everything else I could’ve possibly tried to do in life, I was overly optimistic about my post-partum weight loss.  I thought that, once I popped Tony out, the weight would just fall off.  Then I realized that I’d have to work on it, but I was like, “Eh.  I’ll just workout in between feeding the baby.”  I did not realize how incredibly EXHAUSTING having a newborn is!

(Of course, I constantly have to remind myself that it’s only been two weeks.  Nay, not even that.)

So extreme dieting is out (low-carb, I bid thee farewell), as are pills (sorry, Zantrex 3).  The good news is that all I’m craving is salads and fruits; the bad news is that it’s not easy to always have those available.  It’s been too cold to take many walks with the bebe, so I’ve done Pilates.  Once.  And it nearly killed me.

So spill.  What are your secrets?