Back to Normal

I know the holidays were over last week, but ours have only just ended. My in-laws have returned to Connecticut which means that today, Kadin goes back to work and I go back to my daily routine with Sabine.

Our Christmas was close to perfect in the way of spending time with family, eating the most delicious food and gift giving. But it was also completely exhausting. Sabine was excited but overwhelmed by so many gifts. We drove all over southern California and seemingly spent most of Christmas eve cooking and baking. And I feel twenty pounds heavier. Pregnancy plus the holidays equals total loss of self control. I made my mom's famous sugar cookies and ate half of them all by myself. I also ate far too many tamales. I cannot even look at another tamale until next Christmas.

New Year's was much quieter. We spent it in Newport Beach, where it was at least eighty degrees and sickeningly sunny. We sat in the sand, played in the water, built sand castles and shared a picnic lunch. It made me think that this is either our quiet before the storm that will be two small children to care for or it's a sign of good things to come. I don't really believe in signs though. As I've learned, there are good times and bad times. You can't have one without the other. This past New Year's Day, alone at the beach with Sabine and Kadin, was just one of my simply good times. I won't forget it.

Happy New Year...