merry & bright

Oh my goodness, that was an unexpected hiatus.  Hello again!  We just got back from a 48-hour trip to NYC to visit one of my brother’s family, my dad and his wife.  We had planned on venturing to Rockefeller Center to see the tree yesterday, but then our sweet one woke up and was WIDE awake at 4am.  We turned on some Elmo Christmas special, packed up, and got out of dodge.  Battling NYC morning traffic in the rain with a 14-month-old wouldn’t have made for great holiday cheer anyway.

Back at home, I think it was around 11:30 and we were all upstairs.  I had just finished changing Aurelia, then I called for John in the next room.  “I just need you to take our daughter for a minute.”  John later said that I looked like I was about to vomit, but instead collapsed on our bed, wrapped all my limbs around the snoogle (only the best invention ever for pregnant women), and proceeded to sleep for the next three hours.

When I woke up in the afternoon, I think that was the first time I felt rested since taking step 2 of the boards, a week and a half ago!  I don’t know what was wrong with me, but it seems to be a trend in medical students, at least many of those with whom I’m close.  Step 2 is the last major test of medical school, nine hours, computer-based multiple choice.  Since it’s clinical and not entirely basic science (like step 1), it is decidedly less painful to study for, though still draining.  Yet I don’t think I’ve ever taken so long to recover from an exam.  I had such high hopes for the last week, getting papers done and the like.  Didn’t happen.  I did clean the house, at least superficially.

There has been a fair bit of celebrating, though–just the right kind of celebrating, in small groups, as I’m not sure I had the energy in the last week for big crowds.  The day after the exam I had brunch with this great friend/inspiration/person-from-whom-I-perpetually-pepper-for-advice at one of my favorite brunch spots, then had a handful of close girlfriends over for mulled cider and grown-up grilled cheese.  One of the highlights of the evening was when Ari WALKED (oh yes, she’s been walking for over two weeks now!!) to Lauren and tumbled her way into a gleeful hug–the kind where she rests a cheek on a shoulder and really wraps her little arms around the neck.  I’m hoping that helped make up for the time when Lauren was generous enough to babysit the then six-month-old Ari while I went to a meeting, and Ari then wailed for the entire two hours I was gone!  My poor, generous friends!

Then there were Longwood Gardens explorations in the snow with Aubrie and Zach…

She reminds me of that little brother in A Christmas Story, completely entrapped by his one-piece snowsuit and seemingly endless scarf.

Ari and I attended maybe our first one-year-old birthday party, definitely our first crossfit mamas’ cookie swap, and then Eric’s annual Love Actually showing.  Dogs were present at the latter, Ari was in heaven.  She crashed hard and quickly all those evenings.

And finally our NYC trip–cousins (and family in general) and the toys they’re willing to share/give away are the best!

Sorry for the very adrenaline-filled post–just trying to squeeze in glimpses of the holiday merriment before the big day.  Cannot believe Christmas is already upon us, and very thankful that Aurelia will be just as pleased with the wrapping paper as anything else.  John’s working today and the 26th, so we’re spending tomorrow just us three at home.  In the 10 years John and I have been together, this will be our first Christmas waking up in our own home!  Tonight we’re going to a friend’s Christmas Eve fondu party and, so conveniently, at the store yesterday at closing time, a clerk thrusted a few huge crusty baguettes for us to take home free of charge.  There are so many things for which we’re thankful this year, far too many to begin to enumerate.  But finally starting to have a community of true friends in the suburbs, that’s certainly up there.  I wouldn’t have been able to think of anyone locally last year who would have considered having us over for Christmas Eve.  Guh!  So happy!!

From our family to yours, a very merry Christmas, and a happy New Year!!