susuwatari

Ha! The fire alarm went off during our Midnight Mass. Hilarous. We managed to cover it up with our Hark the Herald Angel’s Sing, Glory to the Newborn King! My Dad’s church is beautiful normally (all old carved wood and stained glass windows) but during Christmas with all the floral decoration and candles it’s just stunning. It looks like it came straight out of a magazine or movie. Ah well time for bed so Santa can come. Merry Christmas everyone!

As my family gets ready to go to midnight mass (in other words they have found another excuse to take a nap) I felt like sharing one of my favorite songs of the season…

Yaay I can drive without fear now, as I finally renewed my licence plates! Not only that I finally dropped off my old clothes to Goodwill. Nothing like being on vacation to make you more productive…until of course now when I should be cleaning my house and packing but instead will probably play videogames.

I am currently stuck in one of those days that you knew was going to be horrible starting at 4:30am when you were taking your dog out in the freezing cold so her butt can explode. While you dazedly look at the snow falling as your dog strains next to you the realization comes, today is really really going to suck. You contemplate just staying in bed all day hiding from the day, but there is no hiding from this day for this day is about your suffering and humiliation.

Here is baby Ehrlichman at 12 weeks!

baby ehrlichman 12 weeks

Check that baby out!  So in the first picture the baby is resting and you can see that it looks just like Wes because it has a giant head and belly.  It woke up after a little while and started opening and closing it’s mouth and punching itself in the face.  That’s my kid!  In the second picture the baby started flipping around and was practicing for the Olympics.  In the third picture the baby is facing the camera and is reinacting Edvard Munch’s famous work.

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Dear baby,

Mama went to the doctor last week and got to see you act like a loon inside her belly.  Aunt Patience hates when Mama talks about you moving inside her because she thinks that you are a scary little parasite but she will love you unconditionally one day.  Just tell her you like horses even if you are lying.  I promise this will work.  Unfortunately our doctor is a big liar told us that we wouldn’t see anything on this trip so Daddy did not go with us for this appointment.  (Secretly Mama was totally okay with this because she wants nothing more than to see more pictures of you.  In fact if there were some way to convince the doctor to do weekly photos Mama would be all over that.)  So anyway it was just the two of us this time.  The books say that you are now the size of a peach.  Mama thinks peaches are delicious especially if they are grown in the South so she is excited that you are no longer a pinto bean.  (FYI – Pinto beans are not so delicious but they are good for you so we will probably try to make you eat them someday.)

After going to the doctor I met up with your Grandma (they will probably ask you to call her Miew, we are okay with this because that is a form of Pokemon), your Aunt Marcie, and your cousin Brody at the mall.  I was reminded that I could enjoy decaf coffee and then proceeded to drink a grande caramel macchiato at Starbucks and it was truly a good moment.  Grandma (Miew) and Aunt Marcie gave me a pregnancy journal that gives me daily updates on your growing progress.  The journal also lets me record embarassing things like my weight and waist size so that one day (if you are a girl) you will dread becoming pregnant.  I’m also supposed to write notes on my mood and appetite.  I don’t really know what to write about my mood.  So far I have not had any crazy mood swings.  I do sometimes get mad at Daddy if he makes me wait for meals.  But he should really know better anyway.  I will do my best to record these moments faithfully for you just in case you ever decide to procreate in the future.

A lot of things have been happening in the past month.  I got laid off my job, we ate two Thanksgivings, we visited with my parents, we’re getting ready to go to Adrienne’s wedding in California, and then it’ll be Christmas.  I had a “moment” the other day where it occured to me that this will be the last Christmas your Daddy and I will spend as a couple.  I’m pretty sure all future Christmases will be all about you.  This might explain why Daddy went shopping like crazy for himself.  He likes to go out with a bang.  (He’s also in denial, but that’s because he grew up being told that he was the spirit of Christmas.  I think he’s more like the embodiment of the commercial greed of Christmas but we can talk about that later.  It seems likely that you will take after him on this anyway.)  So I guess it’s starting to sink in more and more that you are going to permanently change our lives.  And I’m so excited to let you do it.

love, Mama

Yesterday our family dog of 14 years passed away. She was a good sweet stubborn little dog who loved everyone, especially if you had food with you. As my Uncle Ken said all the time, “She’s a survivor”. After years of begging for a dog, one Christmas Mandi stole not only my sister, father, and I’s hearts but managed to snag my stubborn mother’s heart as well. She will be greatly missed and Christmas this year will be little sad for me. As Christina said earlier she was the best Christmas gift ever.

Thank you Mandi for being such an awesome dog and giving us so much love. You’ll be missed.

Things have been busy for me. The highlights are that I managed to cook a decent Thanksgiving dinner if I do say so, barely survived drowning in mucus, and went on a fun trip to Branson. To make up for lack of posts I give you this gift.