it's Christmas! let's be glad!

there are very few things i like about steven working nights. yes, i love staying up late, watching grey's anatomy, with a huge bowl of ice cream and no one to judge my show or size of ice cream bowl. but everything else pretty much sucks. and i know we've only been married two years, but this has been by far the hardest season of life yet. (except for those two months when i thought c and i were going to hate each other. for the REST OF OUR LIVES.)

one thing i do like, though, is the time he gets to spend with j. j has been in daycare since he was 7 weeks old. and we've been so blessed to have sitters that felt like family. their house felt like home. but this time that j has with dad...it's special. slow mornings watching tv, not getting out of pajamas all day, going on adventures, checking out the museums, libraries. painting, building forts, running errands. and dads sometimes have a different way of doing things than moms. not better, just different. they put their daddy prints in everything they do.

steven had been wanting an advent calendar, but by the time he thought to look for one, they were all gone. so he made one. walked into michael's, grabbed a few things, came home and put it together with j for over three hours. they crafted for over THREE HOURS. and i think we may keep it. here is the result:

and some other quick updates:
1) we have a library fine of $25. it's possible.
2) S had an interview today. pray, pray pray.
3) C now has FOUR teeth! holey moley.
4) J is the star of his basketball team. (not really, but he loves it anyways.)
5) people will steal change out of your car if you leave it unlocked.
6) we can't eat popcorn around C anymore. it makes him angry to not eat it.