The last 365 days have been a learning experience. It’s been a practice in patience, trust and evolving. Carter has grown so much in that time. He learned to ride his bike before turning 5, started kindergarten online, had his first dog sitting experience, and even found his way back into the classroom.
But today? Today he lost his very first tooth! Love you kiddo.
The holidays can be, and are often a tricky dance. There's a fine balance between decompression and disorder that results from trying to see all the loved ones who have meant so much to you throughout the years. That's not to say family and friends can't relieve you of stress, but the juggling act of whom to see, whom to call, and whom to write can - at times - feel overwhelming.
When we received the call to travel to Atlanta for Christmas, the initial instinct was to stay home. We've traveled the last few years for Christmas, we just bought a house, and it was shaping up to be an expensive end of 2016. But family: how do you pass the chance to meet family you've never seen, and family you haven't seen in years? Needless to say we were off in the air for Carter's first flight.
The flights went A LOT better than expected. On the way into ATL, Carter was fortunate enough to make a friend in the little boy sitting in front of us. They played, off and on until the plane landed, stopping only long enough for Carter to take a brief nap.
To be honest, most of the trip before Christmas was a blur, an enjoyable blur, but still a blur. Kicking it with the kiddos, lunch, shopping for last minute gifts, and performances by Carter and Moo while we waited for Erica to arrive. Oh, and can't forget the Christmas Eve jammies!
It wasn't my first Christmas as a father, but it was my first Christmas where I got to experience what a father, a parent, will go through to make sure their child has an enjoyable Christmas. I stayed up until 3 in the morning with my father to assemble - and reassemble - His & Hers Power Wheels, a playhouse. Fatigue set in, my fingers were sore from the screws and bolts, my sinuses were starting to give out on me, and my body was to ached, but the Christmas day excitement was worth it.
With gifts opened and children occupied, the adults began to get ready for the day. Dad finished cooking (the man can throw down), everyone cleaned and dressed, Cavs won, and family and guests arrived. Oh, and fun fact, it was 70 degrees on Christmas, which meant I was able to go outside with a short-sleeve tee - dope!
Although Dad was a bit sentimental the days leading up to Christmas, I have to admit that he was right: the older you get, the more you appreciate the presence of your family. I don't know when Carter will get to see his aunts from my side of the family again, but I'll never forget how hard they fought to win over his affection. I humbly confess that it hit me in the feels to see them following him around. Sorry, Dom, I'm still not playing Kid's Bop :).
However, Christmas came and went. We woke up, went to breakfast, came back and were back long enough to pack our bags. The trip held more memories than are able to fit in a blog post, but they'll alwasys stay a part of us.
We've been busy, but we'll be free soon and there's a lot to catch-up to play.
Grandma Rita came for a visit! Although it was a quick weekend trip, we all managed to have dinner with our friends and neighbors down the street, and do a little house hunting before she had to head back home. Grandma RiRi even got to join Carter for his Kindermusik class (sorry, no photos).
