Christmas 2011

Christmas was enjoyable.

I was up until 3am trying to get a head start on breakfast for the next day, Reagan also woke up just before I was planning on going to sleep so that made getting to bad even later.  Reagan woke up again at 4am, Evan took him this time.  I was woken up at 7:22am by a text message from a friend in WA.  I was able to get in an hour sleep before Reagan woke up for the day. =(  So as you can see Evan and I did not get the sleep we were needing so we did not get to have the breakfast at Laura & Lorens that we planned on and that I stayed up late getting ready for, and we also didn't make it to church.  I'm pretty bummed certain things didn't work out as planned but ya just roll with it I guess.

Cracks me up, all these presents and he goes right to the roll of wrapping paper!

This year Evan and I actually got presents for each other. (we didn't last year)  We set a $50 budget.  This was very difficult for me.  There isn't anything I want...except money in savings.  However, I did know Evan likes to celebrate Christmas with presents, and I like the traditional celebration as well.  My biggest concern with gifts if getting something I don't like and I get upset because I feel money was REALLY wasted. 

Reagan getting his stocking...Very exciting! =)

SO, I had an idea, and Evan was totally on board.  We would go to Walmart, get a cart and go shopping for ourselves, after awhile we met back up, switch our carts and that allows the other person to see what we really want.  So we can pick out anything we want that fits in our budget.  I love the outcome.  I ended up being more excited for Christmas day and the gift exchange for both of us.  I KNEW I was giving Evan something he really wanted...but he didn't know exactly what he was getting, and same with me, I felt peace knowing I was going to get something I actually wanted!

When we got to Walmart we went to get a toy for Reagan together first, we got him ABC Blocks and a bathtub toy. We got him bubbles for the bath and blowing bubbles at the dollar store. It was pretty amusing, after Evan and I went our separate ways to get stuff for each other at the dollar store on the way home I told Evan I did get a couple things for Reagan, "I got him a football" Evan starts to laugh, I confirmed, "you got him a football too didn't you?" Yup, he sure did! We laughed for a bit, but then I needed to clarify what kind he got him because there were a few I had to choose from. I got him one that looked like a real football, Evan got him a nerf football. I was actually about to get him the same one but I knew he would be chewing on these toys and didn't want nerf pieces all over the house. Sure enough, once Reagan got his nerf football he started chewing on it! =) haha

Reagan's favorite toy is from Uncle Ryan and Aunt Beth. It is the first thing he goes to after his naps.

Aunt Laura brought over the gifts she had got for our family, Aunt Julia also brought over gifts for our family, we also had gifts from Grandma Wheeler and Aunt Beth too!  It really made our Christmas morning haul look pretty good! =)

Later that day we went to Grandpa Waldroup's for Christmas dinner.  Reagan and I were late because Reagan needed to get the rest of his nap that he didn't take earlier.  I'm sure some felt I should have just woken him up, I mentioned this to Evan later that night and he agreed.  Evan also said, he sees the value and is thankful for all that I do for Reagan to keep him happy and comfortable but that he does think there should be exceptions.  Let me take this moment to stop and give a shout out to my Hubby.  I was glad to hear Evan's thoughts on the subject, I also want to share that it makes me happy to see that Evan supported me and hadn't said anything about waking Reagan up early until I brought it up.  I think it was very nice of him to support me even when he didn't agree.

Had Reagan had a regular morning nap I would have most likely woken him up to be on time.  But I'm just grateful that Evan supported me.  That really means a lot.

The worst part of Christmas was being greeted by Shrimp when I arrived at his Dad's.  I thought everyone in his family knew about my HUGE allergy to Shellfish.  I guess not.  I feel it would have been nice if Evan would have said something since he got there before me.  It is VERY dangerous to have people eating shellfish around me, especially children.  People eat shrimp with their fingers, then touch so many different things!!  The biggest danger comes when people touch my son.  I can be careful and watch what I touch, or be aware to not touch my eyes, nose or mouth, or to try to not touch anything around me.  But, I need to touch my son, it puts me at a greater risk of dying after so many people hold and touch Reagan and then I have to touch him, and he touches me, shoves his hands in my mouth, grabs my nose and pokes my eyes.  And in tight quarters like we were in, other kids are in a position to do the same thing to me.

I mean really, I can have a break out at anytime.  At any moment I can be out at Walmart and pick a cart that just had a bunch of shellfish in it, or a handle or door knob from someone that was just touching shellfish.  If I ever got fresh shellfish on me and touch my face I could die so fast. Less than 15 minutes actually.  So it upset me to see that Evan had not asked for the Shrimp to be put away.  He didn't even seem to sympathize with me when I told him I wished he would have told me about this before I left home.  By the time I got there half of the shrimp was gone so at that point, what is the point?!  

I'm just sad, because I already have a hard time monitoring Reagan and keeping him safe, and the house safe from Reagan at big gatherings, but to add on the scare I had that I might have an allergic reaction at any moment just really put a damper on the festive spirit I was hoping for.  Also, I LOVE, LOVE Sin-ja's cooking, I was really looking forward to that so much and I felt frozen to eat anything for fear of shrimp having gotten on any of the serving utensils.  I take my life seriously, especially now that I have a baby to live for.  I don't want to die, or even go to a hospital since I don't have insurance on myself.  Not to mention every outbreak I have makes the next one that much more critical and shorter to address.  I just felt like no one seemed to care, it's just sad to me.  I didn't choose to have this allergy.

Egh, well enough on that.  to wrap this all up my favorite gift was this awesome camo outfit Evan got me a few months ago when he had hoped we would go camping.  He forgot about it until he went to Laura's for something.  He got me pick thermals and socks, a camo shirt, pull over camo jacket, camo pants, camo hat, camo ear warmers and camo gloves.  REALLY great!  I love this outfit!  I can't wait to go camping now...even better hunting!  I told E I would love to go hunting with him, but that he would need to do all the cleaning! =)  I hate touching raw meat, even when it's clean.  So thinking I would cut up an animal to clean it is a joke!