The Crigler Crew: Merry Christmas...A Few Days Late

We were a busy bunch this holiday season. Between my birthday, holiday parties and family obligations, I felt like we were non-stop. Stephen and I have rotated holidays between our two families since we have been married. One year one family gets Thanksgiving and the other gets Christmas and then we switch the next year. This plan has worked really well for us and we can probably squeeze one or two more years out of it until Perron gets too old and we won't travel for Christmas anymore. This year it was Stephen's family's year for Christmas so we loaded up and headed down to Mississippi.

Before we left, we went to my parents' house on December 23rd and had a delicious holiday meal of beef tenderloin and opened presents with my parents and my little brother and sister. Diana and Trae had come up in November and we had our big holiday celebration then, since Diana can not be away from the hospital at the holidays. We got up early (otherwise known as Perron's regular wake-up time) on Christmas Eve and started the 5 hour journey to Stephen's parents house in Mississippi. Now, prior to this point, Perron's longest car ride had been 45 minutes. There is a good reason for this. He has a fabulous habit of deciding that his car seat is fashioned out of nails as soon as his body hits the seat and typically starts screaming bloody murder as soon as we put him in it...you think I kid...one time I had to stop and get him out of the car seat before we had even made it out of the driveway because he almost threw up he was crying so hard. All in all, the car ride went much better than expected. Especially considering it poured down rain almost the entire trip and Perron only slept for like an hour and 15 minutes. Of course a family occasion can not pass by with out an Adventure in Poop, so I have a story to share. We stopped at a gas station in god only knows where Alabama (otherwise know as Georgiana) so I could feed Perron. Of course it was pouring down rain so I couldn't get out of the car to change him, so I had to change him in my lap. Not easy, but doable since he had only peed...at this point. Diaper changed, baby fed, all is well and we are back on the road. I am not kidding you, we were pulling onto the interstate from the entry ramp and I look over an Mr. Poo-Poo Pants is grunting away. Did I mention it was pouring down rain and very cold. So we drive a little while hoping that maybe he doesn't mind laying in his own waste and we can make it to the rest stop to change him. WRONG! He starts to voice is displeasure with his current diaper situation, leaving us no choice but to stop at the nearest exit. Long story short...after first pulling in to a very sketchy "roadside motel" I ended up having to change him in the bay of a self-service car wash facility in Evergreen, AL. Oh holiday family memories....

We finally made it to MS (Did I mention that I had to sing Jingle Bells on repeat from the MS state line all the way to my in-laws) and embarked on two days of family holiday festivities. Overall, he did pretty well considering everything that was thrust upon him over the course of two days. He refused to nap pretty consistently which makes it hard and he certainly cried more than he usually does, but he managed. I too probably cried and fussed more than I normally do, but I managed as well. :) We have paid a very high price for him being out of his element and he has been extremely fussy since we got home. I feel like we have reverted back to Perron of old and he probably hasn't been this fussy in well over two months. I am hoping over the next couple of days that he will settle down and get back in to his regular routine. He definitely is not ready for that many dramatic changes in environment and routine yet. It makes me VERY nervous for daycare. I told Stephen it will be quite some time before we travel with him again. I had already told my parents there wasn't a bats chance in hell that we would be joining them in the mountains for New Year's this year. I don't think Perron could take it and I guarantee that I couldn't take it.

Perron got showered with gifts and attention the entire holiday season. We are going to need another house just to hold all of his toys. Here are some pictures from all of our holiday gatherings. As you can see, he is one cute little elf (with quite the Christmas wardrobe). I hope everyone had a happy and blessed holiday season!