WOW! that was great..awesome.. it worked for us this year..

December 14th, 2010

there’s the classic “mom shot” and Olive looks bored out of her mind! but really.. she was just watching the snow fall..

so this year we traded champagne bubbles.. sneaking into the hot tub late night and a nice expensive dinner out for some more quality family time.. I had accepted it weeks earlier when our babysitter outcome was looking grim.. and there was that part of me that was ok with it.. because every year I would think about how much olive would love the hotel pool.. and the big comfy bed.. and waking up without her always made me want to rush home and get her..  next year is debatable ;)

we got up and played the usual get ready dance.. do we have everything.. is the car packed.. should we bring that.. the “pineapple express” down pour that I was watching out my front window scared me a bit.. I was going to pick function over fashion this year.. cause who are we kidding.. once those shoes get soaked.. I check out.. we started to drive away.. and the rain just stopped.. we made it downtown calm and stress free.. valet’d the car and were prepared to leave our goods in the storage room because we were to early.. and once the nice man saw up trying to “organize” the stuff we would need just for our two hours without a room.. he kicked it up a notch..

you know what.. I will just move someone else around and get you a room now!

sa-weet! we are Hyatt Gold Passport members.. (don’t be jealous ;) and there is aways this option to upgrade if available.. which we never seem to get it.. but this year.. you guessed it.. we got it! and it couldn’t come at a perfect time.. corner unit king bed.. here we come.. and we were shocked to walk into this.. 

a hallway!!.. a large foyer (perfect for crib and sleeping child) and than a hallway that led to our secret love layer  place we crashed at midnight.. and windows galore.. yes please!

than the Christmas extravaganza began! we had been pumping Santa up for weeks now.. and she was ready.. we were all dressed to go.. totally uncomfortable.. but we were going to see Santa.. than probably come back and change.. um.. not so much.. Santa.. on a Sunday.. downtown Seattle.. means lineups.. Dustin warned me.. and I foolishly never listened.. “who would brave this weather?” was what I kept thinking..  We kept checking in randomly throughout the day.. and the line never weakened.. so we decided to go the next morning.. 

so instead we shopped.. carousel’d.. which was so much “fun”..we ate and like most things with children.. we had to change the schedule around a tad.. and it was ok.. instead of El Mexico at 6pm watching the snow fall.. we went at 2.. ate nachos on the family side.. and than enjoyed an egg nog latte while having the snow fall on us at 6.. she loved the snow.. she kept trying to catch it.. and than lick it off her hands.. we are hoping it was just soap bubbles :0.. she posed for my countless photos.. she even tried to take some of me.. (see picture 9).. 

we made sure to take some baby “timeouts” so that she could enjoy the day too. .here she is with daddy at Nordstroms.. and apparently I have never noticed these little kid stations.. or really appreciated their giant aquarium.. until I had a kid.. than it made sense.. it makes parents stay in that section! and it worked.. 

we even went back to the hotel and tried to nap her.. I shouldn’t have wasted my time.. and I knew it.. but I still tried..  she was having none of it.. she knew there was fun to be had.. so by 8 o’clock when we went to the Cheesecake Factory for a snack ( it was this or Planet Hollywood.. we tried to pick the loudest place possible for a really tired 2 year old.. ) and she was done.. she did not want to sit in a chair.. or eat.. she wanted to just run around.. 

so we made our way back to the hotel.. dry.. still no rain.. and thats when Olive got her second wind.. she was ready for more.. so we did what any sane parents who didnt want to stay in did.. we went to the hotel pool! 

this was her crazy running up and down the hallway laughing stage of the night.. 

her and daddy swam and she showed him some of her swimming lesson tricks.. jumping off the edge 40 times and kicking her legs.. we warmed her little legs up in the hot tub to avoid the purple lips.. we tuckered the crap out of her and went back to the room..  we jammied up.. cuddled.. and plopped her in bed.. where she conked out so fast.. I could hear her heavy breathing from our side of the room.. than Dust grabbed a six pack.. a bag of S&V’s and we rented a $15.00 movie.. which was so hysterical.. we thought we were going to die of laughter and wake her up..  we called it a night in our king size down pillowed bed and conked out.. 

and than the morning came.. it was Santa time!! so again.. we put on the clothes.. and I tried to shower with hotel products which never work out for me.. I was assuming we would pack up and go.. and I thought that my sensitive skin could handle the bar of hotel soap.. so when I got out to blow dry.. I noticed a large pink rash all over my face and body.. these Santa photos were going to be awesome!

we went and lined up.. only 5 people this time! thank you Monday morning.. we ate our sugar cookies.. drank our apple cider.. admired the little house and made our way to the big man..she was fine until it was our turn.. than her grip tightened.. and she wanted mama.. but there were no tears.. they had a bubble machine and toys.. these people were professionals! the man put me behind everyone this year.. so I am hoping for a smaller version of myself this year ;)

we headed over to our favorite breakfast joint Cj’s.. we used to live a block from there.. and they always had the best brunch take out.. and we ate and Olive was a rock star.. and coloured and ate lots.. and we headed North to catch a nap before work.. and unload.. 

It definitely wasn’t the easiest night away.. but I tried to embrace it and accept it.. and know that next year will only be harder with another bubbas here.. but needless to say.. I am glad to be home!! I was so thankful for the no rain.. and even waking up to sunny skies the next morning.. there is nothing worse than being soaked going in and out of stores and we were grateful for staying dry!!

ps.. I really love Nordstroms. I dont know how I will live without it.. their window displays warm my heart every year.. they are just perfect.. this may also be my inspiration for next years christmas tree..

and the cherry on the icing.. this song as we pulled into Mill Creek.. oh yah baby.. the miracle of Christmas!!