CarissaAndJaye.com

I don't really care. I like the sound of Twenty Ten. It follows the way I use to say Twenty Aught Nine last year. However you say the year's name, it doesn't cover up the fact that we've all been duped. Honestly, where is my flying car? My live-in robot maid or all the other push-button daily conveniences that were alluded to us back in the eighties and prior?

 

This Christmas was the first one with Hope and it has been a blast watching her experience all the season has to offer. Hope is now about nine months, so she really doesn't know what is going on. However, she has noticed the tree with lights and boxes with colored paper under it. Hope is at that age where the curiosity dial is set to eleven and so everything requires exploration and a taste test.

The ornaments on the tree were, of course, hung a little bit higher this year and a "safety wall" of faux presents forms a perimeter around the tree base. This worked pretty well but the wrapping paper didn't stand a chance on a couple of the boxes. This was to be expected. Hope loved playing with the boxes, the paper, the lights on the tree and some of the ornaments as well. She is at that stage where she is able to pull herself up into a standing position using sturdy objects. And sometimes less than sturdy items, like the fake presents under the tree.

 

Since the preseason started at the Honda Center, they've been running ads about a contest for fans to host Ducks TV. The show is an online video blog about the game and events of that night. Carissa kept telling me that I should enter. I figured I'd never get picked, but I entered anyway. You had to write a short essay about why you should host the show and submit a photo of yourself. So, I banged out a little ditty and attached a photo of Hope, Carissa and I taken during a game in all our Ducks garb. A few days later, a call came in from 714 area code.

Hope is six months old. It seems like she has always been here, in a good way of course! I was thinking last night about all we have experienced and learned since she became part of the family...and there is so much more to go. Her personality and behavior patterns are starting to emerge and shine through daily. It's been a lot of work and many sleepless nights but I would not trade it for anything.