Off to a Good Start!

So far, 2012 is treating my little family well. We got home in time for lunch together on Tuesday afternoon, and Thursday I had to drive out to Sacramento for an early-morning urology appointment at Shriners on Friday. C passed her tests with flying colors! I wasn't particularly worried about her bladder and kidneys after her vesicoureteral reflux resolved a few years back, but it was comforting to have confirmation that the condition hasn't recurred.

Classes don't start back up for a couple of weeks, so I have some time to play catch-up around the house and with work stuff before my schedule fills up again. C's school starts Monday, and I'm looking forward to getting her back into a steady routine. She had a great time with the vacation and our trip to Sacramento, basically running amok and sleeping where and when she chose. She also ate a half-gallon tub of shortbread cookies over 3 days, which may seem like bad mothering until you take into consideration that this is a child who is severely underweight and whose pediatrician and nutritionist have recommended giving her as many calories as possible in any form she'll eat, provided that she still gets the bulk of her nutrition from Pediasure. She gained 0.6lbs in two weeks. I'm pretty pleased, and thinking I need to find a recipe for shortbread cookies! ;)

My favorite meal of our trip, despite several great meals, was the luxurious small plate offerings at Barleyswine. I can't recommend that place enough to anyone in or visiting the Austin area, and I will be sure to visit it on each trip home. I doubt I'll ever forget that meal! My favorite moment of the trip would normally be Christmas Eve, surrounded by my enormous extended family, sitting on the carpet in my grandparents' great room, singing Christmas carols with my aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, and all the other kiddos... I mean, really, that's a hard moment to beat! But no, something else managed to squeeze in and take the glory. My favorite moment of the trip was when hubby, who absolutely REFUSES to dance, danced with me in the hotel elevator on our anniversary night. It was a glass elevator, so our dancing was visible to all, and we danced to the music floating up from the hotel lobby below. Even when someone got in the elevator with us, he didn't stop dancing. Those are the moments that take your breath away. :)