AutismWonderland: Babies and Tigers and Trains

Before I became a mother, I had absolutely ZERO interest in holding babies. Babies just weren't my thing. Now? I can't get enough of them. So when my friend brought her 6 month old baby girl into the office this week (dressed in a super cute holiday outfit - you know the kind? Red and velvet with white tights!) I could not resist.

For 10 wonderful minutes I held this chunky little bundle in my arms. She smelled of baby lotion, formula and spit - it doesn't sound pleasant but it all works together somehow. And then she started to cry. Because that's what babies tend to do.

Best part of baby holding - I got to hand her back to her mother.
Worst part of baby holding - Realizing that my baby is too big to fit in the crook of my arm.

We had our department holiday party this week. I don't talk about my job often here - social media policy and all - but I have to say just these 2 little things. My company/department is really great about holiday parties - they try to include the family as much as possible. This year, I pulled The Boy out of school so that he could attend. Well...he had a blast!

He got his face painted.

THE BOY GOT HIS FACE PAINTED! He's never ever allowed anyone to paint his face. And here he is - with his WHOLE FACE painted! And he loved it. The Boy kept running into the bathroom, "I need to look in the mirror." And he'd stand in front of the mirror, touching his face and smiling.

The Boy was also fascinated with the amazing holiday display. He wasn't interested in making gingerbread cookies or the musician or eating. All he wanted was to look at the trains. From every single angle. We spent most of the late afternoon here. I didn't care - I just wanted him to have a good time.

If you read my Friday Fragment from last week, you know that I decided to take the spring semester off from graduate school. There's just too much I want to do. And I could use the break. But I'm planning something new & exciting here for 2012 -

Coming Soon ~ January 2, 2012

The 1st Monday of the Month Meme

Hope you'll link up!