small life deltas

I had more blog posts this year than any other, which means it's a personal best year (PR)!  I've been thinking about how some years go by so quickly because you're looking forward to some event or trip and some go slowly as the changes are smaller or slower.  I'd like to coin these our life deltas (Δ life, if you will).  I feel like 2013 was a relatively small life delta (Δ life less than 1).  Especially since it abutted against the years 2011 (lost pumpkin and became pregnant) and 2012 (lost Albert and had Theo).  I am not a person who enjoys a slow and even life (though I wish I were).  I like constant change and excitement (even if it is exciting to only myself).  Years with a small life delta make me want to move to Iceland immediately. 

 (small) Life (Δ) Updates:
This Christmas, Natan requested that I purchase “no idiosyncratic Lee Pruett presents”.  I, therefore, immediately bought him tickets to hear the Chanticleers, an all-male chorus (symphony of voices), perform baroque and renaissance Christmas carols (along with a finale of soul-inspired classics).  AS ONE DOES!  It was such an awesome concert, that I think I will never get such a request again. While we were waiting for the concert to begin, I looked over and saw a girl we went to college with 15 years ago.  When I mentioned this to Natan, he didn’t believe me because “she looks much older than us”.  It was, of course, her and the strangest part is that she and Natan randomly met in Mexico in the year 2002, an event that neither of them remembered, but was one of the first things I mentioned to both of them.  I feel like my face recognition and memory-of-people-and-their-gossip are talents that should probably be utilized in some other way.  It is always a little embarrassing, though, to remember way more about people than they remember about you.

I’ve tried to get caught up on New Yorkers and there have been two articles in the past month on science—how the definition of extinction has changed over time and climate change/the demise of humanity.  When I read these articles in which the author defines words like anthropocene, I realize that I’m really lucky to get to think about science at work every day. I talk to teenaged girls about the anthropocene! And where trash goes!  And natural selection/evolution!  And nuclear/fracking/solar/wind/hydroelectric/coal/H fuels!  We talk about such topical concepts!  I already have the girls read a New Yorker article on invasive species in Florida, and now I have two more New Yorker articles to add to our class reading list.  This all makes me really stoked to go back to work next week (j/k, vacation forever).  

The Pruett-Ben-Yonatan household has been very exhausted this break, and I think it has to do with Theo’s developmental stage (almost two, full of whining, getting into everything, asserting himself and just generally being a lot of work).  Natan enjoys reflecting on how it might be easier if we weren’t “older” parents (though, honestly, I can think of nothing worse than having had a kid in the bloom of youth, when the world is full of excitement and possibility.  Let’s just say that I think we’re better parents now that we don’t feel like we’ve somehow missed something.)

This year was the first that I recreated the Christmas experience of my youth, and created a present display (from Santa) for Theo to wake up to. It was so exciting to be Santa Claus!

I think it was a success as he played contentedly for several hours with his new toys.  We did our normal Christmas stuff and had lots of food, coffee (my genetic test says it’s good for me!), chocolate and naps.   This was the sixth year that we’ve had Christmas with my extended family and I love it.  I think we might try to go to somewhere snowy next year.  This, the bay area’s driest year on record, is killing me.  I literally wake up in the morning thinking about rain.  For the first time in my life I feel like I can empathize with the Mayans and their reverence for Chaac.  A part of my daily routine is going to weather.com for the 10-day forecast (Still no rain predicted.  Drought conditions expected to continue.  What kind of post-apocalyptic nightmare is this?!).  I might have to take a celebratory day off of work for rain, should it ever come (sans human sacrifice).

This year, I added a little something to everyone's stocking!  MS DELTA FOREVER.

 

New kitchen from Santa (with pizza in the oven)!

  My parents, smiling.

 It's never too early for a martini.

My dad, the ham.

 

 A boy and his (soft) dinosaur (and beers of the world).

 My dad had many jokes about his value on the black market (do all families do this, or just mine?)

 Playing with his garbage truck amongst the chaos.

 Some serious gift analysis.

 Group shot.

I might have given Natan a viewfinder with pictures of our summer travels for Christmas (which Charlie is looking at). Clearly I cannot not give idiosyncratic gifts that one may or may not want.  Next year: coffee?

 Group shot at lunch (taken by Natan).

 Natan decided to get himself in there too.

Group shot taken by Melinda.

 Group shot taken by Natan.

Grandma and Theo admiring each other.

Finally, Theo helped me take a selfie.  I call it "Imbecile Selfie" for reasons that should be obvious.