Christmas - Photos

Makayla's first gingerbread house.



Makayla and Daddy waiting to see Santa.

Makayla opening presents from aunts, uncles and cousins - Christmas Eve, 2007

Makayla opening presents on Christmas Eve, 2007

Christmas Eve, 2007

I love Nemo!

Christmas Eve, 2007

Makayla was thrilled to learn that Santa left her a Dora ATV.

Christmas gift from Mom and Dad - her very own Dora digital camera.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays!

Dreaming of a White Christmas

Despite my busy schedule these past few weeks, I have been eagerly waiting for Christmas day. The snow has finally arrived in T.O. and I'm hoping for more snow on the 25th of the month. Makayla has been asking to go outside for some ice-skating and snowman-building. She is often seen dancing around in my parents' living room with my mom as the sounds of Christmas tunes pump out of my mom's old school record player. And she keeps asking to see "my friend" Santa so she can tell him exactly what she wants for Christmas.

I can't think of anything that I want or need for Christmas. This holiday is more about seeing the smiles and hearing the squeals of delight from loved-ones as they open their presents. And while I must admit that part of me is living vicariously through my daughter - the gifts I have ear-marked for her are the very gifts I wanted when I was a child - I want this time of year to be as magical for her as it was for me when I was a little girl. Seeing my daughter's eyes light up at the sound of Christmas songs and her delight at the thought of decorating our Christmas tree, I know I have accomplished that.

Of All Nighters and Coffee Breaks

My practice has picked up quite a bit. I haven't been paid substantial retainers but I find fulfillment in knowing that I am helping someone. A mere "thank you" makes up for much of the virtual "pro bono" work that I find myself doing.

With an increased workload and a looming deadline to file documents at the Federal Court, I find myself pulling all-nighters. Reminiscent of my college and law school days, I find myself sitting at my desk in our home office, the light from the desk lamp providing heat on a very cold winter night. I'm clad in very unsexy but comfortable pyjamas, a cup of increasingly cool coffee in my hands. While most people balk at the thought of pulling an all-nighter, I have found that I do my best work during the early morning hours, when everyone else is fast asleep in bed. My intellectual juices flow freely, undoubtedly assisted by my caffeine intake, and I am less distracted by well-meaning loved ones who come into my home office to ask me questions ranging from whether I have eaten to where my daughter's favourite cup was last seen. I can work without worrying that neither my daughter nor my husband require my attention. I can sit here and not worry that my daughter will ask me to play with her or ask me why it gets dark at night.

In college, I actually looked forward to doing all-nighters. I usually managed to get actual work done but my friends did jokingly refer to my "studying" all night as "sleeping, mouth agape, with an open book on my lap."

I guess part of me enjoys doing all-nighters now because they remind me of my college days. And I smile every time I think of those days, when life was much simpler and care-free.