Last weekend we went to Mammoth for a long weekend of snowboarding. It's an annual trip that we go on after every Christmas, but this year I kind of forgot that it was new year's eve because I've been so busy taking care of an extra bundle. Everything we do is generally all about Max and things like celebrating the clock striking midnight are on the back burner.
Our first day on the mountain was less than stellar. First of all, we did not think to arrange daycare in advance and didn't realize that it would be full months in advance. But there was a last minute cancellation on Fri., and we sent Max to the penguin playground in the small world daycare so Marc and I could enjoy a day on the mountain together.
On my first run, I was going really slow and a guy pommelled directly into me at about a hundred miles an hour. What a way to start the trip! After I got passed the dizziness and the pain, I was a little timid about the rest of the day. Last year was the first year I had not been skiing or snowboarding since I was completely off balance during pregnancy, and it took me a while to reacquaint myself with the snow. By the end of the day I was starting to have fun despite the soreness and intimidation.
When I finally started to find my groove, I got a call from Max's babysitter that he was having a meltdown and had not napped all day. So Marc and I made our way around the mountain to rescue our sad snowman. Once I finally got to him and peeled off all 6 layers of clothes it only took a few minutes to feed him and allow the milk coma to take effect. By the time we laid Max down in his slumber and we got back on the slopes, the day was almost over.
At sunset I recall saying, "Oh well, tomorrow is a new day". And someone said to me, "No, tomorrow is a new year!" And that's when I realized it was new years eve!
That evening I kind of forgot it was new year's eve again and could barely keep my eyes open after about 11pm. Max was wide awake--like he always is when we are traveling and off his regular routine--and of course I was busy taking care of him.
When I reached the point where I couldn't hold my head up any longer I took Max into the bedroom to lie down and breast feed him like I always do when I am ready for him to go to bed for the night. I had no concept of our friends in the next room pouring champagne and toasting to the new year until Marc came to find me and give me a new year's kiss. And then I blissfully slept into the new year!
The next day was AWESOME! I went snowboarding all by myself for four hours while Marc and Max hung out at the condo. I had a few friends on the mountain that day, but it didn't matter. I was in heaven the whole entire time. There were no lines for the lifts and it was the best snow I had experienced since the last time I went to Vail. I didn't even stop for the bathroom--I just went in my pants! Ok, not to that extent, but I didn't even stop for lunch or a coffee break like I normally would. I was happy to eat my smooshed peanut butter and jelly sandwich on the gondola on the way for another encounter with perfection.
That was one of my top favorite days of snowboarding of my whole life. Anyone who knows the feeling of freedom and serenity knows how magical that kind of day is like. You never want it to end and you won't be able to stop talking about it for the rest of the trip. 01-01-11 started off like it's going to be the best year ever!
When I wasn't snowboarding, I was toting my little polar bear around town and explaining to him that this would be at least one of our family trips every year. He loved eating the snow, but he hated how freezing cold his hand would get. I tried to teach him what the problem was but the poor little guy didn't make the correlation between the icy snow and his frosty fingers. I ended up having to bring snowballs inside the house for him to eat so he could stay warmer and continue eating this newly discovered phenomenon.
It was wonderful to have our sweet snow angel in Mammoth. We hope everyone had a happy new year's! This year really is going to be the best!!!
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