Maybe I need one of those UV lamps or something?

A few updates:

• Our vacation was FANTASTIC. Everyone needed a little time in the sun and the heat. 
• It's SNOWING here at home. It's COLD. I HATE WINTER. BLEH. :/

Ok, no more whining. I promise. :) Now, back to my list:

• Suddenly, it's birthday season. Two of my students have had birthdays recently, so I have a book for each of them when I see them in our lessons on Monday.We were invited to two different birthday parties this Sunday, as well as my JCC Moms' group's holiday party. Sadly, we're skipping out on Smash's friend's 1st birthday (although we did get him a great gift!) and instead going to the holiday party and my niece's 3rd birthday party later in the afternoon. I'm bracing myself for a chaotic day.
• We are hosting a New Year's Eve party at our house for our closest friends. It still amounts to about 10 people, but at least it's a potluck! I'm excited to not have to do any cooking. The party was originally supposed to be at our friends' place, but plans changed and we were left without a babysitter for Sam. We decided to move the party a few weeks ago to our place instead, and thankfully no one had a problem with that.
• I finally finished The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Nightfall. And THANK GOODNESS. What a piece of contrived magical crap. 600 pages of nonsense later, I am done. And I don't really want to read the next book. I kind of want to give up on this series.
• Instead, I've finished the first two books in the Hunger Games trilogy. All I can say is, HOLY CRAP THIS IS INTENSE. Everyone should read this immediately. I can't wait to finish the final book. I'm 2 chapters in right now.
• Smash has his first tooth!!! His right bottom front tooth cut through while we were in Mexico, and the left one is right behind it, but hasn't emerged yet. We're still excited. :)
• Another new milestone for Smash is his ability to pick up pieces of food and feed himself. I've been anticipating this moment for months, and I love that he can finally do it now.
• By the way, as of yesterday, Smash is 9 months old. :)
• I am still breastfeeding, somehow. I'm getting a little tired of it, though, to be honest. The older he gets, the more he fidgets around and tries to play and sometimes bites me...a lot of times it's not the calm, mutually pleasant experience it once was. I plan on nursing him through his first year, but my supply has dwindled down to just enough for his feedings and not much more, so I've stopped pumping. I'm strangely ok with it. It's pretty nice to not be a slave to my pump anymore. Also, my tutoring schedule has shifted around some, so now there's no need to have a bottle on reserve for him while I'm out. These are all good things--for me, mostly.

Ok...I've got to go wrap my students' presents as well as my Secret Santa recipient's gift for the JCC holiday party, tend to Smash once he wakes up from his nap, and prepare the house for when our friends come over for game night tonight. I'm looking forward to Taboo, Game of Life, and maybe some Nintendo Monopoly. :D:D:D:D:D