Trying to find the energy to deal with my partner's family's 3 day long Christmas bullshit. The kids get to hang out with their cousins that they only get to see like twice a year so that's cool at least.

We probably also spent a bit too much on gifts this year after I had an autistic shutdown due to work and it rolled into a fight about buying gifts. I've tried to tell my wife about my views on buying frivolous gifts for family that they don't want or need and how I'd just rather buy myself something small or whatever, but she's a "gifts as a love language" person and so we don't quite jive well on that. An online autistic friend actually has the same feelings about gifts as me and he explained it to her from his perspective and I guess how he explained it made it click for her. It's funny because I've been trying to explain it for 13 years lol.

Everything is going to shit. My son has been having a strep induced autoimmune encephalopathy flairup, and attacking everyone including himself. Also, massive OCD symptoms, and he cannot tolerate me sitting or laying down in his sight. He attacked his little sister at one point. A pipe burst in the bathroom upstairs, so our kitchen ceiling got water damaged. Tonight right before bedtime, my son started throwing up constantly, so he has a stomach bug of some sort, I guess. Before he started throwing up he overflowed the toilet downstairs. Meanwhile, the laundry washer control panel is broken and the part won't arrive until Friday. We are so fucked.

We got a new stand-up freezer, so we're in food prep mode. Baby's coming in January!

Vacation is going well, I've woken up every day at 4am due to youngest still not fully adjusted to the time zone change. Its dry as hell out here and I'm drowning in lotion. Discovered that our oldest gets car sick, so that was a fun thing to find out. The flight was probably the worst I've had, my back was killing me after 5 hours of playing hot potato with the youngest. He made a lot of friends on the flight though lol. He likes to play peekaboo with anyone he can make eye contact with, and several people told us he was a charmer as we got off the flight. The kids are having a great time, so that's all that matters lol.

We saw a cool light show the other day, going to a zoo later for more lights, kids are getting spoiled with stuff even before Christmas, cloths mostly. Oldest is helping make cookies. Youngest is terrorizing the little dogs in the house (they like it, mostly). All in all its been good. I would be lying if I said I don't miss being home though heh. As much as its fucked up the kids routine, it's fucked up mine too lol. I'm definitely a home body.