Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Christmas Highlights
Christmas Eve we got a little more dressed up. I got to wear a beautiful plum velvet hat my stepmother found for me (she's in New York--not much demand for them here in the desert and I didn't want to drive to Flagstaff to look!).
I wish I had the picture of this one...we sat with our best friends at services and there were so many of us that we overflowed the pew! It was funny to reflect that the first Christmas we spent with them we only had two children each--although my friend was expecting number three.
Instead of my "Martha" feast on Christmas Eve, we met other friends at our old church and had pizza and Christmas cookies. It was fun and tasty--and not a dish to wash. Perfect.
Other Highlights:
There were WAY too many gifts under the tree (and we haven't even "done" the holiday with one side of the family). I called my sister to ask if people were overcompensating because of the year my kids have had. Her answer? "I know WE did!"
The baby learned to open packages this year. He would rip off the paper and gleefully yell, "Tah-dah!" and show us his presents. He even got excited about socks! Despite his usual HIGH sensory overload level, he was able to sit in a booster chair in the living room and actually play with his toys for 10-15 minutes at a time. That was a huge blessing for his tired parents!
My princess spent the day in a tiara and earrings from a neighbor, a bike unitard from her sister, and a pair of pig slippers! She told me in an awed voice, "I got everything on my list" (thank goodness, it was a short list). On Christmas morning (before presents were opened :-) ). she told me that she'd happily throw all of her presents in the trash if it meant that Mommy wouldn't have to do chemo again.
My son was so thoughtful in his gifting of his sisters...he gave up a huge amount of his hoarded gift cards to buy his oldest sister a hardcover copy of a book she wanted. He got a DS Lite from Reene and Mr. Billy and thought it was his, his, his...until Mom got a copy of Brain Age (to battle chemo brain, LOL) and big sis got a game and the accessory pack for the gizmo. Now he's talking about saving up to buy his sister and I one to share. Ahh...the spirit of the season!
My oldest was so sweet and generous...she emptied her piggy bank to gift all of us. I loved the way her gifts for me were designed to bring me comfort during my next round of chemotherapy. She decided that liked being older and "getting smaller packages"!
My husband has been working nonstop to get us ready for this move--and while I can help some, the brunt falls to him. I was blessed to see all of his hard work, and to be able to answer "A house!" when people asked me what he got me for Christmas this year. The downside was that he was tired...when he took a rare break to play with one of the kid's Christmas gizmos, he missed the baby stealing a cookie, sitting down right next to him, and gleefully feasting on forbidden fruit, um chocolate.
I felt the effects of post chemo-brain as I had purchased and wrapped all of our gifts before the treatments. I could NOT remember how many gifts were under the tree for our oldest OR what we had purchased her! I just told her to keep looking and that we'd enjoy finding out together. I also realized that I have officially become my mom--I pulled out my sewing machine on Christmas day and "whipped up" a set of bags to hold the youngest's new toys. Why don't all children's toys come packaged in containers? Wouldn't it be better than all of the wrapping and twist ties?
We had a wonderful, bittersweet afternoon and evening with our best friends. We ate a ham that my sister's in-laws gifted us with and watched the kids play and "put on shows" for us (did you know my princess has a fierce catwalk strut? I didn't!). The finale was a chocolate fondue fountain.
After tucking in overtired children, I realized that my husband and I hadn't completed our usual tradition of snuggling on the couch and enjoying the lights on the tree (I was hospitalized when our tree went up this year, and we usually do it that night). Since the tree came down the day after Christmas (all the better to show the house), we wrapped up the night taking time to enjoy our last Phoenix Christmas tree together.
Hope your Christmas was blessed as well.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...
How cute are they? Thanks to my Mom...the cousins have matching ones, too, and I can't wait to see them all dressed up together, even if my oldest does die of embarrassment during the process.
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