Based on this year's Christmas just past, I can think of a few bits and pieces of advice I need to follow for next year.
First-dont ever have surgery the week before Christmas if you can help it. It will give you the worst case of the bahumbugs you can imagine. You cant enjoy all the food, you dont feel like partying, and all you want to go back to bed. The only pair of pants that fit are sweats.
If you extend an olive branch to the biological parent, be prepared for them to take it up. My Grandsons Mother has been calling frequently. He's fine with it. Im struggling.
Not only can family gatherings be difficult with everyone in the same same room, problems can start weeks in advance now that they are all connected on facebook.
If you make cookies too far in advance (1 or 2 weeks), either freeze them or hide them really really well, because otherwise they will be gone. And if you get your gifts ahead of time, dont hide them really really well, or you will have to do last minute shopping anyway.
Dont put the kid to bed early on Christmas Eve because Santa is coming and its going to be a big day tomorrow. He will be up at 5:00 am, fully rested, while you, who stayed up searching for hidden presents that need to be wrapped are not bright eyed and bushy tailed.
When the neon remote control shark scares the cat-dont let the kid and Papa continue to chase him with it. The cat will only retaliate by chewing on the cords of every electronic device in the house including the new Wii Skylanders portal, the computer, and the tree lights.
And dont forget, all those decorations you put up before Christmas, before you were on 6 weeks of restrictions, still have to be taken down and put away somehow.
But what did happen that made this Christmas Great? My adult children stepped up and made it happen anyway. And I owe Papa big time for taking over the rest of the days. This much I know---------I am truly blessed.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Thursday, December 27, 2012
AND SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS
Written last year in 2011 right after Christmas.
7:00 am. CAN I GO UPSTAIRS NOW? Thats the same thing he asks every morning, and believe it or not, he forgot what this morning was. Briefly. Only until he hit the top step. Every package he opened he would say OH I HOPE THIS IS AN I-PAD. That is all he ask for. No way could we afford one, but my Mom gave us the money for a Kindle Nook. He only wanted it for the Angry Birds anyway. When the ripping and thank you's were over, Papa and I sat down and realized, without this little boy, what would we do on an early Christmas morning? Sleep in? Get together with the other kids and have breakfast after they had their family time? With Holden, our Christmas is still special and magical here at home for a few more years. And who we are because of this is special. Because we are different than other couples our age. We do not have the luxury of "our" time. But there is not a place for selfishness either. We give our all for Holden. We hold nothing back. Did I get a gift this year from Papa? Do I really care? No, and neither does Papa, because there was so much joy in watching that little boy open his gifts from Santa. And we know we did good, because he did not ask where his Mommy was. He had everything he wanted right here with us. And that means "Life is Good."
GRANDMA, I WISH EVERYDAY WAS CHRISTMAS. DONT YOU? Ummmm, let me think about that a moment.
7:00 am. CAN I GO UPSTAIRS NOW? Thats the same thing he asks every morning, and believe it or not, he forgot what this morning was. Briefly. Only until he hit the top step. Every package he opened he would say OH I HOPE THIS IS AN I-PAD. That is all he ask for. No way could we afford one, but my Mom gave us the money for a Kindle Nook. He only wanted it for the Angry Birds anyway. When the ripping and thank you's were over, Papa and I sat down and realized, without this little boy, what would we do on an early Christmas morning? Sleep in? Get together with the other kids and have breakfast after they had their family time? With Holden, our Christmas is still special and magical here at home for a few more years. And who we are because of this is special. Because we are different than other couples our age. We do not have the luxury of "our" time. But there is not a place for selfishness either. We give our all for Holden. We hold nothing back. Did I get a gift this year from Papa? Do I really care? No, and neither does Papa, because there was so much joy in watching that little boy open his gifts from Santa. And we know we did good, because he did not ask where his Mommy was. He had everything he wanted right here with us. And that means "Life is Good."
GRANDMA, I WISH EVERYDAY WAS CHRISTMAS. DONT YOU? Ummmm, let me think about that a moment.
Monday, December 10, 2012
SOMETIMES I TRY TO REMEMBER
WRITTEN JUNE 3, 2010
Sometimes I try to remember what it was like to sleep until I woke up on my own, when I poured a cup of coffee in the morning and sat out on the back deck watching the deer. Sometimes I try to remember what it was like to get in the car and just go, without packing snacks, water, change of clothes,books, and switching car seats. How long has it been since we picnicked at the river with friends without worrying how deep the water is or how close we are sitting to the bank. Have I slept a full night since my first baby was born? What did it feel like to be totally alone in a clean house, or alone with my husband? I remember conversations about when we retire these are the things we want to do. When I couldnt wait to be Grandparents, spoiling a brood of children, having special days and sleepovers.
Someone told me last weekend that she thought it was a healthier sign that I do question how am I ever going to do this for the next 15 years.
But then I look down at this little man curled up beside me in my bed, Wonder Pets on TV, and I know this much is real. I watched my friends this weekend, taking their time, sleeping late, sitting out by the campfire after dark, and for a moment I was envious. Until I realized,how many times did someone curl up with them today, put their arms around them, and simply say, I LOVE YOU, over and over, all day long. It may not be the future I envisioned, but, what I have is so much more.
Sometimes I try to remember what it was like to sleep until I woke up on my own, when I poured a cup of coffee in the morning and sat out on the back deck watching the deer. Sometimes I try to remember what it was like to get in the car and just go, without packing snacks, water, change of clothes,books, and switching car seats. How long has it been since we picnicked at the river with friends without worrying how deep the water is or how close we are sitting to the bank. Have I slept a full night since my first baby was born? What did it feel like to be totally alone in a clean house, or alone with my husband? I remember conversations about when we retire these are the things we want to do. When I couldnt wait to be Grandparents, spoiling a brood of children, having special days and sleepovers.
Someone told me last weekend that she thought it was a healthier sign that I do question how am I ever going to do this for the next 15 years.
But then I look down at this little man curled up beside me in my bed, Wonder Pets on TV, and I know this much is real. I watched my friends this weekend, taking their time, sleeping late, sitting out by the campfire after dark, and for a moment I was envious. Until I realized,how many times did someone curl up with them today, put their arms around them, and simply say, I LOVE YOU, over and over, all day long. It may not be the future I envisioned, but, what I have is so much more.
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