My, How the Holidays Fly By, Especially When you Don't Keep Up With Posts

Wow, I've got a ton of catching up to do, not having posted since before Christmas. Let's see, the girls decorated the Christmas tree less than a week before Christmas, probably making this the latest I've gone with an undecorated tree in the house. But that wouldn't last long, because every time we put an ornament on the tree, Brigid took one off and continues to do so regardless of the many, many times we tell her she isn't supposed to take things off the tree. It wouldn't be so bad -- just annoying -- if she didn't pull them off, ripping the hooks, ribbons or whatever device is on them to secure them to the tree branches. She's oblivious to our reprimands. She just flits to something else until she flits right back to the tree again. Normally, we would put presents to other family members and friends under the tree prior to Christmas but not this year. We feared the worse.

I got most of my Christmas cards out on time this year; I have a few left to send after the fact, but that's pretty good for me. I shot the photo on Tuesday afternoon and when I went to pick it up at Wal-Mart, they grilled me for the copyright documentation. I said What?? I'm the photographer. They thought I photo shopped something or other, but I said, "Did you actually look at it?" It's cute, but it's not Ansel Adams. The girls' portraits were in, too, so the timing of the Christmas cards worked out very well.

The girls -- Margaret and Patricia -- managed to get through the last day of school before vacation with minimal angst. Patricia had a Secret Elf present exchange and I had to make a run out to the store for her final present on Thursday night. Then I remembered she had to bring in a fruit platter so at midnight I made a run to the grocery store to buy a fortune in fruit. But I remember what it was like to be a fifth-grader and wanted her last Christmas in elementary school to be special.

We did last-minute shopping over the weekend and I finally got started on the girls Christmas outfits Sunday night, finishing them up on Christmas Eve day. Typical MO for me, but for once I had everything wrapped ahead of time so there was no 2 a.m. Christmas Eve wrap session. Just a relaxing glass of Bailey's and Christmas music after ushering the girls to bed.

We went to Christmas Eve mass at 6 and then over to Grandma and Granddad Downs' house for the annual Christmas Eve extravaganza with Grandma's family. They were later than usually starting the buffet, so we actually got our meal hot and with everyone else this year. The girls got their pajamas as usual and put them on, which makes a lot of sense because they're all ready for bed when we get home from Grandma and Granddad's house.


Brigid had a rough night and spent a lot of it in bed with us, which meant I was particularly exhausted Christmas morning. But to their credit, Margaret and Patricia got up and watched TV until we got up about 9 a.m. We had a Fisher Price bouncy zebra set up and she ran right to it.

Then we opened our stockings first, another tradition. We then had breakfast before ripping into the things under the tree. It helps stretch out the morning. Brigid got into the idea of opening presents even if she didn't get the idea of what was inside the packaging. We got some wonderful things and had a great morning. Our tenant, Kathy, joined us as usual about 11:30 a.m. She is alone, and we invite her over to share a little Christmas morning with us. She's always been good to the girls and gives them nice gifts. The girls hung around in their pajamas most of the early part of the day. I had a very nice phone call from Grandma Wright and caught up on everything going on in the family. Margaret learned how to sew on the sewing machine as she finished a pair of pillows for Grandma Downs. Then it was back to the Downs' house on Grace Avenue for dinner. Granddad is a spectacular cook and we had standing rib roast and a whole range of accompaniments. But the thing that greeted us when we walked in the door was a huge rocking pony for Brigid. She ran to it, "Horsey! Horsey! Horsey!" Other gifts followed after dinner and then it was home to bed.

The girls and I did a little day-after shopping but we've spent some pretty mellow days hanging around. I'm on vacation until after New Year's, so it's nice not to have to do anything. Tomorrow night we have Fr. John coming to dinner so that will be a nice extension of Christmas. Margaret and Patricia will go to Grandma and Granddad's for an overnight Saturday.

Before I forget, I wanted to poste about Brigid's developmental milestone: She's using her imagination, pretending to feed us imaginary food -- there is a page in the Hop on Pop book (or Op Op Op book, as she says) where you are invited to Eat a Snack with Brown and Black. They're eating apples and bananas, hot dogs and sandwiches and drinking milk. She pretends to take them from the page and gives them to you to "eat." She's expanded her pretend to other things, too, often around the idea of eating imaginary food, though.

She is also becoming more aware of when she's going pee-pee. She'll stop and tell you, "Pee-Pees!" But she doesn't necessarily want to DO anything about it. At least she is aware. That's the first step. Unless, of course, she's telling you Pee-Pees! as it's running down her leg because she's somehow managed to get one tab of her diaper off and it's down around her ankle. Then it's something else indeed.