christmas magic
The most magical thing happened to my daughter this Christmas. She met Santa (the real one) on Christmas Eve! Yesterday she told me the whole story. I wrote it down so we will never forget the Christmas she flew over the rooftops while the rest of us slept.
Well, I was sleeping and I heard a cracking noise and then I woke up and said, “is it morning?” then I jumped off my bed and ran to my window. I saw Santa! Then I ran downstairs and the reindeer were there. I called them by reindeer names. I went “Dasher, Prancer, Blitzen, Cupid, Comet and Donner and the famous reindeer is Rudolph and then I sang the song to them. You know, the Rudolph one (and then sings the whole song at the top of her lungs including the line ‘laugh and call him names like hukadouka’). And then Santa shouted, “Hello, girly!” and then when he was on the roof he rushed down the chimney and saw me waiting for him. And then I jumped up and gave him a big hug. I helped him collect all of the presents under the tree. I saw him get the air hockey table out of his sack and he asked me to help him carry it because he isn’t all that big. I was actually almost as big as him. So I said, “Sure” and then he lifted the left side up and I lifted the right side up and then we put it down right there (points to fireplace) and I said, “A little bit closer to the rug” and then he put it on the rug. Then I showed Santa the present that I gave to Mama. I tiptoed and opened your door and got it to show to Santa and then I put it back. Then Santa ate the cookies and milk how I eat them and then Santa said to me, “Want a sleigh ride?” and I said, “Yes!”. And then I went for 3 sleigh rides and then it was time for Santa to go so he dropped me off at home and I gave him a big hug and even a kiss and then he went “Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night” and I went blooming down the chimney and I was like, “whee!” and then I went to my bedroom and told it all to Susie-Bloozie (her favourite doll). I had all the treats in my belly from Santa and I ate too much treats so I had a tummy ache and then I went to wake up Daddy and I climbed into your bed. Then we went downstairs and opened all of our presents.
After she recounted this entire story, I whispered in her ear, “Did you really see Santa?”. She looked at me with a sneaky little grin and said, “I saw him. I really did!”.
noel
Merry Christmas from my family to yours!
Filed under Family, pictures | Comment (0)still
In this crazy season of GO and DO and GIVE and PREPARE (While I’m speaking specifically about Christmas, the sentiment could also apply to our current season of parenting), I find myself craving still moments. Tiny bits of space in my day. Silence.
More and more I am turning to creating as a way of making that space. Sometimes it’s knitting, others it’s taking pictures and hopefully soon it will be sewing (if I can ever find enough time to gather all of my supplies and get to work!). This month I learned how to knit in the round and have been making hat after hat after hat. There is something so soothing about the rhythmic click of my needles, counting stitches in my head, the yarn slipping through my fingers. After only a few stitches I can feel myself breathing a little more slowly. Even with all of my children playing around me, I can lose myself for just a minute in a round.
When my kids are doing this
the counter looks like this
and my dining room table looks like this
I can pretend it’s all good and just do this
which ends up looking something like this
Loving those moments of still!
Filed under Nothin' special | Comment (0)day three
Dear Daddy (please read that DAAAAAAA at the loudest volume my little voice can produce),
Today my sister was a very good girl so Mommy let her have a treat from her Halloween bag. She picked out a yellow sucker. I was not happy that she was eating the sucker in front of me and not sharing. Everyone in this family is supposed to share anything they are eating with me and she forgot the rules. At first I just stood in front of her and yelled for a while. When that didn’t work I decided to up my game and chase her around the family room.
I pulled at her clothes, her hands and even her hair trying desperately to get the yummy yellow sucker.
After a while I managed to knock her over onto your chair and then climb up her.
Eventually, I got that sucker.
I was so happy!
It was so tasty but it only lasted for a few seconds before I ate it all up. I tried to eat the stick but Mommy took it away from me.
I was so mad and started to cry and cry. Then she threw my favourite stick ever in the garbage. I threw myself on the ground and cried but she just laughed at me. I still wanted that stick so I went digging through the garbage to find it. When I couldn’t find it, I cried some more.
I wanted Mommy to know how mad I was so I pooped my pants so big it went running down my legs and up my back. I sure showed her. When she managed to get my poop covered clothes off and clean me up I squirmed away before she could put my diaper on. I ran away and hid behind a chair so Mommy let me go while she got some clean clothes for me. I was still mad about the sucker and mad that I had to wear a stupid diaper so I peed all over the chair and the floor.
Now Mommy knows that next time I want a sucker that she should give it to me right way AND let me eat the stick if I feel like it!
I miss you and I am very confused why you don’t come out of your office when I yell, “DAAAAA” up the stairs.
Come home soon!
Love,
Mr. Baby
Filed under Family, Kiddies, pictures | Comment (0)day 2
Dear Mr. T,
Was it really only yesterday morning that you left? It feels like at least a week. I miss you so much and the hole that you left is growing by the day. Boo-hoo-hoo!
The good news is that after the WORST. DAY. EVER. yesterday, today was a much better day. Not perfect (there was the colouring all over the tile at the back door 1.2 seconds after getting home from school incident and the random, stupid fall that left me with a golf ball sized lump under my elbow) but definitely good. Mr. Baby and I had a long tickle/wrestling session where he would push me over and then jump on top of me and laugh really, really hard. It was a lot of fun and I didn’t even mind that he got snot all over my freshly washed, black sweatshirt.
After school the kids walked home without fighting or dragging their feet and crying. Tuck did kick every single lump of snow between the school and our house but that was ok with me. Once the aforementioned crayon was cleaned up, they settled in and actually ATE the snack I made WITHOUT complaining. AND then they got ready for skating without any fighting or other ridiculous nonsense. We even made it to class on time with the right skates, mittens and extra snacks. Is it too early to hope that we are turning a corner?
After skating I treated the kiddies to Greek food. It was so much fun to sit and laugh with them over dinner. While we were talking, I discovered that Tuck is learning social studies in math class (I confirmed that and yes, it seems that social studies is a new mathematical technique), Beauty sometimes turns into a Barbie at lunch recess and her hair grows really, really long and that saying, “Oh my God how I love you” is the only time you are allowed to say OMG. Like I said, funny! While we were talking and giggling, Mr. Baby peppered the conversation with shouts of, “moooor” (meaning give me some fries woman!).
I had an equally amusing time when I tucked the kids in to bed tonight. Tuck and I made up a story about two Jedi Knights named Dr. Bum and Professor Fart which had him dissolving into one of his amazing giggle fits. I love when that kid laughs! Later I made up a song for Beauty that goes like this:
Pee goes in the toilet.
Pee goes in the toilet.
Not in your bed
and not on your head.
Not on the stairs
and not on Mommy’s chairs.
Not on the floors
and not in your drawers.
Pee goes in the toilet.
Even if you are rolling your eyes, it made her laugh!
It is late and I need to drag myself upstairs to our FREEZING cold bedroom (we seriously need to do something about that). I love you and miss you.
Always,
Rachel
P.S. Here is a rumpled baby and snow eating older brother.
day one
Dear Mr. T,
Right now you are on an airplane bound for the mountains, friends I miss and dreamy vanilla croissants (2 of which I hope will find their way home to me). I’m kind of jealous.
Last night after we chatted I had a glass of wine and some of those yummy dark chocolates you bought me. I think they will get me through the week just fine! The kids all slept really well and are in much better form this morning. I, however, slept like crap. Even though I was in bed by 10:20, I didn’t fall asleep until well after 1:00. Between the snow driving against our bedroom windows, the noises I only notice when you are gone and feeling incredibly COLD, I just couldn’t sleep. What’s a girl to do without her human blanket?
While you were boarding the plane this morning, I was extracting Mr. Baby from p.j.’s full of yesterday’s chili. I’m now reconsidering the leftovers I was planning for supper tonight! Now Tuck is at school, Beauty is reading book after book and Mr. Baby is sleeping.
We are well fed.
Rested.
Ready to tackle the day.
Today we are going to bake some Amish friendship bread. Wash diapers. Shovel the driveway. Make an advent wreath to replace the rather cheesy one I threw together last night.
Do some couch style Christmas shopping (I have my magic wand handy so everything will be free).
Watch the snow fall.
Count down the days until you get home.
I love you.
Always,
Rachel
Filed under First came love..., Kiddies, pictures | Comment (0)