Merry Christmas 2011

Merry Christmas!

Lists and Learning

This is the first year the girls made lists for Christmas. It's hard for them to understand that the list is a wish, not an order. Not everything will be fulfilled.

Then, there's the torment of the packages.

The joy of giving is still in its foundling stages, not in full bloom, yet.

It's the hardest Christmas so far. And, perhaps, one of the most important.

The Day itself will be celebratory, but the lessons learned before and after will stick hard, I believe.

it's the middle of the night

Dear Roo,

It's 1am. You started sleep talking about half an hour ago. But now, I think you're wide awake. You probably woke yourself up with all the chatter. You do this a lot, you know? Em is a champ who sleeps through it all. I probably would, too, if I'd already been asleep. But, I can't sleep and now, I can't try to sleep. Because you're awake. What's the deal, Neil? Not enough hours of day to say everything you need to say? I'm not upset, though. A few years ago, I worried that you'd never speak.

I'm not worried anymore.

Love,

Mama

P.S. You're narrating stories right now. With loads of details and plot points. Maybe you dreamed a story that you just had to wake up to tell. Until your handwriting catches up with your brain, we might need to snag some dictation software. You have stories to tell, my sweet. Beautiful stories.

the one where I could have pulled out the embryo photos

True Story

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Me: So, if Miss J gets a dog, what kind of dog should she get? A loud one or a quiet one?

Roo: One that will not sniff me or lick me.

Roo: Really, she should just get a fish.

Roo: I think we should take Maggie and Mo back to Petsmart and get a fish instead.

Me: Maggie and Mo didn't come from Petsmart. Mo was rescued. She didn't have a place or a home at all.

Roo: Where did Maggie come from?

Me: She had a good home and family and a mom named Meg and a dad named Beck. They had a lot of puppies, so Maggie had a lot of brothers and sisters. When they were big enough, they were ready for families of their own. So, Daddy and I picked out Maggie and made her part of our family.

Roo: Did you and Daddy pick me and Em out?

{crickets}

Roo: Well?

Me: Um… God picked you out. {tiny voice} and so did Dr. H.

R: Whatever

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Overdrive

The girls' imaginations are in overdrive these days. I'm loving all the stuff they come up with.

This photo shows Roo in her "truck" with all her babies tucked up tight in the back seat. They were off to the store to buy snow globes.

put the breaks on the Christmas shopping

Roo has revised Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You".

All the words are the same until the end of the chorus which now goes... "all I want for Chwistmaaaaas... is mah se-elf!"

details

On my way to the kitchen this morning, Roo stopped me. She was extremely irate at the misprint in her children's Bible. Apparently she just noticed Abraham's name change from Abram.

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J has a newish toy. A remote control helicopter. None of the girls in the house are allowed to play with it. We may only admire his awesome flying of the thing.

Said helicopter has been missing for 48 hours.

After much interrogation, Roo admitted that she might know where it is. She "might" have hidden it. On the shelves. In the living room.

He still couldn't find it.

They chatted some more. She wouldn't be in trouble, but could she just tell him where.it.was. Well, sure she could, but maybe he could do her a favor. She began bargaining! Negotiating! A few of her toys are MIA. Maybe he could track those down for her or pick up a couple of new ones first, she suggested.

I found the helicopter tonight. Behind a framed photo of our family. On the shelf, right where she said it was. Hidden. Only a piece of the propeller peeked out.

Mornings

Of late, mornings around here consist of me being woken by someone asking if their outfit matches.

Before I've had a chance to drink my coffee, someone needs help with their accessories.

"Tie my scarf, please." "Have you seen my headband?" "I need my robot necklace."

As I'm making breakfast, their day is already underway. Roo, clad in a hat and cardigan, is writing a giant P.S.H. on a legal pad. It was supposed to be a T for technology, but she got distracted and wrote a P. So, what's a P word that rhymes with technology, she asks? I've got nothing.

The game changes. It's, now, a Pechnology Scavenger Hunt.

Has anyone seen a Pechnology anywhere?

kid slang

My new favorite things being said around here are mostly coming from Em.

Today we introduced them to 007 movies, the classics, and she referred to James Bond as a good "spyer".

Also, I love the way she uses "sneak" in a sentence. "Daddy, I'm gonna sneak you!" means I'm going to creep up and surprise you.

Roo also got in a good one with "race game" referring to the marathon that went through our neighborhood.

iDunno

My friend spammed me with this earlier this week and it made me chuckle...

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It all began with an iPhone...

March was when our son celebrated his 17th birthday, and we got him an iPhone. He just loved it. Who wouldn't?

I celebrated my birthday in July, and my wife made me very happy when she bought me an iPad.

Our daughter's birthday was in August so we got her an iPod Touch.

My wife celebrated her birthday in September so I got her an iRon.

It was around then that the fight started...

What my wife failed to recognize is that the iRon can be integrated into the home network with the iWash, iCook and iClean.

This inevitably activates the iNag reminder service.

I should be out of the hospital next week!!

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What made me really laugh was the exchange that took place afterwards:

Me: What's an iRon?

Her: Don't know... was hoping for an explanation. Been on Apple's site all day trying to buy one but can't find it. Let me know if you figure it out.

Me: If I find out, maybe the men in our lives would like one for Christmas.

Her: Yes! We will get two of these elusive iRons.

I'm pretty sure Roo and Em have no idea what an iRon is either. It's a different, permanent press kind of world now.

powerful

I had a headache today. It got worse as the day progressed. Tonight, I just stayed on the couch, still, while the girls had dinner with J.

Em finished before the others and came in to check on me. She covered me with her Nannie blanket, a fine crocheted masterpiece of prayers and baby soft yarn. Then, she laid her hands on my head and prayed for me. "...an help make my Mama all better. 'n Jesus, amen."

And I do feel better. A lot.

Powerful stuff, prayer. Even more so when it is delivered with the unshakable faith of a child.