Saturday, December 25, 2004

Merry Christmas.

Upstairs Maria is waking from another nap. She has been awake more hours today than any other day in her life. She has been mostly content or at least consolable. She had a bath, and her hair curled in to shiney black, damp ringlets. We gave her two books and a dress for Christmas. She'll want to eat soon. She likes to eat, and sleep, and to be held close.

Max is playing with the Lego Knight's Castle that came from Santa. Santa came with many gifts. The families sent many gifts. There are gifts everywhere. Alex has been assembling lots of things for us, and Geoff has been trouble shooting new software and PC games. But Max is just playing. He can turn flags on the castle when it is seiged and taken over by the bad guys, and then just as simply the good guys can over turn everything and the castle reverts to goodness, and the flags are flipped back to show the dignified lion crest...

I thought I could say more, but Maria is ready for her dinner now. Things are normal, and quiet, and we are blessed and warm and safe, and there cannot be a better Christmas than when all is calm and bright like it is tonight.

Thursday, December 23, 2004


3 cousins.

Nicholas will be 5 years old in just a few days. He and Max helped take care of Maria, while everyone enjoyed a wonderful gathering in Deanne and James' home. The cousins were togther again last night for a few runs down the "snow" at The Wild Animal Park. (Free Advice: Go to WAP before winter break. The lines were ginormous last night.) I hope we can find some real snow this winter. Thinking of a cabin weekend, with genuine piney fragrance and hot cocoa. Making more cousin memories.

Sunday, December 19, 2004

Making Compromises



I can tell she is almost 3 weeks old. I recognize the way sleep deprivation is catching me in its unmerciful grip. I feel a bit on edge, a bit out of sorts, easily rattled, and really, really sleepy. The best solution: Hang in there for a year or two, and lower my expectations, a lot. Humor helps too.

It's nearly Christmas. I think I will let Pick Up Sticks prepare our Christmas Eve dinner, and that is a huge compromise for me. Geoff thinks it's a great idea. Is that a "guy" thing? I don't usually like to make sexist generalizations, but he seems completely at ease with not sending Christmas greeting cards, or his mom's gift being late to get to the post office, and he's happy having take-out Chinese food for our big family dinner, but I feel like a Martha dropout, a failure, Christmas AWOL.

We have had some horribly un-PC discussions about our ever-gray tree. It is so parched and brittle we fear it may spontaneously ignite. So, we made a short list of options which includes: Buy a second tree. Very shameful idea to kill two trees in one year, also costly and time consuming. Other idea is to find out whether flocking a tree provides fire retardant benefits. Our gray tree might be protected and festively snow white. Tacky? Perhaps.

We need gift wrap, and I still aspire to mail Christmas cards, but Papaya is falling asleep, and I think I should join her.