Merry Christmas

I've sat here staring at my blank computer screen for a while now - trying to come up with the perfect things to say about Our Christmas.... I've been staring for quite some time... Seems I can't just wrap it up with a few cute magical (er, shallow) things to say...

So picture the scene: try to envision me at the computer typing this, with bad breath and a itchy, hairy dog at my feet:

I am dressed in Jaguars Flannel Pajamas that I got for Christmas... love them... the boys keep running in, vying for my attention, which has turned into a game: I yell, "RRAARR!" and David yells back, "Louder!" so then I give it all I've got, "GGGGGRRRRAAAARRRRRR!!!!" Matthew's eyes will pop wide open, he then looks at David to see if he should be scared or not. Then David shrieks like a little Donkey Girl Scout and runs out of the room on his hands and knees and Matthew looks back at me to see if I am really THAT scary. I'll simply shrug, which sends him running out of the room LAUGHING like a little Donkey Girl Scout, while trying to imitate David's girly, high-pitched screams...and then they both fall down in the living room and come running back for more.

.

We keep doing this over and over and it keeps getting louder and louder... (Michele is in the other room, turning up Law 'n Order louder and louder)

One time they came running in, they sat down and I tried to be funny. As they waited for my loud boisterous scream, their big eyes locked into mine, waiting... I quietly whispered "Boogie Woogie Oogie" to see what they would do... David cocked his head to the side, like," Huh?" and Matthew, who never lost eye contact with me, stuck his finger up his nose... at first I was confused... he's not even two years old... I didn't get it... Then I suddenly burst out with such a laugh, that they both ran into each other and fell down on top of each other, not knowing whether to laugh or cry..."Boogie? Booger?"

(Matthew, Where's your Eyes? Where's your Chin? Where's your Boogers?)

So I'm thinking, kiss that magical, er, shallow perspective of Our Christmas good-bye... I'm having a blast making my boys jump and scream and laugh like little donkey girl scouts. This is what being a family is all about.

.

We're driving Mom crazy.

Merry Christmas

Christmas Nativity

Above our Nativity Scene are 5 Christmas Balls.

Dad, Mom, Josh, David & Matthew.

.

Christmas Magic - The REAL Version

REALITY

Ok. Me? A little defensive? Whatever.

I was told my Christmas Magic post came across "sappy and forced." Did you think so too?

I actually liked the magical aspect and the touching perspective I wrote from.

But I've been told my gift is writing Humorously... (you mean Shallowly?)

Ok then. Reality. Christmas Magic. As it really happened.... kind of... here's a sarcastic snapshot into our lives on Sunday Morning, decorating our Christmas tree...

Dadman had a headache and diarrhea. Woke up to a crying child at 6:30 am. Coffee didn't even taste good. Fed the kids. Fed the dog. Fed the kids again a second time because they never like what I give them the first time...Mom sleeps peacefully with the door shut, with sugar plums dancing over her freaking blissful head.

Youngest child continues to cry and has green snots coming out of his nose.

Dadman watches Sportscenter to appear knowledgeable at work on Monday.

David eats a Bologna & Cheese Sandwich for breakfast.

We have all day... aaahhh... wouldn't it be great to decorate the tree "TONIGHT, Not right now? Wouldn't it, wouldn't it?" says a very lazy Dadman.

"Nobody is going to tell me what to do and when I can do it," says a defiant Dadman to a particularly uninterested boy staring blankly at a SpongeBob cartoon...

It appears a particular Mom can read a particular Dadman's thoughts, even in her sleep...

So Mom wakes up. We are NOT waiting until later to decorate the tree. Crying Child is sent back to bed. David changes into matching pajamas for the camera. Dadman empties the garage of the Christmas boxes and totes. A particular Dadman desperately wants a beer.

David begins to hang the bulbs.

It's like a WWF Headliner: "5-Year-Old-Curious-George-Pajama-Boy versus The Old OCD Parents!"

Screaming ensues. "Spread them out!" "No not There!" "More Silver Balls to the back!" "Higher!" "No, Lower!" "David, they are all grouped in one spot-what are you thinking?" "Are you even looking at what you are doing?" "No, let me hand them to you!" "David, come on now, you know that they don't bounce - go get a dust pan!" "Ruby, get away from there!" "David, get your father a beer!"

Mom stands in the kitchen, knowing she can't enter the ring. She never completes a directive: "David, Not ther...." "David, put it over th..." "David, there's an opening near th..." "Let your Father hel....." And then, "I can't take this anymore, how do you do this every year? I'd become a clock-tower sniper!" "This is why they invented Bloody Mary's!"

And then after about 13 beers (please know I am kidding), 14 broken bulbs (please know I am being sarcastic), and one partridge in a pear tree, (what the heck does that mean anyway?) Dadman realizes the need for pictures, which means a whole new line of screaming ensues, both at David to pose properly and at Mom to angle the pictures properly and then, OMG what were you thinking "making me look like that?"

This particular Dadman's face is bright red, blood pressure is hovering 198/140 and I just know the sleeping child is about to wake up, walk out and pull the decorated tree over on top of his head because David put all the pretty silver balls within his 19-month-old-reach...

The tree stand leaks... the Angel leans forward... Bulbs fall and shatter in the night....(please know that most of them really are unbreakable plastic and only roll under the couch out of our reach until January 13th, when we take the tree down)

But you know what?

Just before David caught himself from falling off the arm of the couch and into the tree trying to hang the very last ornament...he smiled and sincerely said "It's the best Christmas ever..."

That's the magic I'm talking about...

It's pretty sneaky stuff, that Christmas Magic, huh?

.

Christmas Magic

Christmas Magic

It's sneaky.

It can't be December.

We don't want it to be December already.

Even the meaningful things in life feel so far away...like family...

...or a sufficient bank account balance...

It can't be December...

And yet...something happens.....

Something Magical happens....and you wish you could capture it on film, something that will last, just one picture, that takes you out of yourself and into the eyes of a child....

And then you realize...you are watching...already watching through the eyes of your own child.

...through the eyes of your own child...

I'm thinking the spirit of Christmas Magic, is the Christmas Magic.

..and how it sneaks up on you...

.