Illuminated by the soft, pink-hued glow of hundreds of red and white Christmas bulbs, she calls, “More, again!” and throw up her arms towards Santa and his Winter Wonderland on the roof. The ferris wheel spins, the seesaw tips, the reindeers look back and forth and Santa, on cue, starts singing and swaying, standing tall against the night sky, showering the sidewalk below with familiar classic melodies of the season. She, in turn, starts her self-appointed role of dance partner, harmonizer and neighborhood greeter.
It has become a nightly ritual: dressed in her small pink coat, warm printed tights, coordinated dress and fleece boots, topped by the pink hat, she rides her carriage to the appointed corner and commands a seatbelt release. On cue, she high steps and jumps, hops and jives, twirls the skirt of her coat and marches up and down with her hands pressed together in the small of her back. The neighbors pass by in their nightly routines, to smile and comment on her evolving ritual--each night is a bit fancier and grander than the previous.
The air is quiet and cold, save Santa’s singing, and her occasional “Merry Christmas” and “Ho, Ho, Ho” to chime in with Santa’s song. She triggers the sensor again and again to continue the dance, never tiring.
Every evening, before bed she asks, “Go outside, see Santa, please, mom?” And every evening, until Santa retires for the season, I will take her, trying to savor and save the experience, never tiring of watching the dance of complete joy, staged on a sidewalk corner by a two-year old swathed in pink.
Posted by The Editor.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
2010 Project
New Year’s Eve is almost here. Another year has slipped through the hour glass. Where does the time go? I am not one for New Year’s resolutions…but I do love me a good project. What will my project be for this year? Hmmm….
Marlo is 15 months and Joy is 4. My home is a wreck. Things that should be placed are piled. Piles turn into permanent fixtures. The permanent fixtures begin to take on a life of their own. I have a really good memory…just not for anything useful. This “talent” certainly comes in handy in the “Babe/Mommy, where is the/my/a ________?” I just go into the corners of my mind and visualize whatever is being searched for and locate it. The kids think I’m part magic. Hubs thinks I’m part bewitched. We’re just going to let them think that. They don’t need to know that I am part crazy mixed with useless information. But anyway, this brings me to my 2010 New Year’s Project:
I am going to print out a calendar. Each night, after the usual daily tasks are done but before I fall into my nightly semi-sleep haze, I am going to devote 20 minutes to a chosen task. This will include things like, ‘organize the junk drawer’ (there are 17 of these in my house—at least there are 17 that I know of—there could be more, I just haven’t found them yet), ‘straighten the cupboard under my bathroom sink’ (sounds simple…until I let you in on a little secret…this cupboard is where the girls love to do their own organizing, daily, as I am attempting to get ready for the day), and ‘simplify the office’ (as in, throw away scraps of paper that have very important information on them that I cannot decipher—and haven’t been able to for the past five years). I intend to organize, straighten, clean and simplify my way through 2010, or at least make myself crazy trying! (Crazy isn’t really that bad…it makes you kind of dangerous in a “let’s indulge her because we don’t know how she’s going to react” kind of way.)
Hopefully by 2011 I will have my life a little more back on track. At the very least I hope to have a few less larger-than-life piles of stuff taking over my home. At the very most I hope to have a few more drawers, a little less chaos, and a little more peace/piece of mind. If this doesn’t work you can visit me in the local psych ward.
Here’s to finding yourself a New Year’s Project for 2010!
Posted by The Editor for Busy Body.
Marlo is 15 months and Joy is 4. My home is a wreck. Things that should be placed are piled. Piles turn into permanent fixtures. The permanent fixtures begin to take on a life of their own. I have a really good memory…just not for anything useful. This “talent” certainly comes in handy in the “Babe/Mommy, where is the/my/a ________?” I just go into the corners of my mind and visualize whatever is being searched for and locate it. The kids think I’m part magic. Hubs thinks I’m part bewitched. We’re just going to let them think that. They don’t need to know that I am part crazy mixed with useless information. But anyway, this brings me to my 2010 New Year’s Project:
I am going to print out a calendar. Each night, after the usual daily tasks are done but before I fall into my nightly semi-sleep haze, I am going to devote 20 minutes to a chosen task. This will include things like, ‘organize the junk drawer’ (there are 17 of these in my house—at least there are 17 that I know of—there could be more, I just haven’t found them yet), ‘straighten the cupboard under my bathroom sink’ (sounds simple…until I let you in on a little secret…this cupboard is where the girls love to do their own organizing, daily, as I am attempting to get ready for the day), and ‘simplify the office’ (as in, throw away scraps of paper that have very important information on them that I cannot decipher—and haven’t been able to for the past five years). I intend to organize, straighten, clean and simplify my way through 2010, or at least make myself crazy trying! (Crazy isn’t really that bad…it makes you kind of dangerous in a “let’s indulge her because we don’t know how she’s going to react” kind of way.)
Hopefully by 2011 I will have my life a little more back on track. At the very least I hope to have a few less larger-than-life piles of stuff taking over my home. At the very most I hope to have a few more drawers, a little less chaos, and a little more peace/piece of mind. If this doesn’t work you can visit me in the local psych ward.
Here’s to finding yourself a New Year’s Project for 2010!
Posted by The Editor for Busy Body.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Stumps's Birthday Story
One of our family traditions is that I tell each child the story of their birth on their birthday. Obviously, it does not have all the details, but they love to hear it over and over and over. This is the stuff their legends are made of. And this is the story for Stump, who turned five on Christmas Day this year:
The night before you were born, the house was full of family for Christmas Eve celebrations. About 8 o’clock, I got really sleepy and my sister said, “You’d better take a nap because that baby might be coming soon.” I really couldn’t keep my eyes open so I went to lie down and when I woke up, everyone was leaving to go home, except Gigi and The Norwegian.
We all went to sleep and about 2 o’clock in the morning, I got up and woke Daddy up to tell him it was time to go to the hospital because our baby was coming. I also woke up Gigi to tell her that we were leaving. I peeked into Bubba’s room to whisper “Merry Christmas” and then we got in the big truck and drove to the hospital. We waited and waited. Your aunts came to wait with us and we waited some more. Finally, at dinnertime, you arrived and they put you in my arms and I said “Oh, my sweet baby, here you are.”
Then you went with Daddy to get your little hat and shirt and I went to my room where they brought me a little boxed Christmas dinner -- I was starving--and then they brought you to me. All the relatives and Daddy went home to finish Christmas and get some rest too. We were alone in the room and it was very quiet that Christmas night. I made a little nest for you in the pillows beside me and we snuggled and slept but you wouldn’t open your eyes and look at me. I got up and turned out all the lights and opened the curtains a crack for a little bit of light. THEN, you opened one eye and then the other to peek at me and I said, “Oh, my sweet baby, there you are.”
The next day, lots of relatives came to visit and Gigi and The Norwegian brought Bubba to meet you. He wasn’t yet two and was more interested in the buttons on the bed than the tiny baby in my arms. The day after that, Daddy took us home in the big truck and it was a cold and gray day but in the driveway was a bundle of bags with balloons welcoming you home. Our neighbor had brought presents for you and Bubba: books, blankets, and clothes. Inside our warm house, the Christmas decorations were still sparkling and Gigi and The Norwegian and Bubba were there to welcome you home.
Posted by The Editor.
The night before you were born, the house was full of family for Christmas Eve celebrations. About 8 o’clock, I got really sleepy and my sister said, “You’d better take a nap because that baby might be coming soon.” I really couldn’t keep my eyes open so I went to lie down and when I woke up, everyone was leaving to go home, except Gigi and The Norwegian.
We all went to sleep and about 2 o’clock in the morning, I got up and woke Daddy up to tell him it was time to go to the hospital because our baby was coming. I also woke up Gigi to tell her that we were leaving. I peeked into Bubba’s room to whisper “Merry Christmas” and then we got in the big truck and drove to the hospital. We waited and waited. Your aunts came to wait with us and we waited some more. Finally, at dinnertime, you arrived and they put you in my arms and I said “Oh, my sweet baby, here you are.”
Then you went with Daddy to get your little hat and shirt and I went to my room where they brought me a little boxed Christmas dinner -- I was starving--and then they brought you to me. All the relatives and Daddy went home to finish Christmas and get some rest too. We were alone in the room and it was very quiet that Christmas night. I made a little nest for you in the pillows beside me and we snuggled and slept but you wouldn’t open your eyes and look at me. I got up and turned out all the lights and opened the curtains a crack for a little bit of light. THEN, you opened one eye and then the other to peek at me and I said, “Oh, my sweet baby, there you are.”
The next day, lots of relatives came to visit and Gigi and The Norwegian brought Bubba to meet you. He wasn’t yet two and was more interested in the buttons on the bed than the tiny baby in my arms. The day after that, Daddy took us home in the big truck and it was a cold and gray day but in the driveway was a bundle of bags with balloons welcoming you home. Our neighbor had brought presents for you and Bubba: books, blankets, and clothes. Inside our warm house, the Christmas decorations were still sparkling and Gigi and The Norwegian and Bubba were there to welcome you home.
Posted by The Editor.
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