Just the Five of Us

She Loves Butterscotch!

Not the best quality but totally captures Emma's feelings this morning (and what we hear about every four seconds).

Merry Christmas!

We're having a great morning.

Contrast

Before two days of partying and Christmas craziness . . .

. . . and after.

Note: Owen slept the whole way home to Bethlehem. On the way back, he slept most of the way. Emma slept about half of the way, and Jake fought sleep until we were fifteen minutes from home. They all woke up two minutes from the house, and Emma was so cranky, she screamed at everyone until we tucked her into our bed with her new dolls from Denny so she could "wake up."

Christmas Morning

Opening one of his favorite presents.

In her new princess hat and tutu that Santa made her. It's a little big and took a long time to make . . . not sure if he'll make another one.

Our gift to all three--Playmobil zoo set and some accessories.

Not very happy to be awake.

Much more interested in playing with the other kids' stuff than opening his gifts--this was true of pretty much every event we went to. Jake and Emma opened most of his stuff and he tried to eat the paper.

And the Playdoh.

No interest in unwrapping.

Owen's loot.

It took me two hours to assemble the Playmobil set.

It took Jake about the same amount of time to assemble his LEGO set.

Owen took a short nap after watching the kids unwrap his gifts.

Later, we went for a walk around the neighborhood, played with toys, and got ready to go down to Nanny's for the Pollyanna.

ETA: I wrote this Christmas morning and though it's not the most positive, it captures the not so nice, real life part of the morning. The day got much better, as did the following days, and the kids showed much more gratitude as the week went on. A couple days later, Emma said, out of the blue, "Though I really wanted Butterscotch, I'm still very happy with my new kitty."

We were up at 6:45 to  open gifts. Jake had to wake Emma up . . . in hindsight, we should have sent Jake back to bed until she woke up. He had woken up at 4:30 to use the bathroom, asked Doug if he could get up, and grudgingly went back to bed. We're willing to put money on our hunch that he never went back to sleep. It's been pretty much downhill since then.

The first thing Emma said to me was that none of the boxes were big enough to have Butterscotch in them. She said it in a very sad voice . . . not tears, but close. We quickly got her into her stocking.

Things were fine until Jake opened his Spongebob kit. Emma had wanted one too, and she started to cry that that was the one she had wanted.

We kept on. We got everything opened . . . Owen slept through Jake and Emma's opening, woke up, and only wanted to play with their stuff. I spent two hours putting together the Playmobil zoo (only made about three mistakes, which was pretty good). Then it started to get really bad.

Emma screaming at Owen for touching her toys.
Owen crying because Emma yelled at him.
Jake yelling at Emma for touching his LEGOs.
Emma yelling and crying because Jake was yelling at her.
And so on and so on.

I have never, until this morning, considered my kids materialistic. They've never been so selfish and greedy, and I feel like I must have failed them greatly. I guess I thought that by modeling giving behavior with the families we adopted, shopped, and packed for that over the years they would pick up on it. Maybe I'm expecting too much from them.

All I really want is for them to be civil to one another. I thought that they'd each be happy playing with their own Spongebob sets, sitting together at a table and making up scenes.

So Emma's in her room crying, and I'm venting. I feel horribly because I yelled at them and threatened to take their Christmas gifts and give them to children who will appreciate them. Logically, I know they are too young to grasp how fortunate they are, and I don't want to burden them with worldly problems when they are not ready for that. But their unwillingness to simply be kind just throws me. I'm fine if Jake doesn't want Emma touching her favorite toy. But does he have to bark at her? And Emma doesn't want Jake touching her cat and he won't . . . so why won't she understand he has those same feelings?

So not exactly the happy morning I envisioned. I hope the kids don't remember this.

 

Christmas Eve, Part II

We had a lovely Christmas Eve.

We walked around the neighborhood and down to Turkey Hill for milk, a paper, and more M&Ms for pretzel treats. The kids picked up a ton of sticks for kindling, and Owen bopped back and forth in his stroller, starting in confusion at his gloves and squinting his eyes into the wind.

We came home and the kids decorated cookies while Doug and I got ready for Mass. Mass was a four and we left the house at three twenty. We arrived 25 minutes early and got one of the last pews together. Mass went until 5:10, and Owen was pretty much a trooper through it all until the end. We brought some toys and pretzels sticks and that helped. Jake was great and very excited to sing Oh Come All Ye Faithful in Latin. Emma did a good job too.

Emma wanted to wear a black skirt and red shirt just like me :).

After Mass, we came home and had dinner--fish, barley, and salad. Owen had chicken . . . he likes orange roughy but not the tilapia we had last night. At 5:50, Jake looked up shocked and said, "Should I go to bed now? Is it time yet?" After dinner we put the reindeer food on the lawn and drove around looking at lights.  We came home, the kids played on northpole.com for a bit, and then they put cookies and milk out for Santa and raced up to bed.

Owen went to bed around 8:30 and was up at 9:00 and restless on the couch with Doug until I took him to bed with me at 11:00. I did get to see more of The Polar Express, which I've never actually seen, and we started watching A Christmas Story.

It was a busy day with some more laundry, gift finishing, wrapping, and cleaning thrown in. Yet it was a busy relaxing. And I'm not even telling how many cookies Doug and I ate. Shameful, really :).

Christmas Eve

It's just after 9:00. So far I've

• boxed up cookies
• cleaned up the kitchen from last night
• changed and nursed the baby twice
• fed the kids
• eaten an undisclosed number of Christmas cookies (three. okay, four.)
• watched Jake give Owen a piece of chocolate . . . and Owen bounce up and down happily and ask for more
• opened presents from the kids . . . they've waited since Thanksgiving and kept the surprise and just couldn't wait anymore
• listened to carols
• thought of way too many things I still need to do today
• peacefully tried to solve three sibling battles

On the To Do list--

• finish laundry
• wrap a couple things
• chill
• vegitate
• go for a walk
• make pretzel treats
• decorate more cookies
• get everyone coordinated and ready for Mass
• try to figure out what to wear to Mass
• go to (make it through) Mass (with three crazed and excited children in a super crowded church)
• make dinner
• start watching the A Christmas Story marathon
• make lunch
• set up the nativity
• try to stay away from the Christmas cookies
• wait for Santa to come

Christmas Traditions

I feel so behind. This week (month) has been a blur, and tonight I took some time to go through the December photos. I don't have that many, which is odd considering I have about 1200 from this year alone (and those were only the ones I chose to print . . . not the amount I took). One of my goals is actually to take fewer photos in 2008, focusing on quality and actually getting them printed, but it seems as if I'm starting early.

So I don't have many photos of our prep this year, but I do have some.

St. Nicholas Day
Totally forgot about this, and the kids actually put their shoes out that night instead of the night before. But they didn't know the difference, and the candy canes still tasted just as good. Jake and Emma were delighted to learn that they could eat Owen's.

Getting the Tree
No photos this year. We actually bought the tree off the lot down the street. Doug was mortified. We had planned to cut one down (we didn't last year because Owen was a newborn), but sick kids and weather didn't cooperate. Plus, this month has been very tiring for me. Lots of running around, getting kids in and out of car seats, late nights with Owen . . . the last thing I wanted to do was haul him around an uneven tree field in bulky coats. Scroogish of me, I know. It was raining the weekend we got the tree, and I suggested going the following weekend. The thought of waiting another week for the tree was too much for Doug, so he agreed to get one from the lot. We stopped on the way home from shopping in the pouring rain. The kids and I waited in the car while Doug picked out a (very wide) tree.

Trimming the Tree
The kids and I did the tree one afternoon after school. For the first time, Jake and Emma actually put a fair amount of stuff on. Usually, they just put on one or two things, start eating candy canes, and leave me to do the rest. But they did well this year, stopping to ask about all the different ornaments. Owen wanted to throw everything all over the place and was especially attracted to the glass balls. In my fantasy world, we would have listened to Christmas carols and been wearing Christmas outfits. Yeah. Fantasy.

Much to my chagrin, there are colored lights on our tree (and outside). Doug pitted the kids against me this year, and since he was so good about the stuffing (or lack thereof) at Thanksgiving, I let it go. He does agree, however, that colored lights fight with the ornaments rather than enhance them.

The tree has had three spots. It started in the middle of the window but took up too much room. I moved it from the corner to the long wall this weekend, and I like it there. Owen pretty much ignores it, occasionally swatting at an ornament. I'm surprised he's not always into it . . . we don't spend much time in the living room, so maybe that's why.

Making Cookies
This year,  we baked from scratch.  Usually, I use premade dough and call it good.  But this year, I wanted to try cutouts, so I got a great recipe and we made our first batch last weekend. We made a second batch this weekend as well as peanut butter kiss cookies. We are making pretzel treats tomorrow.

The hardest part was mixing the dough. What I wouldn't give for a KitchenAid mixer! I'm going to start saving a little bit here and there and invest in one next year or the year after. But my arms got a good workout anyway :). I did use a hand mixer for the peanut butter cookies . . . it used to be my great Aunt Marge's (at least 30 years old) and starting smelling as I mixed tonight. Not sure how much longer that's going to last. The kids spent over and hour last week decorating. They are very good at it and take their decorating very seriously. Woe to the person who eats someone else's cookie!

the aftermath

Shopping
Jake shopped at his school's Santa shop again this year, and both kids came home with surprises from school. Emma shopped with me for the family we adopted with our MOMS Club, and they both helped pick out presents for the cousin whose name they drew. Other than that, I tried not to take them into too many stores. They both had the gimmies this year . . . Jake typed out a huge list and Emma was in tears more than once over the fact that she didn't get Butterscotch last year and probably never will. For that much money, I'd rather she have riding lessons on a real pony!

Grandparent's Gifts
We made REALLY cute gifts for the grandparent's this year. The kids can't wait to give them out, but no hints . . . some of them read :). I'll just say that it's hard not to keep them for myself.

Candylane
We made it there once and would like to get there at least one more time.

Christmas Carols

We sing. A lot. Some favorites:
Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord
O Holy Night
Adeste Fideles
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Silent Night

Chocolate World
Our playgroup had it's Christmas party there this year. Lots of activities and decorations and no one had to host! We did a picture of the kids in front of the tree, rode the ride twice (for the second ride, all 13 of us were in one car), had lunch, and made packaged kisses. Gianna and Chiara made it in time for the kisses and the end of lunch . . . I wish they could have been in the photo. Since Lindsey moved, it's been a while since all six of them were together. Owen had a blast walking around as much as he could. Emma even helped him.

Santa
Santa was at our grocery store last week, and we got a Polaroid with him. Doug was all excited thinking we got a great photo for free. I told him not a chance . . . Emma was wearing Christmas pants with a Halloween shirt, and both she and Jake had Dorito cheese all over their faces. Owen was crying, though that was to be expected.

I took the kids on Friday since Jake was dismissed at noon. He was in his uniform, so I dressed Emma and Owen in blue. Emma was a pro with this Santa--she'd seen him twice before with playgroup. Jake and Emma chatted with him, and then I put Owen on his lap. He teared up immediately, but I was able to get his attention with a rattle. If you look closely, you can see a tear under each eye. But he did pretty well considering.

I was hoping to get Emma smiling too, but this was the fourth picture, and I think she'd had enough. They've changed a lot since last year.

Behavior

In general, the kids are pretty wretched. They have their good moments, but there has been a lot of whining, arguing, screaming, and crying. And fighting. Oddly, it's increased the closer to Christmas we've gotten. We've even threatened that Santa's watching, something I hate doing. Emma has been known to walk around crying that Santa's only going to bring her coal, and Jake keeps asking to check the naughty and nice list at northpole.com. I know it's a combination of fatigue, sugar, and the craziness of the holiday, and I hope things calm down in the new year. We'll be starting up some new chore charts and such to have them chip in more and lessen the sense of entitlement they've been showing.

Then, in the midst of it all when they were sent to their room tonight to chill for an hour, we heard Jake reading to Emma and then they traded toys peacefully. Go figure.

Now for the Fun Part . . .
Everything is wrapped and ready to go (Doug took Emma and Owen out during Jake's basketball yesterday morning and I got it all done in an hour and a half). And while I wish Butterscotch (though it goes against most of my philosophies) and a couple of Jake's bigger LEGO sets he requested were going to be under the tree just to see their faces, I think everyone will be happy. I did laundry and baked all day today, cleaned all day yesterday . . . I intend to take tomorrow slow and enjoy the holiday. It's been a crazy month of events and parties and running and buckling in and out of car seats and illnesses, and I'm ready to relax and enjoy the magic of Christmas.  

 

"I Think Not"

Before bed, I asked the kids if they did anything nice for anyone today in the tradition of St. Nicholas. It didn't have to be secret, I told them, a good deed was fine.

"Jake, how about you?"

"Um, I don't think so."

"Okay. Emma, do you think you did anything nice for anyone today?"

"I think not."

Okay then.

Christmas List, Part II

Jake sat down at the computer with his LEGO magazines and went to town.

Lego Jabba’s Sail Barge

LLego Imperial Star Destroyer

LLego Sandcrawler

LLego Death Star II

LLego Imperial AT-ST

LLego Slave 1

LLego B-wing Fighter

LLego A-wing Fighter

LLego TIE Interceptor

LLego Clone Turbo Tank

L

ego City Airport

LLego Passenger Plane

LLego Hospital

LLego Rescue Helicopter

LLego Police Station

LLego Police Boat

LLego Fire Station

LLego Cargo Train Deluxe

LLego Passenger Train

LLego Fire Vulture

LLego Stealth Hunter

LLego Grand Titan

LLego Thunder Fury

LLego Striking Venom

LLego Mobile Defense Tank

LLego Sentai Fortress

LLego Lava Chamber Gate

LLego Piraka Stronghold

He was busy! After typing each one, he came in to tell me how many pieces there were in each one. Then he asked if he could email his list to Santa. Email! A child of the 21st century.

Today, St. Nick visited his class. They left their shoes outside the classroom door during the day, and when they went out for lunch, there were candy canes in them. Now, the kids shoes are on the hearth and they're looking forward to candy canes tomorrow morning (we should have put them out last night, but they don't seem to bothered by that detail).

Our First Christmas Project

We made this the weekend after Thanksgiving, and it's been filling our living room with the sweet scent of icing ever since. After last year's frustration, I hot glued the house together since we weren't going to eat it anyway. I used regular cake icing, and the kids added the decorations in the kit. Since we like to eat some too, I bought candies they could eat (I don't let them eat the ones that come in the kit). The gummy bears, lower parts of the roof, chimney, and lollipops on the side were my additions . . . the rest of it was all the kids (Owen watched). They did a really good job of sharing the house (though I think Jake ate more than he decorated).