Merry & Bright

Patrick's preschool had a gingerbread house decorating party today. As you may recall I have tended to keep Patrick away from unwholesome foods, preferring to offer a nice dried apricot (high in fiber! packed with essential vitamins! sweetened with goodness!) whenever a treat seems appropriate. It is not surprising, therefore, that he proceeded to dive headfirst into the nearest bowl of M&Ms today and managed to not come up for air until he had completed three laps. I was appalled of course but 'tis the season and I expect he will eventually climb back down from Mt. Marshmallow.

Taking someone's excellent suggestion I had ordered both of Patrick's teachers a stack of personalized notepads. Before we left the party Patrick presented one to the first teacher, saying, "This is for you from me. I got it for you by myself and it is from me. All by myself."

His teacher took the wrapped box and said, "Wow, Patrick, thank you so much."

Patrick said, "I got it just for you. From me."

Then he leaned forward to peer at the gift and asked, "What is it?" 

+++

Many years ago Steve and I pinky-swore a blood oath that we would never drag our sentient children (child, obviously, but this is a flashback and we just didn't know we were dooooooomed in reproductive maaaaaatters) across the country for Christmas Day. So much more festive to see the little faces light up with the sparkling magic of the holiday in one's own home, we concurred. Better to visit with extended family in the days that follow, we agreed.

This Christmas was slated for Steve's side of the family and, in keeping to our sacred vow, my husband telephoned his father in October to let them to know that we would be joining them, still brimming with yule and joy and whatnot, on the 26th.

As far as I can tell the conversation went like this:

Steve - We thought we would come the day after Christmas

Father-in-law - This disappoints me.

Steve (folding like a movie theater seat) - Oh. Nevermind then. We will just book tickets for the busiest travel days of the year. Can't wait!   

I was... surprised by this change of plan but am now looking forward to it. With any luck our predawn flight to DC will get re-routed multiple times and I will have the opportunity to wish each and every one of you many happy returns of the season face-to-face as we lay-over in an airport near you. Won't that be fun?

Comments

[Ninotchka]

"Steve (folding like a movie theater seat) "

PURE GOLD. I'm borrowing this one for sure.

Safe travels & Merry Christmas!

[dillygirl]

Are you flying Christmas Eve of Christmas Day? I ask because I am the child of a wonderful father who always insisted we travel on the very busiest day of the year (Christmas Eve) until he realized that not a soul traveled on Christmas Day. So, for many holiday seasons then on we were doomed. Always flying (or driving cross country and eating at the only open resturaunts we could find: i.e. Bob's Truck Stop) on the 25th.

[JuJuBee]

Oh my, I will say a little prayer for you. Take lots of vitamin C and maybe some of that nifty "airborne" crap they sell. You don't want to be sick during your multiple germ infested airport layovers. I'm not helping, am I?

[mollie]

Misery loves company, and you are such delightful company.

[Crystal]

LOL! That's an amusing thought.

Well, if things are dire enough that you wind up in any of the Greater Los Angeles Area's multiple lovely (cough) airports and I'll be sure to stop by with buttered rums for you, and benedryl for Patrick. Or the other way around, if you prefer.... I won't tell.

Have a safe flight. Can't wait to hear the gory details. I have my annual crud and Lee's on call so we'll be hunkering down here at home. Must-wrap-presents!

[MFA Mama]

Heh, if you make it to D.C. alive and the stars align so that tube boy isn't puking blood and I'm not having any chemo or anything like that (LALALALALALANOTTHATI'MSICK) maybe we could hit the Quattra Formaggio. Or the Wal-Mart parking lot. Let me know so that I can gift-wrap one of those toilet-scrubbers I keep crowing about, or maybe some nice "underwears."

[MFA Mama]

Although if I haul my sorry ass all the way to DC you better be as entertaining in person as you are in the computer, cuz um, one of us should be.

[Emily]

Am I by chance married to Patrick? Because I think my husband has pulled the same act... oh, every holiday SINCE I CAN REMEMBER.

Men. They're just so... IDENTICAL.

[mijk]

So easy that over here the 26 th is still considered christmas!Not that we will be goning anywhere we vist the parents and inlaws the 27th ;-)

[Toni]

My oldest did the same thing with the gifts. Love this age.

Question - I do the same with the food. Do you think that they go over board b/c we don't let them have it? Or will they eat themselves into a sugary food coma no matter what they are allowed to eat at home??

Lastly - as always, I'm stuck here in Chi-town...feel free to borrow one of our airports...they are such GREAT airports (one being the busiest, one having the shortest runways)

[Catizhere]

Lemme know when you get in to PHL Intl & I'll meet you in Concourse C for drinks!

Have a safe, & Merry Christmas!

[Peach]

If you make it to Indianapolis International, I would certainly meet up with you for a mid-marathon bottled water, and well, sure, that hot buttered rum thing sounds nice, too.

And at least our aiport is relatively small for a metropolis.

[kate]

i hate holiday travel and having to deal with two families!!! let me tell you, i am SO GLAD i am 7 months pregnant right now because it means my christmas does not involve waking up at my parents house in PA, driving south to BWI (we live in DC), trying to find parking when all the lots are full b/c everyone else travels on christmas eve, hopping a flight (that is of course delayed) to austin, TX, survive that flight on "liquid courage" b/c i hate to fly, only to be picked up by crazy MIL to drive us an hour to her house, where i end up carsick b/c she can't drive (and insists on swerving so her headlights can light up all the longhorns out in the fields) and all i've got is christmas cookies and vodka in my system.

but next year? traveling with a 10month old? i refuse to repeat what has been a sad "tradition" the past 3 years. we've got to come up with something new!!

best wishes for a great new year!

[spit]

If you get to DFW give me a shout, I'll bring you some hand sanitizer or something

[Elin]

Would it be awful to point out that your father-in-law wasn't DISAPPOINTED enough to book a flight and schlep HIS happy ass halfway across the country to see YOU on the busiest travel days of the year?

I empathize(I've caved to that pressure many a time, myself), and wish you all a safe trip!

[AmyinMotown]

Oh please oh please oh please track me down if you have a layover here in Detroit. Any one of you. Seriously. I am stockpiling excuses not to go (two hours by car) to the inlaws on Christmas Day (and my darling daughter is, obligingly, in her SIXTH STRAIGHT DAY of diarrhea) and a mission of mercy for stranded travelers might just be a good enough excuse.

[Lisa P]

Oh, Julia, my sympathies! I also HATE the running around from family to family thing on Christmas with kids.

In MY family (you know, the one whose traditions OBVIOUSLY are RIGHT!) Christmas Day dinner was always at the home of whoever had the youngest kids so that they could just stay in their jammies and play all day if they chose. Not so with my in-laws! EVERYONE! MUST! BE! TOGETHER! AT! THEIR! HOUSE! My poor husband pays dearly with snide comments for days before and days after when we don't show up at the appointed house at the appointed time with the appointed covered dish.

This year my plan is to simply take FOREVER to dress myself and the kids so as to postpone the ineveitable for as long as humanly possible!

Have as much fun as possible and enjoy the day!

P.S. Love the comment about your father-in-law not coming to YOUR house! I've used that one before when my mother-in-law complains that we haven't brought the kids over to see her recently!!

[The Aitch]

you said, "...a nice dried apricot."

I'm sorry, but there is just no such thing.

[Belinda]

What--you're not coming to VISIT each and every one of us internets? I'm gonna ask Steve.

And dried apricots are good for dog with kidney stones, to acidify urine. Just sayin'.

[MomVee]

My husband has a similar relationship with his father. Imagine my surprise, pregnant with our son (whose name, we had already decided, would be his very own) when I heard this exchange.

Father-in-law: So, have you thought about naming the baby Blahdy Blah Blah IV?
Husband: Why, yes, yes we have. That _is_ what we're naming him!

[SS]

AmyinMowtown,

I'll race you there. I live 10 minutes from Detroit Metro airport, and I too would use any excuse to skip my MILs.
I'm already warming up the car...

[Chookooloonks]

Just stopping by to wish you a Merry Christmas, safe travels, and all the best for 2006!

K.

[JennyK]

Hey, I didn't check in until today -- I wish I'd known you were going to be here in town! ;-) Hope you had a great one anyway...

[Kestrel]

That was so wonderful of you to get presents for Patricks teachers. As a teacher myself I can say that gestures like that are VERY much appreciated. Great gift!

[Elizabeth]

Happy 2006, whever you may be in the world tour of relatives!

[zdl07mc]

[url]http://hometown.aol.com/tits19463sex/jessica-simpson-exposed-naked.htm[/url]