It did not go well

I've been wanting to take pictures for a week, but I had to wait for the latest bruise on Campbell's head to mostly heal and for Ella's snaggle tooth to finally fall out. Today it seemed like the stars aligned for me.

First, I started with just the big girls, who loved getting into their fancy dresses, which they picked out themselves.

Then we added Elizabeth, who cooperated by sleeping.


Next, we tried to get Campbell into the picture. Even with the singing snowman, he wanted no part of the proceedings.


So I joined the group even though I was dressed in ratty jeans and a t-shirt. My hair was a mess and I wasn't wearing make-up, but I was willing to take one for the team if it meant a picture of all the kids. Campbell kept crying, so we gave up and went inside for snacks.

We made another attempt later in the day, with the singing snowman still in tow. I think this is our winner - everyone but Elizabeth is looking at the camera, and no one is crying.

When Campbell started running around, I gave up.

Christmas Lists

My sister wrote about our strange family tradition of hanging our letters to Santa outside on Thanksgiving weekend for the elves to pick up, and it reminded me that I needed to get the girls going on their lists. We're lucky in that the girls have yet to figure out that they're supposed to get lots of loot for Christmas. In past years, they've each gotten two or three presents from us and a few presents from Santa, plus some easy stocking stuffers like tape, which is usually their favorite gift each year.

They just brought me their Christmas lists, and they're very funny.

Here's Ella's

Harry Potter CD
Pogo Stick
Nancy Drew costume
Nancy Drew books
Harry Potter clue game
Math for Smarty Pants book
The Dangerous Book for Boys

I love that she mostly wants books for Christmas - not video games or Hannah Ray Cyrus clothing or movies.

Here's Lily's list; it's a bit more varied

Dorothy shoes
Belle costume
Christmas dress
Two-wheeled scooter
Toy computer
Remote-controlled car

Santa will pick two or three items from each list and be done with it. I've already got some presents stashed away. I think I'll be doing most of shopping online this year to avoid having to drag the baby to the store.

Tonight we'll hang these lists out for Santa's elves along with a piece of bread - in case the elves are hungry.

Lily "Crash" Gardner

My father, while he was here for Christmas, took the girls up to the neighborhood park on their bikes, following behind on my bike. During the ride, he noticed that Lily wasn't really using her training wheels to balance and that she was riding a good deal of the time on two wheels. So on Christmas Day, he put her on the bike Ella had outgrown and started teaching her to ride. I thought for sure that dad was being overly optimistic in his efforts, but I was wrong. By the end of Christmas Day, Lily was riding small stretches on her own. The day after Christmas, dad worked with her again, and when B and I returned from his doctor's appointment, we turned onto the street to see Lily cruising along without a problem, even turning in big circles. I was absolutely flabberghasted.

Teaching Ella to ride without training wheels was a multi-year project with lots of starts and stops. We'd take her training wheels off, give it a try for a week or two until she'd get frustrated and demand that we put the training wheels back on. After a six-month break, we'd try again, and then take another six-month break. She'd go for weeks without riding her bike. B finally got her going this summer by taking her up to her school and letting her ride around the empty parking lot for an hour. As soon as she figured it out, Ella took off like a shot, which is what we knew would happen.

But she's a lot like me in temperament. If I can't do something well after my first few attempts, I'm liable to throw my hands up in disgust and walk away. I absolutely do not like not being able to something the right way. It's why my mom's insistence that I take tennis lessons was so frustrating to me. When I was ten and eleven, my lack of skill didn't bother me much, but by the time I was 16 and leaving swim practice early to go to tennis I had had it. I would get beyond frustrated when I would hit 19 perfect forehands and then send the 20th sailing over the side fence. I just don't have the patience for things like that, which is why I've never attempted golf. I'd end up pitching my clubs into the lake by the fourth hole.

Lily, on the other hand, has a surprising amount of stick-to-it-ness. She fell countless times while riding with my dad, but each time she'd pop right up again, calling out, "I'm OK!" Then she'd hop back on the bike and give it another go. She spent hours doing this. My poor dad must have run five miles back and forth with her, but she got it. Ella would have given up after the first couple of falls.

While Lily has now mastered riding her bike, she's still not so good at the stopping part. Instead of using her brakes or putting her feet down, she tends to aim for grass and tip over, always announcing that she's ok. She also needs to work on her steering. She's still in the phase where she runs smack into the things she wants to avoid. I'm trying to teach her to not look at trees and bushes and curbs, but it's slow going. So now we've started calling Lily "Crash," which she and Ella think is tremendously funny.

My goal is to get her stopping, starting and steering skills to the point where I can take both her and Ella down to the Trail and let them ride while I tow Campbell in my new trailer. I can't think of a better way to spend time outdoors with them.

Merry Christmas, a day late

I hope this finds everyone reading it recovered from yesterday's festivities. Our Christmas was fun, if a bit exhausting. Since B's parents' divorce, our house has become holiday central. We invite everyone who is willing to be have like a grown-up and act nice. The first year, B's mom decided not to attend any of the functions. But we're all past that now. Because we're the hosts, we've started our own tradition of having Christmas brunch instead of a big dinner late in the day when everyone is worn out. B and his friend Jim cook up eggs Benedict, and I make waffles from scratch, and everyone drinks champagne and orange juice. Well, everyone except the kids and B's mom, who has never had alcohol on her life.


The day started early with Ella's hitting our bedroom door with a thump. Once she managed to get the door open, she started yelling that Santa had come and he had brought her a new bike. And it had a bow because it was too big to wrap. And it had a kickstand just like she asked for. And it was blue just like her old bike.


We let the girls open their stocking present while we waited for my parents to arrive from the hotel. My sister spent the night at our neighbors' house because they're out of town and offered their place as guest quarters (we have the best neighbors ever), and she staggered over pretty early. The best line came from Ella when she opened the new toothbrush that was in her stocking. She said, "I got a new toothbrush, and it hasn't even been in the potty. I wonder how Santa knew?" A week ago I had caught Campbell splashing in the potty with one of the girls' spinny toothbrushes. They made do with regular old toothbrushes until Santa coughed up with new ones. The girls also got modeling clay and tape in their stockings. The tape has become an annual tradition in our house.


Campbell got overwhelmed in all the commotion of present unwrapping, and I had to take him out of the room a few times to settle down. Finally, I popped him in his high chair in the kitchen to eat breakfast. He was much happier after that.



My big gift from B was a trailer for my bike so that I can tow Campbell and Lily along when Ella and I go on longer bike rides down at the Trail. My parents gave me a new rack for my car so that I can carry all the bikes down to the Trail. It was a theme Christmas. I gave B a huge griddle for the stove so that he can cook a pound of bacon at the same time. I also got him a big bacon press, but it hasn't arrived yet.


The girls got lots of things from their lists to Santa. Lily got a new copy of "Arielthelittlemermaid" to replace the one that's gone missing. She also got a bathrobe and a new winter coat. Santa brought her a new bike helmet, per her request, but it doesn't fit. So we'll have to go buy a replacement. She also got a tea set from my mom, and they've been having lots of tea parties ever since.



Ella's bike was her big present, and it was a big hit. It's bigger than her old one, and more of a mountain bike, so it took some getting used to. But by the end of the day, she was riding through the grass and hopping off curbs. I'm sure she'll be begging to go out and ride as soon as she finishes breakfast. I think I'll turn her loose with Grandpa. He can ride my bike.



Campbell got a little trike of his own - I told you it was a theme Christmas - and he's had a great time riding it all over the house. Unfortunately, he's into creative bike riding, and he's fallen off about a dozen times. He has a few new lumps on his forehead as a result of some of the tumbles. The girls love to sit on it too, but every time he sees one of them on it, he screeches and pushes her off. It's pretty funny. They've taken to getting on the trike just to see his reaction.



So today we'll be picking up the mess and finding room for the new bathrobes and slippers and sweaters, and we'll be riding bikes and having tea parties and watching some new movies. It should be a very good day.

Attack of the Stupid People

I'm borrowing my good friend O'Pine's blog title today, because last night I was caught in such a crush of mass stupidity that I almost couldn't function.

My dad really wanted to go see the Trail of Lights, which is a long-time Austin Christmas tradition. I haven't been to the Trail of Lights since Ella was a baby, when she and I ran the 5K that is held every year before opening night. I've cringed since then at the thought of taking kids down into the melee.

Last night, though, I pulled myself together and headed out the door with mom, dad, Ella and Lily. B, who looked at me like I was crazy when I asked him if he wanted to go, stayed home with Campbell.

The first part of the adventure went smoothly. Parking was a breeze, and the lines for tickets and buses moved right along. We were on the shuttle to the Trail within 20 minutes. Lily was amazed by the bus ride - it's the first time she's been on a bus, which is rather appalling.

When we got to the trail, however, things took a decided turn for the worse. We got off the bus and headed for the entrance to the Trail, which was a solid mass of people being stupid. Entire families - aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, etc. - were lined up in the entrance to take pictures. But this blocked traffic for the thousands of people trying to get in behind them.

The first third of the Trail, which is a mile long total, was packed, and everyone was forced to do a slow shuffle. Again, families were blocking the path so that they could line their cold, crying kids up for photo ops. My dad had to put Lily on his shoulders so she could see the displays, and I had to lift Ella up a few times. The crowds were so thick, and so stupid, that when an ambulance cart, complete with flashing lights, was working its way through the crowd, against the flow of traffic, with an injured little boy strapped to the back, people refused to move. Other idiots were taking pictures of the cart and the little boy. I wanted to trip people, but that would have slowed us down further.

I'm fairly clautrophobic in crowds and prone to panic attacks, so this whole situation was just about my worst nightmare. I kept edging over to the far side of the Trail, away from the displays, just so that I could breathe. But poor Ella, who was holding my hand, kept pulling me back so she could see.

I felt better once the crowds thinned a bit, further along the Trail. But stupidity was still rampant. There were folks who had lost their friends and/or family, so they planted themselves in the middle of the flow of traffic, facing the wrong way, to wait, forcing everyone walking towards them to trip over each other in an attempt to go around.

The final blast of stupidity happened in the lines for shuttles. We were waiting patiently in line, along with hundreds of other people. But on the other side of us, were hundreds of people just marching along, pretending they didn't see all of us waiting our turn patiently. Fortunately, there was a shuttle employee at the entrance to the bus loading area sending people who innocently asked if that was where they got in line all the way back to the end. "See that long line of people all the way back there?" he'd ask. "That's where the line starts." One woman said that her husband couldn't possibly walk all the way to the back and then stand in line. So the shuttle guy told her that her husband could wait right there while she went all the way to the back of the line, and then when she got to the front, her husband could join her. All of us who had been waiting did a little cheer at that.

Despite the rampant examples of the worst of mass human behavior, I'm glad we went. The girls loved the lights; Lily was silent and wide-eyed the whole time. Ella was fixated on this one display of trees that turned on and off to the music playing. She also sang every time she heard Christmas carols, usually at the top of her lungs. Both girls came home exhausted and happy - Lily fell asleep in the car, leaning on my dad. Ella passed out within minutes of climbing into bed, which is rare for her.

I think we'll wait a few years before going back. And we'll make sure to go on a week night, even if it means too late of a bedtime. I can't handle the crowds, or the stupidity, again.

Christmas Meme

My friend sent this to me via e-mail, and I forwarded it on to my mom and sister, who had some interesting responses. Then I started thinking more about my answers and what I would have said if I had taken more time. So here is my re-do as a meme. Tag to anyone who wants to answer the questions, too.


1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper, but no ribbon.
2. Real tree or artificial? Real, of course
3. When do you put up the tree? Whenever we get around to it. We haven't put one up yet because I'm afraid of what Tyranababy will do to it.
4. When do you take the tree down? New Year's Day
5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, but mixed with milk
6. Favorite gift received as a child? The complete Little House on the Prairie book set. As a grownup, my favorite gift was my new wedding band from my husband.
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Nope
8. Hardest person to buy for? My father and my husband, but for different reasons.
9. Easiest person to buy for? The kids
10. Worst Christmas? Well, there was the year I ended up in the hospital on Christmas day due to a bike accident. And the year my grandfather was going through electro-shock therapy and kept calling the house but not remembering who he was or who he was calling or that his wife had died. And the year I visited my parents and came down with bronchitis and spent the whole week I was there in bed horribly sick. And the year my husband's aunt attempted suicide. Now that I think about it, we have a bad track record with Christmas.
11. Mail or email Holiday Christmas cards? Mail
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? "Christmas Story"
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? December. But if I see the perfect gift earlier in the year, I'll grab it and stash it in my closet.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes, but I at least waited until the next year to give it away at a White Elephant party.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Cookies
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Both, and bubble lights.
17. Favorite Christmas song? Don't have one.
18. Travel for Christmas or stay at home? Stay at home.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Nope
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? A star made out of cardboard and aluminum foil that B and I made our first married Christmas.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? Christmas morning.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Well, there's the fact that Christmas now starts in October, but there's also the constant Christmas music.
23. What I love most about Christmas? Time with my family and seeing the girls on Christmas morning when they open the scotch tape in their stockings. It's their favorite present every year.

This is not our Christmas card picture

Yesterday was picture day. The girls were all gussied up for our trip to see the Nutcracker, so I crammed Campbell into his Christmas jumper and hoped for the best. I took approximately 70 pictures of the kids with LR's good camera with the super fast motor in the hopes of getting ONE good one of all three kids. I knew I could get a shot of the girls, since they understand bribery. Campbell was the wild card in the bunch. He doesn't sit still at all these days, so I knew confining him to a chair with his sisters was not going to make him happy.

I tried three different locations for the pictures, and none worked. First the kids sat in one of the big chairs from the front porch, but Campbell wanted nothing to do with that. Then we moved inside to the sofa and then on to my big bed. Nothing worked.

This is the picture B wanted to use. Can't you just tell Campbell is thinking "What the hell are you doing? I want out of here!"

I let Campbell climb in his little car and asked the girls to get down next to him in the hopes that I could get one shot of him smiling. Instead, the girls did this. They want to use this picture as our card.

And finally, it's not a real Christmas card photo shoot until someone cries. Ella was the only one who didn't burst into tears.

The Nutcracker

As the girls' big Christmas present, I took them to see Ballet Austin's performance of The Nutcracker yesterday. Unlike last year's trip, this year's adventure was a lot of fun.

First off, the show was at the Paramount Theater on Congress Avenue, which is such a neat venue. It's an old building, and the theater itself is very ornate, with murals on the ceiling and lots gold everywhere. The girls were antsy until the curtain went up, then they sat on the edges of their seats for the rest of the show.

Lily asked a few funny questions at the beginning, like why wasn't anyone talking and why did the ladies have the backs of their dresses attached to their arms. I just kept shushing her. Ella asked a few questions about who was who, but mostly she just watched, silent with big eyes.

I think Lily's favorite part of the whole thing, though, was getting to clap. Every time there was applause, she'd sit straight up and clap for all she was worth, with the biggest smile on her face. I loved seeing her face light up like that.

The only thing that marred the event was Ella's meltdown over her Nutcracker ornament. I told the girls they could each pick out a small Nutcracker as a souvenir. Ella grabbed one right away and carried it around, clutched to her chest. Lily took a bit longer to pick her, I think because she was hoping I'd change my mind and let her get a big Clara doll. After they had made their choices and we'd made our way back to the car, Ella started sobbing because she had decided she liked Lily's ornament better than her own. She tried to convince Lily to trade ornaments with her, but that just made Lily start sobbing. Lily calmed down when I assured her that she didn't have to trade if she didn't want to, but Ella kept up the waterworks the whole way home and off and on for about an hour after we were home. She started up again after the girls were in bed, sending Lily notes about trading, which set Lily off again.

Sigh.

Ella has now added a large, red Nutcracker to her Santa list, which grows by the day.

Despite the tears at the end, the girls really did have a good time. When I asked them what their favorite parts of the show were, they both said, "Everything!" They also made B read them their Nutcracker book at bedtime last night. I'm sure this afternoon we'll have a dance recital, complete with the proper music.

She still believes!

Yesterday I took the kids to the mall to buy them "Nutcracker" dresses, which are different than the "Christmas" dresses my mother-in-law bought them. Thankfully, I was able to find each girl an outfit that both she and I liked. Lily selected a little pleated, plaid skirt and a pretty white cardigan. Ella picked out a pretty red dress with an empire waist and a sash - very simple and very pretty. We were all happy, well except for Lily who wanted the skirt AND a dress.

After picking out the dresses and getting a present for my sister and a pair of black dress shoes for Ella, we went to meet Santa Claus. Lily had been pestering me during the whole excursion about meeting Santa, so she was so happy when we finally headed that direction. When we got there, however, Lily hid behind me and peeked out at Santa, not saying a word. Ella, for the first time ever, voluntarily spoke to Santa, telling him her name, her siblings' names, and what she wanted. I was so impressed with her.

As we walked away, Lily asked if that Santa was the real Santa. I paused for a moment to consider my answer, because I didn't want to mess up the Christmas magic. I finally said that I though maybe he was a "helper" Santa, not the real Santa. Lily looked perplexed, so I decided to call in the big guns and asked Ella why she thought Santa had helpers. She thought for a minute and then said, "Well, it's a very busy time of year for Santa, and he can't be at the mall AND at the North Pole making toys. So he has helpers who come talk to the kids while he works." Lily bought it hook line and sinker. Phew.

I was also relieved to hear that Ella still believes in Santa. I know she's at that age where kids start figuring out the truth, whether they come to the realization on their own or they hear it from friends at school. Ella believes in it enough that she can rationalize the "helper" Santa at the mall. I'm glad we'll have complete Christmas magic for one more year.

The girls have both written their lists to Santa, and they're very funny. Lily's suffers from a lack of originality - she has asked for princess everything. She wants a princess bike helmet, a princess puzzle, a princess journal, a princess timer (whatever that is), and marbles. Ella has grander desires. She's asked for a new bike (which she's getting), new mixes for her Easy Bake oven, an iPod (which she is NOT getting), and marbles. They both played marbles with our neighbor, and now they want their own sets. I think those may be stocking presents.

They are both also getting rolls of tape in their stockings. It because a tradition three years ago after Ella opened the tape in her stocking, held it up in the air, and yelled "Santa brought me tape!" It was her favorite present of the year. I'll be so sad the Christmas that the girls don't think tape is a good present.

Count me out!

I will just never understand the need to swarm the malls on the day after Thanksgiving to shop. I did it one time - we were visiting my grandparents in Clearwater, and we went to the local mall, which had an ice skating rink. My sister skated, and mom, grandma and I shopped for a formal dress for me for a dance I had coming up. It was awful - enough to convince me that I never, ever needed to do it again.

This morning's paper had pictures of people who left their family Thanksgiving celebrations to sit outside stores in the cold and be first in line when the store opened at 4:00 am just so they could save $50 on a laptop or video game system. I'd rather stay home, shop later when it's not so crazy, and pay the extra money.

Fortunately, I really don't have that much shopping to do. We've never gone overboard with the kids for Christmas. Neither of them knows that they're supposed to get mountains of loot. They each get one big present and a few little ones from me and B, one present from their siblings, and two or three from Santa. Granted, the grandparents can go a little nuts, but at least my mom has gotten into the habit of running potential gifts by me - this year the girls are getting new backpacks with their initials on them. She'll give them a few other little things, but she knows better than to give things that need batteries or that come with lots of pieces.

B's dad is pretty good about giving them one big joint present. Last year he, at my suggestion, gave them a whirling see-saw for the back yard, which they all love. I've sent him another suggestion for an outdoor toy again this year.

There's just not much that I want or need for Christmas, except maybe some new yarn. I've asked my parents for a new bike rack for the back of my car, and I've asked B for a bike trailer so that I can take Campbell on bike rides with the girls. He's pretty good about paying attention to what I've asked for.

I had vowed not to go shopping at all this weekend, but I need some sort of special wash to use when I felt the purse I'm almost finished knitting. So darn, I'll need to go to the yarn store. Somehow I doubt there will be hordes of people trampling each other for bargains.