Boxing Day
After the children finally settled down at some time after 3am on Christmas Eve with coughs and colds aided by hair-trigger “Santa Sense”, we wereamazed to make it past 8am before the children woke up. I almost made it into the younger children's room with the stockings at about 5am (I have a skill in waking up when I need to), but one of them coughed while I was stood in the middle of the room with the stockings in my hands. You've never seen a grown up move so swiftly and silently.
We laid facing each other in bed, grinning as the whispers made their way across the landing. The ghasps of wonder, quiet exclamations of “coolto unleash the mayhem. I had worried that we didn't buy them many “big” things this year, but it doesn't seem to have made any difference at all. I guess to their eyes, everything is wonderful and amazing – and it's not really about the size or quantity of “stuff” they receive. A perfect illustration was the photo of our youngest holding up a writing exercise book for a photo to be taken, while numerous toys and games surrounded her.
A little while after opening everything, and beginning the annual chocolate diet, we all got dressed and prepared to make our way to W's parents for lunch. Ever since we've had the children, we have stayed at home on Christmas Day – this was the first year we have done what I always dreaded as a child; told them to pick one or two things each, and left the house for the rest of the day. I can now understand why my parents were so keen on doing it.
The relief of arriving somewhere else where the dinner was already done, and being able to enjoy it without running here there and everywhere was wonderful beyond words – and I can't thank W's parents enough. I know don't always get on, but yesterday was brilliant. We laughed, we told stories, and we ate a fantastic roast dinner together (well... apart from the younger children who had already started to flag). I spent most of the afternoon on the couch with each of them propping me up, dead to the world. They woke to watch Doctor Who, but otherwise didn't really “do” Christmas Day at all. I tried to get up to help wash up, but our youngest stirred and hugged me... what could I do?
Late last night after getting everybody off to bed, W realised that she too was going down with the cough and/or cold that has hit the children.
This morning was all aboutnot doing things. Not getting up, not getting dressed, and not eating meals at mealtimes. I seem to have found myself in charge of meals so far, and washing up, tidying up, unpacking the bigger presents (Miss Eight got a CD player for her room), and otherwise easing everybody else's day along.
I predict an evening of feel good movies, eating the remains of the comfort food, and as much nothing as we can get away with... well... after I've loaded the washing machine, fed the cats, emptied the dishwasher, and reloaded it again...