Sleepy Christmas Thoughts

Motivation comes slowly when 7:00 am is pitch black outside and 8:00 am brings twilight. The sun doesn't rise until after 8:00 am around here and sets between 3:30 and 4:00 pm. These are dark December days. I find myself just as excited about the winter solstice as Christmas. I need more hours of daylight!

This morning Caleb and I walked into McDonalds around 7:45 am. Me, barely awake. Caleb, full of energy. As always. :) I was up wrapping presents until 11:00 last night. Caleb bounced into our bedroom at a quarter to six this morning.

Not enough sleep. Sooooo not enough sleep for this mommy.

So McDonald's it was. I was the only mom with child in tow. Around me sat groups of old men, drinking coffee and visiting together. The group closest to me talked about family, plans for Christmas Eve, and politics. Their conversations sounded pleasant and comfortable and I wanted to join them, if only to listen in properly.

Caleb tried to play outside, but it was cold, dark, and windy. He kept opening the door from the play area to the restaurant and saying "Come on, Mommy, come on!"

Nothing doing, kid. Sorry, but Mommy has absolutely NO desire to be out in the cold. Too tired. Too sleepy. Too wimpy.

Poor kiddo. He needs a playmate. Perhaps I should have asked Santa to bring one instead of new toys.

Anyway, we proceeded to Wal-Mart after that because I was trying to avoid the crowds by going early. I was successful, but Caleb obviously didn't get the memo that I was going for "easy" and "quick". After knocking down several boxes of votive candles, breaking a keychain, and putting a hole in a bag of rice, Caleb was confined to the cart. Against his will, of course, and amid many protestations. But hey, the mommy can only take so much.

My goal today was to get all my food shopping done for the week (and the rest of the Christmas shopping). I do NOT want to go near a store tomorrow. I might venture out on Sunday for the sales, but I'd really rather stay away from shops in general until then. Even in our small town, the crowds are cuh-ray-zee.

Thankfully, the presents my Dad ordered for us were ready for pick-up while we were at Wal-Mart. Caleb saw his big gift: it's a water table, and the box is enormous! He got the biggest smile on his face when he saw it. He held on to it all the way to the car, and when we got home, he began to chant "Open! Open! Open!"

Not till Christmas, buddy.

"No! No! No! Open!!!"

He tried scissors, he tried sitting on the box, but it's so big, he actually can't get it open by himself. Much to my satisfaction and his disappointment.

You gotta wait two more days, bud. Just two. Christmas is almost here.

Speaking of which, this kid is going to be absolutely spoiled on the 25th. I'm looking forward to the influx of new toys (especially since we won't have another one till his half-birthday in June), but still... this little boy is going to be in overdrive Christmas morning. And probably for the rest of the day. And maybe the next one, too.

I can't wait. :)

The present I'm most excited about is the Veggie Tales Pirate Ship I found on sale at Mardel.com. It comes complete with the crew from The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything, and includes Willery and Princess Eloise. Oh boy! Ye mechanical pirates beware! Ye be no match for Pirate Caleb and Captain Mommy. :)

I will attempt to get pictures up after Christmas and also post pics from the Lights of Christmas evening we spent with my mom and Harry at Stanwood.

If you are among those who usually receive a Christmas card from us, please know that our card will be late this year. I've focused a lot more on Christmas baking and holiday activities with Caleb this year, so the cards were put on the back burner. But that is my project for next week: trying to get them addressed and mailed.

Oh, and finding a new washer. Because ours died. And laundry mats are only fun for the first few hours. So next week I'll be card-mailing and washer-hunting. Craigslist, here I come!

Merry Christmas, my friends! May you be surrounded with family, laughter, and good food this Christmas, remembering the Baby who's birth we celebrate and the Man whom we love all the year through. :)