I just looked back at my previous posts, and last year I didn’t do a Christmas post. What the what? I thought it was weird and not very cheery, and so, despite the chain of events I’m about to relay to you, I think you should know up front that this season has been filled with LOTS of Christmas cheer and that the Christmas spirit is certainly alive and well in our household and having two little ones to share it with is so very magical. As Neala says OVER AND OVER, “More more Christmas treat!” Which actually means, “Mom, get me as close as possible to that Christmas TREE so I can look at all the ornaments again and again and again andagainandagainandagain.”
I just can’t help but share with you how our life has been since the kids turned 2 on the 9th. It’s been real special. Here’s the timeline:
December 9: Our twins turned two. Watch out world.
December 11: Rylan woke up from naptime with a wheezing cough, nearly giving me a heart attack because, you know…hospital visits. We started him on some meds to hopefully avoid a hospital stay (they seem to have worked). Moments later, I’m in the kitchen getting snacks together and it’s WAY too quiet in the kid’s room. I go check on them and they’re sitting on their little chairs, Rylan with a bottle of children’s Tylenol in his hands, lid off, shit eating grin on his face (excuse the expletive, but there’s really no other way to describe that look). And, when I asked if he drank some he said, “YEAH!!!” So, off to urgent care we went. I know, I know, I could have just called poison control, but I wanted them to listen to his lungs anyway…two birds, one stone?
December 12: Birthday party! We did an open house style party, where we suggested that people stop by for a little bit within a 3 hour window. Our original plan was to have a little fire in the chiminea outside and brave the cold. Then it rained. Not cool. Our house was PACKED for three straight hours. It was crowded and I managed to spill my entire cup of (much needed) coffee, but we really felt the love for our kiddos.
December 15: Two year check up at the doctor’s office. Everything went pretty well, although Rylan’s favorite thing to do while waiting for the doc is play with the stirrups on the exam table. Yuck. They both weighed in at exactly the same weight: 19lbs. 8oz and Neala is 30″ tall and Rylan is 31″ tall. Tiniest two year olds you’ll ever see.
December 16: I got a spa day! Much thanks to the mother in law for making this happen!
December 17: Neala woke up and kept repeating, “barth, barth.” I had no idea what she was saying until a few minutes later when she was sitting on the floor reading and started dry heaving and then barfed. She spend the next 6 hours barfing up everything that went in and begging for more food and milk. Ok, whatever you want kid. It was not pretty, but it was over by about noon after 4 changes of clothes and a change of bedding.
December 19: Patrick left about 6:30 for a 24 (or 28) hour shift at the hospital. Neala woke up barfing again. We went on with our morning routine, including brushing teeth after breakfast. Rylan has recently figured out that he can open all the doors in our house, so I went in the bathroom with both kids and locked the door so Rylan wouldn’t open it and escape and so we wouldn’t have any two year olds trip and fall and gouge their throats with toothbrushes…you know, safety first. When we were done, I closed the bathroom door behind us. About 10 minutes later I tried to go back in the bathroom to wash my hands and the door was LOCKED from the outside. Yay mom! The door stayed locked from 8:30 to noon when a dear friend/neighbor/nothing because technically we’re not related but my kids call him uncle (not in a weird way) saved us. The entire time I was trying to get the bathroom open my phone was freaking out and vibrated continually for several minutes straight. So that sucked. But it’s funny now. Twenty hours later, my husband returned.
December 21: My mom and I decided the kids needed to meet Santa Clause and ask them in person for, “PLLLEEEASSE wagon!” and pink shoes. We got in line and mom immediately exclaimed that at girl with the family in line in front of us was quite green. She dashed out of line several times and ran to the bathroom. When her family got to the front, she immediately turned and almost ran into us while catching her vomit in a paper towel. Merry Christmas. The kids were terrified of Santa and I have a bit of mommy guilt for making them sit on his lap. The pic is priceless though, right?
December 22nd: My parents hosted Christmas dinner and for the second time in 4 months I broke down and cried at a dinner party because I couldn’t get my children to eat. At least this time there was no uncontrollable sobbing. Win.
December 23rd: A dear friend and fellow resident wife invited us to dinner at a burger joint with her family from out of town. The hostess informed us that our reservation was for 8:30 when we arrived at 6:30. No. No. No it wasn’t. The restaurant staff “rushed” around for about 45 minutes until a few tables cleared and they seated us. The kids were really good…a bit wild, but good. Rylan ran about 3 miles in the restaurant while we were waiting for our table. When we sat down he chugged his water. At the exact moment our food arrived he gagged and barfed…just a little. It was easy to clean up and we went on with our meal. I know, that’s kind of gross, but it’s what we did. He ate some french fries (dinner of champions) and then kept standing up in his high chair. I picked him up and put him on my lap and continued to eat my burger. He was facing me and after a few minutes started crying and then barfed ALL OVER both of us, the table, the diaper bag, and the floor. Yay! Again, Merry Christmas. We immediately left and are so thankful for non-judgemental friends whose parents picked up the check! Eek.
And here we are, mid afternoon on Christmas eve, Patrick just finishing one of at least 4 cases in the operating room today, no barf, one dinner party ahead of us, and presents to wrap and I couldn’t be more thankful for the memories of this holiday season. Bring it on, Christmas!
Wonderful writing and story. We miss you all. Nice to talk this morning. Sorry it was so short. Love to you all S and M
OMG, it sounds like life at our house. I used to blog all the time. Now I just tend to sick kiddos and…well, sick (and tired) me. Even the dogs have been ill. Banner projectile vomited all over Michael’s about a month ago. Thank goodness I wasn’t there, because I’m pretty sure I would have said, “Well, dude. It’s been a great almost four years. Bye!” Trevor is much better equipped to deal with barf than I am.