Saturday, January 03, 2009

Taking the good with the bad

Christmas Eve 2008

At the beginning of this holiday season a friend of mine, and fellow resident wife, said something to me about this being a time of survival - not enjoyment.  And with Paul working in the MICU (the busiest service of intern year) the entire month of December there were many days when I felt that.

Just survive
Get through it

But there were many days and moments that were perfectly magical this year.
Christmas Eve was a mixed bag.
But let me back up for just a minute...

Paul was scheduled to work Christmas Day.  But (in a weird resident life kinda way) we were lucky: Paul's one day off that week was the 26th.  So Christmas was coming to the Gunn household on December 26th this year - and the kids didn't know the difference.

The monday before Christmas Paul called from work with some good new:
THEY TOLD HIM NOT TO COME IN ON CHRISTMAS DAY!!!
It was a Christmas miracle (really).

And it put me into panic mode.
Now I was one day short with a lot of Christmas prep still left to do!

But first things first:
"Um, kids mommy's kinda silly and she messed up on the christmas countdown.  You get to take off TWO chains today!"
(Followed by lots of cheers from said kids)

So on the 24th I was pretty busy - but I wanted it to be perfect for the kids.
First mistake.
Never plan on "perfect" and "kids."
They don't go together.

The day started out well - the kids were so excited that it was Christmas Eve!  But that excitement soon pushed them right over the edge (and they tried so hard to drag me with them!).  I think they just couldn't handle that Christmas was almost here but not really here.  
Lots of whining, fighting, crying.
Noah asked me LITERALLY every hour if he could open his presents yet.  It went like this:

Noah - Mom, can I open my presents now?
Me - No, you can open one tonight before bed and the rest tomorrow on Christmas.
Noah - (complete emotional, mental, physical breakdown).

Every hour people.

But we did manage to have some fun.
I rented "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" on i-tunes and set the living room up like a movie theater, popcorn and all.


The kids loved it.

We also made cookies for Santa and ate way too much of the dough.

Then I (attempted) to make rolls for Christmas dinner.
But what actually came out of the oven were hard, flat, little disks.
Not really what I was going for.
But seriously, what was I thinking?
I have a curse when it comes to making rolls
(too many stories, for another time).

The one downside to Paul having Christmas Day off was that this meant he would be post-call (coming off of a 36 hour sleepless shift) on Christmas Eve.

And when he got home I had to run to the grocery store for some Rhodes rolls before they closed (seriously, not even a back-up plan?) leaving exhausted daddy with over-the-cliff-long-ago kids.
And then, we suddenly remembered something we were supposed to get for Noah to go with one of his gifts - which we never got.  It was pretty much necessary to the gift.
So Paul ran to Target before they closed.

Dinner that night was leftover enchiladas and we didn't even eat together.

But we did gather together before bed.
We wrote Santa a note and set out the milk and cookies.
We sprinkled the magic reindeer food in the backyard.
The kids opened one gift each.
We sang our favorite Christmas songs
And we read from the scriptures the story of Jesus' birth.

Then I tucked Paul and the kids into bed
and went to work.

Like I said, the good with the bad : )



P.S.  Here's what the kids had to say about the movie.  
warning: this will probably be boring to everyone but the grandparents
But I got a kick out of it : )




P.P.S.  Alex's reaction to her first gift on Christmas Eve was priceless.  What I wouldn't give to have gotten it on video!  Words will not do it justice, but I will try.

The kids decided to open their gifts from their cousins in Utah, Jack and Isabelle.  Noah went first, and loved the ball they gave him.  (he'd been waiting all day!)
Then it was Alex's turn.  She ripped the wrapping paper off the front of the package and, when she saw that it was a baby doll inside, she threw her hands up in the air and started squealing at the top of her lungs!  
She was laughing, clapping, and screaming,
"I always wanted a baby doll!  I always wanted one!"
It went on and on and on.
The rest of us couldn't stop laughing.
And she never put the baby doll down - she slept with her that nigh
Noah slept with his ball on the dresser, so he could see it.
(Thanks Jack and Isabelle!)


Like I said, magical moments : )

9 comments:

Michele said...

the funniest little girl i have ever seen. she says "like" almost as much as her aunt tiffany and her mannerisms and facial expressions are priceless. love it.

Lyndsi said...

Haha you were wrong...I enjoyed that video probably as much as the grandparents. They are a HOOT! Alex's facial expressions are priceless. They are too dang cute! Glad you guys had a Merry Christmas!

JoAnna said...

I LOVE your writing!

Lezli said...

I love watching them both. . . at first Noah looks at Alex so funny, then about rubs his eyes out of their sockets (must have been tired) and then Alexis's facial expressions are so dramatic!!. . .Can't wait to see you all!! Eight months is too long XOXO!

Faye said...

That was PRICELESS! Alex was hilarious. She has a certain intensity about her storytelling that her mom had as a little girl :) Thanks for going to the trouble to share it with us.

John said...

You should post that on u-tube, it's the best. I love it when Alex gets all dramatic and then Noah bury's his face in his hands...dang funny stuff.

mandy* said...

I am in love with your blog. Reading it was one of the most entertaining parts of my day.

The Larsons said...

You always have a good attitude... I love it. Love the sledding pictures... we are really missing snow here in Missouri (never thought I would say that!). LOVE Alex's cute dress!

Tiffany said...

LOL! Couldn't wipe the smile off my face as I watched this video! I was thinking the same thing as Shel...Alex says "like" just about as much as I do... :) So cute!!!