After attending the Christmas eve service at church, we came home and played “Santa.” The kids all go to bed and then get called back downstairs one at a time, where they each take a turn helping Sid and me fill stockings with candy. When they have all had a turn and gone to bed for the night, Sid and I add a few more surprises to their stockings.
Santa Sidney tries on a gruff persona while stroking his short, sparse whiskers.
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Santa Lincoln caves under the pressure of the camera. It is hard to take treat-eating seriously with Mom clicking pictures.
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Santa Rachel gobbles her nutella on a Ritz cracker.
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Santa Prairie plays it cool.
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My favorite highlights from Christmas morning . . . .
My present from Sid . . .
Please, let me give the details, lest you think this is merely a potty seat. THIS potty seat has a light that allows one to visit the potty at 2 am half asleep without stumbling or turning on overhead lights. I used it last night. The light is a very dim blue light that makes the toilet bowl interior glow ethereally. Who would ever think one could describe a potty as ethereal? I was fairly amused, though a sleepy amused, at my 2 am potty visit.
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Lincoln with his throwing knives and his tough, knife-throwing expression.
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Prairie with her unicorn necklaces from Lincoln.
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Lincoln, holding his handmade sock rabbit from Rachel.
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Prairie hovers while Maw-Maw Rachel opens her gift from Prairie. “I need to explain this,” Prairie says.
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My absolute FAVORITE thing all day — the two kids who have irritated each other in the past being so affectionate.
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Rachel made me a cork doll and wrote a poem on her favorite flamingo fabric.
I print the poem she wrote for me below . . . . .
The Perfect Mom
A family depends
on a Mom
A teacher on
making a pom-pom
A cook who
makes our food
A Mom which
has a good mood.
We all got a good laugh out of the good mood — good moods are not my norm, though I try. I was thrilled to see her attempt to imitate William Carlos Williams’ The Red Wheelbarrow.
Rachel also wrote a poem for Sid.
The Perfect Dad
A family depends
on a Dad
A comforter when
we are sad
A man who helps
us in troubles
A man like this
is better than doubles.
Prairie, once again, had to explain her gift. She calls it a “spirit,” which is a doll with a flashlight body. She says I can hold it to see how to walk down the stairs at night instead of turning on the hall light. When I click the flashlight button on the bottoms, it glows.
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Sidney was especially thrilled to pull this out of his stocking.
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Lincoln is just being goofy. He was just as thrilled.
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Prairie jumps up to “explain” another one of her gifts. “I need to explain this, Daddy.”
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Prairie gave Lincoln a cork doll magnet. She sat close by him while he opened it, so she could “explain.”
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Rachel made Sidney a cork tie
Lots of love and laughs and thoughtful giving — a good Christmas.
Prairie Sings 