week ending dec 21, 2008:

Week ending Dec 21: This week the kids were really having a hard time waiting for Christmas. They’d say “when is it EVER going to get here?!” and “When am I EVER going to get a new toy?!” They are frustrated that the gifts are piling up in front of the tree and none of them are for them. They are frustrated that we are doing so much shopping and none of it is for them. Alex asked why I was buying presents for all those other people and not for him. I explained that I had to buy his presents when he wasn’t there so they would be surprises. So, one night after they went to bed I wrapped up one gift for each twin and put them under the tree with a “from Mommy and Daddy label”. The very next morning they started digging through the gifts under the tree trying to read the labels. They found the ones to them and carried them around for about a half an hour, satisfied in the knowledge that there was something in the house for them. Then when the half hour was up they were back to complaining about how long it was they’d have to wait to open the gifts. Oh well. Then we had 3 parties in three days to distract them.

This week was also the Christmas party at school. First about 5 classes of kids and their parents herded into a big room with a piano and the kids sang a half dozen Christmas songs. Alex sat on my lap for most of the songs except when the teacher asked him to stand up in front of everyone and hold up a picture of baby Jesus in the manger. Chloe asked if she could go and sit with her “boy friend Devon” and his Mom and I said “sure”. At church all the kids from my Sunday School class go and sit with their friends families (Collin comes to sit with Alex and I, Chloe goes and sits with Miley or Jada), so I guess we’ve set a precedent for this. After the songs we went back to the class room to help the kids with a craft, then they decorated sugar cookies with icing and sprinkles, and then did their usual first “15 minutes of class” stuff like talking about which day of the week it is, which month, what the weather is like, counting, etc. Despite practicing 3 times a week, most of the kids aren’t good at the days of the week, and on December 19, the month of Christmas, none of them correctly guessed what month it is. It is very cute to watch them try though. After the lesson they opened a piñata and each kid got a sandwich bag full of goodies. Alex did a little dance of triumph after he got his bag. Very fun to see all the excitement.

I took the kids to their friend Abby’s 5th bday party. She had the party at a kids’ salon and had a “rock stars and diva’s” theme. I explained to the kids beforehand that someone would put gel in their hair so they’d look like rock stars and they were both excited about it. When we got there they had an assortment of costumes and all the kids except one chose to play dress up. Chloe got her hair curled and had blue streaks added and was thrilled that they had a sparkly gold jacket for her to wear. Alex loves electric guitars (and is hoping to get one for xmas), so he was excited about the guitar shirt and guitar temporary tattoo. I wasn’t excited that they put makeup on the kids (do we need this at 5 years old?), but I let it go. Some of the parents dropped their kids off at the party and I was invited to leave, but chose to stay. Really they would have been fine without me, but then I would have all these fun pictures. http://picasaweb.google.com/constance.phelps/AbbyS5thBday#

I took the kids to Aiden’s 1st birthday party. It is hard to believe that last Christmas Eve I was standing in the hospital meeting Aiden for the 1st time. The pictures from the party tell pretty much the whole story except the misbehavior of my over-tired children who were attending their 3rd party in 3 days, and that’s best left forgotten anyway. http://picasaweb.google.com/constance.phelps/AidenS1stBday#