Christmas cheer, part 2

It's amazing what meeting deadlines and taking a little break will do for the psyche. I feel a delicious sense of freedom, knowing that I'm done teaching for a couple of weeks and I don't have anything else due, writing-wise, until January 2nd.

At 4 days before Christmas, there are a zillion things I could be doing, but I'm taking a break. I deserve it.

Here is Abby, on the night we went to see a small production of The Nutcracker a couple of weeks ago. She is hoping that Santa will bring her a fish, whom she plans on naming Splash Nemo Fay. She made her request in a letter addressed to "Santa Claus, North Powl." She also wants to leave him a note, just as a reminder, on Christmas Eve.

She asked me the other day why she doesn't have any jeans or khakis. The short answer, which I gave her, was that she outgrew them all. The real reason is that she's never been able to fasten the snaps, and has been resistant to working on it with us. Maybe if she's motivated by the desire to be fashionable, the fine motor skills will come along.


Here is Santa's Little Helper, Brian, opening an early present at his Grandma Fay's Christmas party last weekend. His biggest wish for Christmas is a train with tracks. I joke that he'd probably be even more thrilled with an atlas, a calculator and a Sudoku book, but will trust Santa's judgment on this one.

He keeps saying "I want to open a present!" He's singing all kinds of Christmas carols and is into candy canes, Hershey's kisses and gingerbread. He's helped me make cookies and fudge, and likes to help wrap presents, too.




And here is Santa, aka Timmy. He is hoping for a fire truck ("A quiet one," says Abby) for Christmas. His favorite book these days is Corduroy's Christmas, a lift-the-flap book that has taken up residence in our bathroom, where he can read it at leisure while he's in there on business. He was very excited this morning to see a snowplow clearing the intersection outside our house. He's fighting a little cold, which hopefully will be gone by Tuesday.



For the first time in 14 years, I don't have to sing at any masses on Christmas day. I'm really looking forward to lounging in my jammies and enjoying the kids' excitement without watching the clock. I may be a little groggy from singing the midnight mass, but that's what coffee is for.

Everything is just about perfect. Now, if I could only find the $75 worth of gift cards I've misplaced. I keep asking St. Anthony to help me out, but so far he hasn't answered me. They'll turn up, I know, but I hope they do so before Christmas rather than after.