holiday cheer

I feel like we're going to wash away in a sea of sugar so much have we consumed just the last three days alone. How are you all doing with the holiday preparation? Never before have I baked so many yummy goods, and as I was knee deep in batter it occurred to me that people who do this kind of thing on a regular basis probably own more than one cookie sheet. I might have to look into that.

This year with so many teachers, therapists, bus drivers, bus driver aides -- and that only represents two of my kids -- I decided I needed to make a point to give as frugally as possible, besides most of the recipients not needing or wanting any more stuff to clutter their space. Better to give consumables to fill their stomachs, eh?

Oh, and a card. With a picture of the child with whom their work is currently so entwined. Because someday, as hard as it may be to believe right now, these people who are witnessing and contributing to these childhoods so intimately on a weekly, daily basis, will be but distant memories. The children? They will someday forget -- or at least not quite remember. But these wonderful, caring professionals somehow remember every child who passes through their door.

And they are all so wonderful and caring. I cannot express enough amazement at how fortunate my children have been with all the adults who are influencing their lives. Especially for Sean-Peter, when I look back on just one year ago, how many people have come into his life since then and how far he has come ... it is unfathomable. Our very own Christmas miracle.

Christmas is a time for celebration -- and celebrating we have been! Sean-Peter's class yesterday, Olivia's today ... and Conner just walked in with a pile of loot of his own from his "Secret Santa". Who wasn't so secret as she promptly told him she drew his name and asked him what he wanted then got it for him to the letter. All. of. it.Conner was telling me how many sugar pills he had already consumed and how that was nothing compared to some of the other kids, one in particular who opened up a large bag of skittles and leaned back and poured them directly into his pie hole. I hope these parents all have good dental plans.

Sean-Peter and I both went to Olivia's class party. Of course Olivia's always so excited to see me there, but she doesn't usually get her little brother, too. I've been given reports of how they will see each other in the hallway in school and run up and hug each other. I hope Olivia never gets too old and Sean-Peter never gets too macho to do that kind of thing, but they probably will.

This is the picture that Olivia likes. See that funny kid in front there? Olivia has told him on more than one occasion that when she grows up she wants to marry him, "And he says, 'Ah, you're gross!'" I know. We're in trouble.

Her teacher, however, adores her.

At the party this afternoon we were watching Sean-Peter do the limbo and she says to Olivia, "Your little brother is doing a really good job!" Olivia leans in close and cups her hand beside her mouth to say, "Well, sometimes being little comes in handy."

We decided I should make one of those little bathroom books quoting all these things that Olivia says and call it, "Olivia's Little Pearls of Wisdom".

For his part, Sean-Peter thought he was pretty hot stuff hanging out with all the kindergartners.

Oh, and he got a candy cane, too. So he was all kinds of good.


The day before he had celebrated with his fellow preschoolers. They decorated cookies...And played pin the tail on the ... snowman. Or you know, whatever. (That's my friend Erin supervising. She's not busy enough with her two children and their various therapies and her two (or more?) websites so she decided to be the preschool's PTO vice president as well. God love these women.)




Before these parties commenced we were getting ready to spread a little Christmas cheer ourselves.

As I was readying the plates and cards it dawned on me that I wasn't exactly clear on all the names of the bus drivers and aides. One aide's name, in particular, was puzzling me. I kept asking Sean-Peter and for the life of me it sounded like he was saying "Miss Tambourine," which of course always made me want to break into song, "Hey, Missus Tambourine aide..." which would only frustrate him further, "No, it's Miss! Ta! mo! reeeeeen!" Even Olivia just shrugged.

Of course I asked the transportation office for her name as well, but when they told me it was simply Jeanne I was really at a loss. I had no choice but to leave her card unaddressed but I confessed to her I couldn't for the life of me figure out what name she went by. Jeanne Marie. Ah-ha! Mystery solved. Although she found Miss Tambourine rather endearing. After 23 years of working with these children I think she thought she'd heard it all.