A few weeks ago, Tom and Ethan walked into my mom’s house to pick up Siobhan and she ran to Ethan and said “I love you, Ethie”, clear as day.
It was the first time she said I love you despite some prodding from various people. One thing I can tell you for certain, Siobhan does everything on her own time and there is no getting her to do something she doesn’t want to do.
Needless to say, since she said those magical words to Ethan, we have all been wanting her to say it to us too. I tell her I love her everyday, not just to hear her say it (of course), but I may wait a few extra pauses these days to see if she will respond.
The girls have even tried getting her to say it by flat out asking her to, but she won’t.
Then, today, I went to get her from her nap and she wrapped her little arms tight around me. I said “I love you so much” and she said “I love you so much, mommy”.
I cried.
Last Christmas was Siobhan’s first Christmas, and while it was very special, this year was the best Christmas yet!
I stressed about Christmas right up until Christmas eve because I was so behind schedule. I thought I would never finish my shopping, and I worried things wouldn’t be perfect, like I always do. I know this stress is self inflicted, but I can’t help it.
I went to our local Walmart early on the 23rd with a shopping list as long as my arm (I still had most of my shopping to do), and by some Christmas miracle, I was in and out of there in an hour with most of it done.
Our first Christmas celebration of the year is at my mother-in-laws on the 23rd. My in-laws are Danish, and they have a few traditions that we don’t have in Canada. One of them is dancing around the Christmas tree singing carols. We all hold hands and sing “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer” at the top of our lungs while we dance around the tree. This year, Siobhan held hands too. She danced and she smiled and she danced some more. When the rest of us were ready to be done, Siobhan said “more, please” and we all danced some more.
After dancing, we open gifts, and Siobhan has this all figured out now, she tore through that paper with reckless abandon. She opened her presents, and my presents, and Tom’s presents. We had to stop her from opening other people’s presents too.
The thing that made this the best Christmas yet was Christmas morning. I’ve mentioned before that stockings are my favourite part of Christmas, and this year Siobhan was really into opening hers too. She pulled everything out exclaiming “Oh my Noodness” (she has troubles with the “g”) and making loud gasping noises if she was particularly impressed. At the end, she found her chocolate orange, and trying to peel the sticker off of it kept her occupied until the other kids had opened their stockings.
Then we went downstairs where there is usually an unwrapped present from Santa sitting waiting for our kids, but for some reason we couldn’t see any.
I told the kids I thought I had heard something in the basement last night, so they ran down there.
They were greeted by disco lights, and once their eyes adjusted their gifts were revealed. A drum set for Ethan, an electric guitar for Rebecca, a keyboard for Eleanor and a little pink microphone on a stand for Siobhan.
The kids ran to their instruments and started making noise (I won’t call it music), and while they bashed, and strummed and plink plinked, Siobhan walked over to the microphone and started singing. She had the brightest smile, and they were all so very happy. It didn’t matter that they were making a racket because it was such a wonderful moment of inclusion.
Then Eleanor asked to try Siobhan’s microphone, and like a true lead singer, she said no and sent Ellie back to her keyboard. A diva already!
I don’t think I have the words to describe the warmth in my heart and the tears in my eyes, but this Christmas morning will go down as the best in my memory because although last year was my baby’s first Christmas, this year was the year she “got it”.
Dear Song Writers,
If you are planning on writing a Christmas carol, there are a few things you should consider. I have gone ahead and made some guidelines to help you make a good Christmas carol.
1. It should not involve abused children.
2. Exes should not meet and drink beer in a parking lot.
3. No-one’s mother should die
4. As a matter of fact, no-one should die.
5. Don’t ask Bruce Springsteen to sing it
I get it, bad things happen. I know that just because it’s Christmas it doesn’t mean there aren’t people having a tough time, but is it really too much to ask that Christmas songs be happy?
Every day we are bombarded with bad news. Newspapers, television, the internet, they are like a bad news avalanche. If I am tuning into your All-Christmas-Carols-All-The-Time radio station, it’s because I want to get into the Christmas spirit.
Here are some great examples of how to make a Christmas song that doesn’t suck.
This song is so beautiful, it actually makes me cry, but they are tears of happiness. Her voice is as lovely as the nightingale’s song.
It helps that it’s 2 awesome vocalists singing this song, but it’s the manner in which it is sung that truly makes it magical. This is my all-time favourite Christmas carol.
And finally
You can’t go wrong with a funny Christmas carol with a catchy chorus. Go ahead, listen to it, you’ll be singing it all day long.
I have to give an honourable mention to I Farted On Santa’s Lap and Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer because, well, they are awesome too.
Okay, now go write a good Christmas song.
Thanks,
Maureen
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