Making It Perfect

I busted my rear to make Christmas extra fun/special/memorable...well, perfect.  Each year the kids get older and I know it won't be long before the child-like magic of Christmas starts to fade.  Kids get older; that's all there is to it.  Eventually, they will just ask for money or gift cards under the tree and look for ways to avoid hanging out with us. The thought of it gives me the "ball" feeling in my throat.

I love her smile as much as I love seeing Ross so excited about the Diary of a Wimpy Kid book he got.

Molly got a doll which poops in a toilet.  She checked the dolls diaper, got ticked-off and threw the doll across the room.

Maisie got a microphone and went into Barbie Princess Popstar mode, followed by a solo of "I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas"



Maisie excited to go check the Christmas tree on Christmas morning.

Ross waking upon Christmas morning.  I love that he wears Footie PJ's.

Kratt waking up on Christmas Morning.  I don't know what's gotten into me.  I have photos of the cat.  I give up.

Ross, Maisie, Daddy and Kratt wait for Molly to wake up.  Of course Christmas was the only day this week Molly slept-in until almost 8.  Typical.

Maisie debuts the Pinterest-Inspired-Donut-Snowmen

Ross is loving his Wii.


I guess I can't help it.  I have so many treasured memories of Christmas as a kid that I want my kids to have the same.  I don't remember my mom busting her rear to pull it off, but looking back, she must have. That's what mom's do.  They want their kids' memories of Christmas to be as speical as their own.  Mike keeps making fun of me because I was the first one up this morning.  I wanted the Christmas tree lights to be on, music playing, the donut snowmen waiting and a pot of coffee brewing.  I wanted it perfect. 

Within hours, I was threatening Ross with a wooden spoon for acting like a punk, mopping broken glass and water off the kitchen floor, getting scratched by a claw when Kratt freaked, keeping Molly from gagging/yacking over her new Dreamlight and discovering that Mike went back to bed.

I've come to terms with the fact that it's never going to be perfect... and perhaps that's that part that makes it memorable.