Christmas

On the eve of Christmas Eve, I took the girls down to see Grandma and Grandpa.  We were going to have lunch and go for a swim.  Everyone was fine when we left...

Alice wasn't herself.  She continued to get worse and worse.  We had a short visit with Grandma and Grandpa.  Cousin Nancy came over, and neighbour Marsha too.  Alice wouldn't perk up and by then she had a fever.  She also started saying she was going to barf.  We took off and went home.  Alice and Fiona continued to deteriorate.  We were supposed to go to Fairy Lake to watch the Nativity Play with the Tokarevs.  We had to cancel.

Christmas Eve - Alice  barfed in the night but was doing better in the morning.  Fiona still had a fever.  We hadn't made any plans for Christmas Eve, but it didn't matter as we just needed to lie low.

I held Fiona a lot.  Ken had a few turns.  I did manage to clean up and get all the toys and stockings sorted.  We left a note and cookies for Santa, and some carrots for the reindeer.

 

Christmas morning.  Fiona still had a fever.  Alice seemed to be much improved, but poor Kate.

Presents - Just for remembering and well, for remembering.
Kate - pony castle, polly pocket roller coaster, Book - Wherever You Are: My Love Will Find You, Bathtub recorders, markers, candy.
Alice - Little people school house, wooden tool box, dry erase book, bathtub tea set, markers, candy.
Fiona - Stuffed Olaf, Bug net bath toy, candy, crayons.
From the cousins - magnatiles and American money. 

Dinner...  We were hosting.  I didn't want to cancel.  How do you cancel Christmas dinner?!  Kate and Alice were doing much better but Fiona wasn't doing so great.  Mom, Dad, Andrew and Rayna all came over.  They brought gifts and appetites.  Ken cooked up a storm.  Fiona screamed.  I sat in the basement with Fiona during dinner.  After Ken ate he took over with Fiona and I ate.  As soon as the meal was done everyone took off.  That made me sad, but what were they to do?  I didn't get a picture of the dinner table, or the people around the table.  I didn't really get any pictures.  I took a picture of Mom and Dad just before they left, but that was after Andrew and Rayna left, so there were no pictures of them.

The girls loved their presents from Grandma & Grandpa and Andrew & Rayna.  From G & G Alice got bunk beds for her dolls, Kate got a Little Pet Shop house, and Fiona got her very own chair - a foam princess chair.  From A & R Alice received a baby that came with a bath, Fiona received twin babies, and Kate received a police station duplo set.  

I didn't do the best job of staying positive, of recognizing the blessings amongst the fevers, sickness comes and goes, but on holidays?!  On Christmas?!  I should have been thankful that we were all together, that we had good food, that the girls mostly had a good day.  There are a million things to be thankful for.  It wasn't the best Christmas, but.  I need to be more grateful.  We are blessed.  It was a good Christmas.

Oh.  One last note.  Ken and Wendy presents.  I bought myself a new mascara and a black skirt and a striped wool sweater.  I bought Ken some socks.  And something else.