The merry merry has made it’s way back onto the shelf for another year. We had a grand adventure at the compound, and the week flew by too fast. I hate using that phrase, but it’s true. What was worse is that I could feel it going by and couldn’t do much to stop it.
Colin and I braved the airport for an easy trip south and were greeted by those jolliest of elves, gram gram and grandpa. The boy was so excited to see them, and I have a feeling that the feeling was mutual.
It was good to be home (afterall, it’s where the heart is) and I was so pleasantly shocked to find that there was a plate of chocolate frosting-filled graham cracker sandwiches waiting for me. Geez. Make a girl cry right off the bat, mom.
We started the festivities by joining my parents at an “adult” Christmas party at a cousin’s house. Normally, the “kids” those of us in my generation, aren’t allowed. So it was fun to watch my venerable olders get ripped. My resolve to chill on the whole sugar issue for the duration was immediately tested as Colin, who had recently discovered that little things in shiny wrapping are usually chocolate, quickly zeroed in on a bowl of almond rocca that kept him occupied. I think that having one little guy around was fun for the partiers, especially this little guy, who I heard more than once “doesn’t know a stranger.”
Rob joined us on Friday and we were both glad to have Daddy with us again.
On Saturday we had the Heidrick Christmas Party out at the museum. Everybody was there at one point, a rare feat with a family as large as this one. Counting aunts, uncles, kids, grandkids and even a great-grandkid, there are 82 of us with one more baby in progress, and one wedding soon to take place. Damn. That’s a lot of people all added up like that!
We lost sight of Colin immediately, but we caught glimpses of him as he ran with the pack of cousins, sneaking off into corners to suck down Capri Sun drinks like a crack fiend who hit the motherload. Seriously. The kid would climb onto tables and try to suck the dregs out of abandoned juices.
I got to hold the two new babies, both girls, both so preciously cute and small and quiet and innocent. Then I gave them back and chased down my little tornado. Colin even had his first sleep over, staying with Aunt Traci and Uncle Tone and their three boys. Rob and I spared a moment’s wonder of how he was doing as we slept away the morning.
Christmas Eve found us in church of all places, with mom and dad, to enjoy the children’s service at the Methodist Church, which my mom grew up in. She remembered being in the service, and found that time has certainly changed this congregation and it’s traditions. It was a nice service, mostly songs, and Colin hung in for the most part. After that we headed over to Rusty’s for tacos and other goodies, than back to the compound for a long winter’s nap.
Colin is still a bit unaware of the reason for the season, so he wasn’t up at o-dark thirty like his cousins, but he certainly loved the presents! and cousins! and cookies! and fun! and laughing! and running! and hugging, oh the hugging. So much hugs that even our huggy bear seemed sated.
We exchanged our gifts in the usual paper flying frenzy. Among my new stash of treasures I was happy to find not only a TomTom navigation system, but a Cuisienart wand-blender to boot.
We had a fantas-tasty turkey dinner (thanks Russ!) with all the trimmings and I was able to unveil my surprise addition at dessert – a figgy pudding! I’ve always wondered what the heck this is, and thought it would be fun for the kids to sing for their dessert and discover what they were demanding per the song. What is a figgy pudding? It’s a tasty fig-infused steamed cakey loaf. I guess it’s a pudding because it’s steamed in a water bath for two hours. All the kids and most of the adults had a taste. New tradition? Perhaps, depends on who asks for it next year.
The rest of our trip was a lot of relaxing, we took in a movie with the Karren clan and since mom generously gave us the evening out, we took in some Sac-town sushi. Not bad, but we are admittedly spoiled up here in the land o fresh fish.
I took mom into a doctor’s appointment, so I could put a visual to where she spends her treatment days. This trip did a lot to allay several worries that have been circling my heart these past few months. She truly looks great, has a positive attitude and has a lot of wonderful support around her. It’s good to be reminded that although as a child I feel that the relationship of mother/child is paramount, Linda as a woman is also a significant force in other people’s lives in the role of wife, sister and friend. And even though I’m not there in the flesh to help, others are, and are doing so in wonderful ways.
The airport drop-off may have been a bit more tearful than usual, but they were easy tears. As we arrived home after another uneventful flight, with Soss meowing in happiness that we were back and our messy home just as we had left it, Rob and I took a moment under the mistletoe to thank each other for all the gifts, material and otherwise, that we gave and were given this Christmas.
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