We didn't go anywhere, and this is the first Christmas I can remember in a long time that wasn't accompanied by some underlying stress. Probably because I have a couple of built-in excuses for not getting things done, and nobody questions the legitimacy of the excuse when I use it. And it works for everything. ("Oh. You didn't get me a gift." "No, sorry, I have babies. Two of them. Two. At the same time." "Ohhhhhh, okay." or "You're looking kinda greasy. When was the last time you took a shower?" "I have twins. That's two babies." "Ohhhh.")
Clearly, I've been slacking on the blogging front, but that doesn't mean there wasn't anything going on. From Christmas-tree shopping at Roar's school with my parents to our Christmas dinner of linguine with clam sauce, there was lots of goodness. Here's what I hope to always remember:
Zachary picked out the Christmas tree again this year. He went from tree to tree, proclaiming, "I don't love it" until he found the one that he loved. And it was beautiful.
[Husband, where are those iPhone pictures you promised me???]
The day before my parents were heading back home to Iowa, we decorated the tree. Parta taught the boys how to properly put up Christmas lights, and Parti showed Zachary the best places to hang ornaments. This year was the first year in our relationship that my husband did not complain about our lack of seizure-inducing multi-colored blinking lights. Peace on Earth indeed.
One night, we got the little ones fed, bathed, and pajamied, then we all piled into the car to look at Christmas lights. We played Christmas music, stopped by a drive through to get ice cream, and hit up the tackiest lights our area had to offer. Because of the mafia tint on our back windows, Zachary was having trouble seeing, so he requested that we roll down his window despite some light rain. We rolled down Roar's as well, because he didn't want us to. Ice cream, tacky lights, Christmas music, talking, laughing, listening to Zachary's appreciative "ooooh, pretty!!", and general family togetherness for over an hour -- this is my second favorite memory of this holiday season.
On Christmas Eve Day, big beautiful snowflakes began to fall, despite the fact that snow had not been in the forecast as of the night before. "It's a Christmas miracle!" Zachary tells Parti and Parta on the phone.
I put up the stockings and exclaimed, "Oh !$^@$" as it finally dawns on me that our family is huge. Seriously, it took me this long.
(No, we do not have a mantel, and yes, that makes me sad. Also, I realize I didn't get around to putting everyone's pictures in the stocking holders. But I have twins. Two babies. Two. At the same time.)
There were presents, lots of presents:
Then there were VERY SPECIAL (and a little bit ridonculous) presents. We had Parti, Parta, Nonna, and Pop on Skype to watch the unveiling of these ones. (Roar was so confused by the presence of his present that he did not have a you-tube worthy response. It was like, "Huhhhh?")
Roar drove a car for the first time ever. He's terrible, and for some reason, watching him give my husband whiplash when he hit the brake made my heart gush. It was also one moment that brought home the saying, "With babies, the days are long, but the years are short." Roar went from this:
But the best memory this year? A couple of people we had been waiting for all of our lives were able to join us.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
