The Holidays are over now and we're all back to our routines. I'm actually happy about that though - the late nights and early mornings last week have caught up to me. I think I need another holiday to get over this one.
Christmas Eve was at our place this year with Richard's family. It was the first year that we weren't at his parent's house. Rather than trying to mimick their traditions and then just frigging them up, I decided to do everything completely DIFFERENT instead. My food all came out okay although I overcooked my salmon by about 10 minutes and over-reheated a couple of things that people had brought over. No one seemed to mind but I hate it when things aren't perfect. We had a late lunch followed by gifts and then Rich and his siblings took their dad back to his nursing home and went to visit their Mom in the rehab centre. They hung out there a couple of hours and almost everyone came back to our place for a late light dinner.
Stasia (Rich's sister) and my oldest nephew Joshua stayed the night and we had a nice Christmas morning the next day. Simon didn't nap on Christmas Eve though and didn't sleep that well during the night as a result (remember, the more tired Simon is - the less he sleeps). Christmas Day he was really edgy, tantrums were easily provoked and he barked at everyone who looked at him. We went to visit Rich's mom later that morning for a while and then headed to my folks' place. Again, schedules so far out of whack - Simon napped way too late and woke up at 6:00pm ready to burn the house down. When it came time for dinner an hour later - he wouldn't sit at the table. I told him he had two options: 1) sit at the table or 2) sit in the corner. The prompted a full meltdown including flayling limbs, spaghetti-body and screaming. This went on during the first ten minutes of our Christmas dinner - everyone was really good about it but I just kept my eyes on my plate because if I would have made eye contact with anyone I would have cried my head off. His timing is always perfect.
He finally calmed down and came to the table and ate his dinner. Another late night.
On Boxing Day we went to Ottawa to visit my Dad's side of the familia. Some of my cousins were missing so it wasn't the same - but we still had a great time. Simon slept the whole way there and wasn't as much of a bear as he was the day before. He really took to my Aunt Vivien (Lividen as he called her) and chased her around most of the day. He was the only kid there so I was worried about entertaining him all day but he managed just fine. My Aunt Marlene made a great dinner once again: big filet of salmon, venison meatballs in a mushroom stew, pork loin with goat cheese and roasted vegetables. She's by far the best hostess I've ever seen. She hosts three nights of Christmas dinners in a row every year and she's always so put together, organized and relaxed. I want her to open a school.
For the past three years on Boxing Day, someone in the family supplies some entertainment for our amusement. My parents did Ike and Tina Turner the first year, Jenn and Shawn did Aqua last year and my three Aunts did an old 'sisters' song from the 60s this year. Rich and I got sucked into performing next year. I have no idea what we are going to do. I'm hoping that Simon will just do it for us instead. He seems to enjoy performing well enough so far.
New Years we went to Trish and JP's where we ate loads of food and played Cranium after the kids went to bed. We're old now - this is big fun for us.
Health, happiness and wealth to all of you out there! I hope 2006 treats you very well!
