~ Does it seem.....? ~

Does it seem that Christmas is coming faster and faster every year?

Remember when you were young and it to took forever for Christmas to arrive. Not the case any longer. Possibly because now I'm the one paying for Christmas.

I am aiming to have my shopping done in the next two weeks. On track so far. The kids aren't receiving a lot this year, as we're headed away for a couple days and will be shopping. In the end they'll have the same amount of stuff as every year, just not all on Christmas Day.

What do I want under the tree this year? Nothing, I want to shop for it at the mega mall we'll be visiting. But what I'd like to purchase for myself this year...

That's it. I'm not a greedy girl. Just a new pair of jeans, some new runners and a montage of all the products offered at Bath & Body works. Now, I'm not saying that my shopping will be limited to these items. I'm sure there will be plenty more that I'm compelled to add to my wardrobe. But these are at the top of my list.

Snowed today. Yuck. Not a tonne, but snowed today.

Top ten thoughts this week.

1. Why does O have to wake me up when he pee's in the night? I don't need to know. He doesn't do it every night, but when his bladder awaken's him, he let's me know. It's not necessary, I'd like him to stop. It's always during my deepest REM. I don't recover. We go through the procedure before he heads to bed.

Mom - O, what happens if you have to go pee in the night?

O - I go and then get back in my bed. (This has yet to happen)

Mom - do you need to wake up mom?

O - No, cause I'm a big boy and I get get back in my bed.

Now, you would read that and think that I am heartless mother that can't even help her 4 yr old go to the bathroom in the night. Oh, if it were only as easy as that. Going is not the problem. He wakes up, comes into our room, turns on the light to the bathroom that blasts me in the face, goes pee, slams the bathroom door after turning off the light. Then wakes me up, well I'm already awake, he stand by my bed poking me.

"Mom, mom, mom......MOM! I went pee."

Congratulations.

"Mom can I sleep with you?"

This seems like an innocent question. One that every mother should melt with love. A child that wants to get into the endless warmth of their parents bed. It's safe there. Nestled between his two protecters of all things monster. If only that were the picturesque scenario.

What he really means to say.

Mom can I snuggle with you for 0.00008 of a second and then stretch my legs straight up and slam them down so the covers are wrenched off you and dad. Then when I'm not so hot, can I put my feet into your back and stab while I fall back to sleep. Then while I'm sleeping can flip the wrong direction in bed so that you're being kicked in the head. And then at some point can i flip back again and push against you ever so slightly so that you unconsciously move over to the point that you are balancing on the edge of your queen size bed and I, a child of only 35 pounds, will take up the most space in the middle. So, though I adore this child. The answer is no. You cannot sleep with me. You can get back into your bed.

2. The 25 Days of Christmas. I've seen on a couple of your blogs that you've prepared lovely scraped books to keep track of inventive holidays adventures for every day of the official Christmas season. I am considering this myself. No book, I don't scrapbook. Can I write my ideas on the back of the heating bill envelope? Do I have to take a picture of every event? Can I count shaking some bells as an event for one day? How about getting the kids to stomp the snow off their boots before coming in the house? Are those appropriate? What constitutes actual Christmas events? What if I say "Merry Christmas" to them before they head to school? That should count. It feels like Christmas to me when they leave the house. I'll keep thinking about it.

3. What are you giving your 11 year old boys for Christmas? Don't have one? Oh....I have an extra if you're interested.

I asked this darling son of mine what he wants for Christmas. And, as is the answer of nearly everything I ask him....What did you do at school today, what did you do to your sister, what is in your head.....his answer is always "Nothing". So I ask you, what the heck?! You would think he'd have a list of all things electronic. Be wanting completely inappropriate items for an 11 yer old like cell phones and iPods and DC clothing...nope. He'd prefer nothing. Should be a Merry Christmas for him.

4. And then there's the youngest J - 2 years old. He doesn't even have a clue what Christmas is. So can I wrap up the empty boxes from the other kid's presents and give him that. Boxes are his favorite after all. So I'm really giving him what he most enjoys.

5. What I really want to do is scrap the whole presents thing.....but the current budget would not cover the price of 6 tickets here.

6. You know you're a mom when you ask your in-laws for a Wheat Grinder for Christmas. Sad.

7. Remember the Shrek Triplets, ok...they're really the Johnson Triplets. I was fortunate to visit them yesterday. I held Andrayah. 4 pounds 2 ounces. Wow! She was beautiful. And her brothers.....amazing. Good job Nik.

8. Don't know why this image popped into my head. So we're in Vegas in the summer, in the elevator of our hotel at one point. This hippy unshowered type gets in and looks all flustered. Grabs his iPhone out and it punching away on it likes he's so late for a mega meeting. I remember looking at him thinking....Ya buddy, you're that prestigious. First of all, you're on your way up at the Imperial Palace, not Caesar's. $35/night here, not exactly luxury. And, do you understand the concept of running water? You should let some run over you.

9. B bought an HD PVR of his own. Due to this purchase we have a month of free Movie Central. Now I am a professional PVR user. There ain't nothin' that gets by me when it comes to operating this babey. I no longer watch live TV. Ever. It's all taped. No more commercials on male dysfunction or pharmaceuticals that will help your arthritis but make your arms fall off and your liver rupture. However, occasionally when I'm skipping through said commercials, one will catch my eye. Have you seen the one on Designated Driving being sung by a girl who thinks she's Brittney Spears? Good message, bad commercial.

10. I think there should be an outfit of the month club. There's Book of the Month, Cheese of the Month....okay, I'm out...are there more? Anyway, Outfit of the Month. You enter your size and general preference. Conservative, Outrageous, Boring, Stretchy Pants-ish. And each month you receive a package with a new outfit. Accessories, shoes and all. Can one of you start a business like that? I'd like to sign up as your first customer. Oh, but it can't be the same outfit for all. I don't want to see a mirror image of myself when I go to church. That would be bad. Fourteen mom's in black skirts, vests and boots. Huh.....Outfit of the Month Club?