This year we decided to cut down a balsam fir, which was at the far end of the fields so we hopped on the hay wagon to make our way there. The kids had a blast. While Jake and I picked out a tree, the kids just ran up and down through the rows of trees, over the hill and back again. Like dogs happy to be free they just ran and ran and ran. Once we returned with our tree, Nora and Milo played in the hay tunnels and drank complimentary hot apple cider while Jake strapped the tree to the car. Definitely the best Christmas tree cutting experience ever. No snow, no frozen fingers, no tears, no lost gloves, no colds, no bronchitis. I feel like this is symbolic of how life is getting back to normal as the kids leave the toddler/preschool years and enter the classic childhood years.
On Saturday afternoon I made chili and we trimmed the tree, the kids putting 18 ornaments on the same low branch, which the cat then proceeded to attack over and over again. It was so fun this year because Milo and Nora are at the age where they're super excited about all of this stuff. They love the Christmas lights, and were really eager to get the tree, and they couldn't wait to decorate it. Now right before bed they both creep back downstairs for one last look at the tree, walking all around it admiring the different ornaments.
On Saturday evening we went to a party and once again I was reminded of how great the childhood years can be, as the kids spent the whole time playing with another little girl off on their own. This might be the first party we've attended as a family that felt like an actual party to both me and Jake; neither of us had to spend the whole time following kids around.
Today was the kids' birthday party, which they shared with two other kids from their class. I was happy to do a 4-in-1 party and kill a bunch of birds with one stone. It was at the Children's museum and the kids dressed up as dinosaurs, erupted a volcano, and had cake but definitely the best part was just playing in the museum after those formal activities ended.
The only sad part of the day was seeing Milo's tears start to emerge because he couldn't blow out his trick candle for good. Trick candles are maybe not the best for almost 5-year olds who don't quite get the concept.
Rather than doing traditional birthday gifts we had an exchange, where each kid brought a present and took one home. So the kids had a reasonable 1 present each instead of an unreasonable 20 presents each. Both presents were games, which we played tonight while my potato and leek soup bubbled on the stove.
I had to laugh when we were driving home in the car, the kids excited to open their presents when we got home. They also had a couple of cards, so I said, "You can open your cards too." Nora said, "No we can't, we're opening our presents." I replied, "You can open your present and your cards." And then I heard the future teenager talk back to me, as Nora said, "Mom, I don't have one hundred hands!" Like, sheesh, are you really that dense mother?
It has been kind of a rough week for me. I feel like I'm on the edge of having a giant preschool-level tantrum myself these days, as I deal with a mathematician at work who has begun harassing me again. I try to leave that behind when I come home as best I can, but it's hard to think about everything I need to do for birthdays and parties and school snacks and Christmas and the end of the semester and meetings and deadlines.
But the kids don't know about that stuff, and they're almost 5, and I'm already looking forward to next Saturday, dreaming about cookie baking and Charlie Brown Christmas watching and present wrapping.
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