Is it over yet?

That sums up my feelings about this Christmas season!!

Saturday was Ds bday, and it was also his extended family's Christmas celebration. It took all morning to get us ready and out the door on time, and we didn't get home until around 7pm, so not much of a birthday celebration happened. I had hoped to get a birthday cake to take as our dish to pass, but ran out of time. D went to the store to get some appetizers as our dish to pass and I had called the local bakery, which had some cakes available, so I told him to go there instead and get himself a cake, which he didn't. I don't blame him, I wouldn't have either. Luckily someone brought a cake for dessert and the hosts had candles, so we sang to him there.

I gave him a pair of concert tickets to a blues artist, Eric Bibb, that he really likes, and I have already arranged babysitting and confirmed that they will allow me to bring an infant. I also gave him a book and a magazine subscription. None of this seemed to excite him.

Today, the kids are done with school, and although we have snow, it is too cold to force them to go outside. D is out of town until tomorrow night, Young D is ill with a stomach bug that the rest of us are sure to get, and the grandparents that promised to help have backed out because THEY are too busy. LOL Actually, my dear MIL is coming tomorrow to visit and we are taking the kids to the movies and dinner. She was supposed to come tonight and have dinner and spend the night and tomorrow.

Last night my parents made a brief appearance to drop off D's birthday gift. I had previously asked them to stay for dinner to help me out, but they said they were too busy. After they had been there about 30 minutes, D had to leave for the airport and they were ready to go home (they live about an hour away, and staying less time than it takes to drive somewhere is something I never really understand). I desperately needed groceries and didn't want to take A out in the frigid weather, and don't trust the older siblings to watch her for very long yet, so I asked my parents to stay while I ran to the store, telling them it would take me about 30 minutes. I didn't get out of the house right away, because I had to put K down for his nap before I left, and then it took me about 45 minutes to spend $252, so it was a little over an hour before they left. My dad was so impatient and visibly irritated with me when I returned--it made me feel bad. Also, my 7yo dd told me that he had been pacing and looking out the window and saying "She's not here yet!" My parents often offer to help but are rarely actually available, unless it is really urgent, like I am about to give birth!

So we are spending the day making as big of a mess as possible, an activity which masquerades as making cookies and paper snowflakes. And listening to Raffi's Christmas music over and over as loud as I can stand. I am feeling better than last week but still somewhat scroogelike.