Holidaze
12.24.2009 I am sitting here at my mother's dining table, typing in a quiet house while my mom and Jennifer go represent at church. In the room next to me is the twins, sleeping, Harper sick and maybe running a little fever. Of course, we left our kids' medicine pack, thermometer, vapor rub at home because why? Because we're just going for a few days, right? What can happen in a few days?
AN UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTION! That's what.
It's not a huge surprise if we think about it, though. After all, we did tell our pastor last Friday, after having run into her at a neighborhood restaurant that "we'll see you at church on Sunday" only to leave and remember that OH! We're supposed to go do the Santa picture on Sunday morning!We went out on Saturday evening to the Christmas party of some wonderful friends. Wonderful just because they are. And wonderful because they're our only pre-kids friends who invited us to a holiday party. It's nice to know, every once in a while (in this case, like, the Once) that people still value us as social beings. It was nice to dress up and see old friends and stay out late.
So late that I didn't even bother showering because, hello? Santa picture the next morning. Not church. Bedhead? No big deal. Pressed clothes? Not necessary. We leisurely got he kids up to the breakfast table, and I should have known RIGHT THERE that the day would be amiss since Harper, and because they copy cat, then Mateo, refused to eat breakfast. Note to self, if they refuse to eat, DO NOT LEAVE THE HOUSE.
The line for Santa wasn't horrible, maybe thirty minutes, and as we got closer to the front, we made a point of letting them see Santa and other kids and how friendly Santa was being. Harper and Mateo were saying "Hello, San Tuh Kuh Loss!!" all cheery and we thought we had it in the bag, people.
When it was our turn, we took the kids out of their stroller, Harper clinging to me like a starfish, saying "Hello, San Tuh Kuh Loss!!!" over and over again, her grip getting tighter, and her repetition more desperate the closer we got to the guy in red. Then? Harper begins with the bursting of tears, gnashing of teeth, and clawing of shoulders. And because Mateo gets upset when Harper is upset, I'm all of a sudden feeling like we are in.that.scene. in The Christmas Story where Ralphie makes a simple request for his BB gun, and is laughed at by everyone before being kicked down the the slide. Except this time the middle-aged woman in the santa hat behind the camera is staring at us like we're wasting her time and we need to get a handle on our kids. And what with all the noise and death grips we can't even get the kids into Santa's lap for that picture of crying babies catapulting themselves out of Santa's lap, the token one we're supposed to have for senior yearbooks and personal threats. Needless to say, if we wanted their first picture with santa, we'd have to be in it, hair undone, wrinkled clothing and all.
The whole time, there was this indoor play area, not twenty yards from the Santa setup, tempting us parents with the thought that if we can just get through the santa picture, everyone can go play in the playground. As amateurs, however, what we did not realize was that the Voice of Temptation was not the playground calling, but the germs inside of it.
There was a coddling sign that said something to the effect of "please be considerate. If your child has a runny nose or cough, please use the antibacterial foam pumps to keep from spreading germs." When it really should have just said "Keep Your F*cking Sick Kids Out Of Here." It all started coming together, watching it all unfold in a slow motion mess of snotty kids wiping their noses and then 'cleaning' them on the handle bars. Something I almost missed because the stocky ten year old was plowing over my twenty month old so he could get to the...to the what? That dragon that he was too heavy for anyway? Just looking back at these pictures, recalling the soft, smooth surfaces makes nauseated.
Anyway. We left quickly, but not before, I'm speculating, picking up the virus that only noticeably this afternoon has now settled into my baby Harper's nose and chest. Hopefully it's short-lived, maybe even shorter than the one she had three weeks ago. Plans for the Christmas week include a trip to Uncle Adam's fire station planned and a Sesame Street Breakfast. But, you know, we'll see. All I know is? Next time, I'm not telling the pastor we're going to church and then not go.
Reader Comments (3)
Still "Baby Harper." I've got at least another year or so!
The kids still look great with Santa! Hope you are having a great Christmas and may the new year bring you joy and happiness.
Sorry they aren't feeling well :( They are adorable though!