Metal Meredith

This year has been unlike any other year. The past few, we could get away with buying gifts while she was with us, speaking about gifts with her next to us, buying gifts for each other with her right there. Not now though, it has really clicked this year.

At first, it was obvious that she understood the concept of Christmas this year. But I think that we talked about the new baby coming and used Christmas as an end point for her to grasp how far away the baby was. Seemingly overnight, we went from a slow Christmas crawl to break-neck warp speed.

Last weekend, we were begged, prodded, whined at and pleaded with until we finally agreed to put up the tree. At first, all the ornaments gathered in one 2 ft x 4 ft spot. We took many photos to commemorate her height this year.

This is the final product.

Several time between the weekend and last night we took her out to see some lights on houses. You would have thought that lights were invented THIS YEAR and that no where else in the universe has this poor child laid eyes on Rudolph, Santa, and friends. She shrieks “Mommy, Daddy, I see Santa! I see Rudolph, I see a Snowman! Look over here, look over there!” Riding in the car with her becomes a challenge to not barf from motion sickness.

Tonight, she asked what I was getting for Christmas and then announced that it would be roller skates. Phil gets a new teddy bear and a green watch. Lucky him. What I do know and what I realized tonight, is that I hardly remember gifts that I got from one year to the next. I do remember getting a bicycle, an electronic keyboard and a stuffed panda bear. Other than that, the memories are more of the day itself.

For most of them, I remember family being in the house. My uncle, who couldn’t be bothered to get up at a kid friendly hour, kept us all at bay while he showered. We kept ourselves sequestered in our rooms as to not see the gifts Santa had left under the tree. Mom would brew coffee and we would sit in the living room, passing out gifts one by one. Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Ken, sister, mom, dad, me and the dogs. It was pure chaos but so much fun!

So, when worrying that we didn’t buy Vivienne the perfect gift, I have reminded myself more than once that in the end, it doesn’t matter. If we can make the day wonderful, get her excited (which she obviously doesn’t need help with) and focus on being a family, her memories of the day will outweigh any gifts that might cross her path.