Whew.

[pat]

After getting little sleep last night, I got up early with the kids. Dealt with three cranky small folks (they didn't sleep well either), fed them waffles, put snacks together, got them off to school. Made phone call to see my doctor tomorrow regarding the nasty recurrent headaches. Made other phone calls, did e-mail and LJ.

Went to see the therapist. Felt better. Arranged for D's meds evaluation in January. Came home and chatted with a friend who was having a rough time. Got invited to lunch by sinboy, put laundry in.

Went out for a lovely lunch of Malaysian food (yum!) with sinboy. Then threw things into high gear...

Got home five minutes after the middle child. E-mailed a little bit and worked on laundry while waiting for the other two to get home. Threw them all in the car, and went (drum roll, please) clothes shopping with all three. The week before Christmas. Got a pair of sweat pants for the middle one, a gray shirt for the youngest (his "ram" outfit), and a nice black shirt and pants for the eldest.

Dashed home, got all three bathed and into their respective outfits for the pageant. Made ram's horns out of aluminum foil to attach to the cute little sheep bonnet for the youngest ("Mom! I have to have horns! I'm a ram! The sheep are all girls!") Grabbed the digital camera as I went out the door (a first).

Drove everyone over to the church. Wrangled the two barnyard animals while the narrator went off and practiced. Commented to two friends "I need a drink." One of them said, laughing "Oh no, now, you don't need a drink.. one day at a time..." frankenboob, on the other hand, said "I think I'll join you in that drink." which I thought a much more constructive response : >

The pageant was, well, a church Christmas pageant. The eldest was faced with a crisis when a two-year-old sheep decided to pull all the hay out of the manger and all the other sheep (and rams) started laughing uproariously. Being the trooper that he is, however, he simply raised his voice so he could be heard over the din of smaller children. I tried to take pictures -- unsuccessfully, but at least I can say I tried.

Afterward, kid-wrangled through a post-pageant reception. Then since everyone insisted that, in spite of eating lots of cookies and whatnot following the pageant they were all still hungry, took the guys to In-N-Out Burger where, of course, they only ate half the food they insisted they were hungry for.

Came home, and wrangled the smaller two (very cranky by now) into bed. Put yet more laundry in. (I have yet to fold any of this... if we have an earthquake tonight my garage will be inundated with clean but unfolded laundry.)

Still have to put out clothes and clean the kitchen before I can go to bed. Phew.

Comments

[dawnd.livejournal.com]

Somehow, this puts me in mind of a really scrawny Christmas tree, and a bald kid with a zig-zag shirt.

Congratulations on surviving the Christmas Pageant. Only one more week to go till you get to hear "Is that IT?"

:^)

[firecat]

Another nice user icon!

[patgreene.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I had fun painting it.

[firecat]

You painted it? Wow!

[patgreene.livejournal.com]

Actually, I've painted or drawn all my user pics.

[geekchick]

Current music:The eldest practicing the drums

You'll be amused to know that I completely refrained from buying my youngest niece and nephew (the twins) "Baby's First Drum Kit" at the toy store the other day. ;) (It wasn't actually called that, but it was darn close.)

[patgreene.livejournal.com]

You'll be amused to know that I completely refrained from buying my youngest niece and nephew (the twins) "Baby's First Drum Kit" at the toy store the other day. ;) (It wasn't actually called that, but it was darn close.)

I've seen it. It's a wise idea to refrain from buying these sorts of gifts for small relatives unless you are positively sure you will never have children, or you will seriously live to regret it, because their parents will be sure to send your kids things like the Tonka Fire Truck with (very loud) Realistic Sounds or the light up electronic turtle that plays seriously off-key music. Trust me on this one.

My brother-in-law delighted in sending our kids very noisy toys. When his first child was a baby, we sent her the aforementioned light-up turtle. Ever since then, none of the toys our boys have gotten from him and his wife has made so much as a peep.

[geekchick]

Trust me on this one.

I've seen it in action: my brother wasn't as smart as he thought he was when he gave our nephew talking toys. ;) Three words: Bubba on Board. *cackle*

[patgreene.livejournal.com]

Oh my God. "Bubba on Board"? *shudder*

[geekchick]

At least it wasn't the "Gettin' Wet Bubba" that says things like "Whatever you do, don't pull my finger" (which I was sorely tempted to get for my oldest nephew). I'm 900 miles away and childfree, I can probably get away with it. ;)

[lysana.livejournal.com]

Commented to two friends "I need a drink." One of them said, laughing "Oh no, now, you don't need a drink.. one day at a time..." frankenboob, on the other hand, said "I think I'll join you in that drink." which I thought a much more constructive response : >

I'm with frankenboob. Sometimes, if you're not an alcoholic, "I need a drink" is the same as "I need an aspirin." It's when you rely on the alcohol too much to cure what it can't that makes the difference.