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She is her father’s daughter
By Moriah on December 9th, 2008
I vacillated this year on whether or not I would really decorate for Christmas. I do think it’s important to set apart the holiday season for my kids as well as create memories and Christmas traditions as a family.
I just didn’t know if I had it in me to rummage around in the attic, half bent-over, searching for that elusive Christmas box and then dragging it all down and putting it out.
And the dusting, the boxes and trash, the what-the-heck-do-I-do-with-my-regular-nick-knacks quandary, and the DO NOT TOUCH, YES, PRETTY, DO NOT TOUCH!!!
(All that and the side of my personality that says if I’m going to do it, the whole entire house needs bedecking, floor to ceiling. I must enjoy overwhelming myself.)
You can imagine my relief when it finally occurred to me that I didn’t have to have a garland or snowman on every available surface. I don’t even have to use everything I own!
So that was my philosophy for Christmas decorating this year: pick and choose. (You’ll see the results on the 15th.)
But yesterday morning, I was laying in my bed completely asleep, and IN my sleep, I heard the clanking of my porcelain nativity characters somewhere in my dreams. I woke up and shot out of bed.
I walked into the living room to find Madeline standing on a kitchen stool she’d pushed up next to the entertainment center, the angel and a wise man nestled in the crook of her arm, and the rest of the figurines clumped precariously near the edge.
I can’t blame her for being drawn to them. I hadn’t put them out until after she was asleep so they were completely new and wonderful to her. And they’re very beautiful to look at.
I explained that yes, they were fun to look at but they were also very fragile and we don’t touch them. Which, might I just say, is extremely hard for Madeline. Way more so for her than for Drew or Adelaide.
So I was telling Andy about it last night, and his immediate response was “she’s just like me!” He went on to tell me how over-the-top curious he was as a kid and how when his parents left the house, it was a mad dash to rummage through all their stuff.
(And yes, his mom reads my blog – hi, Mom! But Andy said he didn’t care if I posted this story because he’s “27! They can’t be mad about it now!!” So there you have it.)
Anyway, the main thing we talked about was that Andy ALWAYS knew what his Christmas presents were. He’d hunt around in the attic, his parents’ closets, the cellar, everywhere. Even ceiling tiles, I kid you not.
From his own mouth, “I was a SNEAK.”
There was a funny story from one year – his parents knew he’d been sneaking around and didn’t put his main gift under the tree. After the rest of the gifts had been opened, Andy kept asking them, “are you sure there’s not one more present?!” How’s that for giving oneself away.
So basically, yes, she IS her father’s daughter.
7 Responses to “She is her father’s daughter”
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HAHA! I used to do that too! My mom always hid them in her closet ao I would carefully undo the tape and peak inside, then tape it back up!
I was never any good at finding what my parents hid. It made for good surprises on Christmas morning though!
Hey…your post showed up in my reader about 2 hours ago…it’s 2:30 now.
Maddie loves my manger too… so last year my mother in law gave Maddie and Andrew a little people manger. They love playing with it and the little terrors can’t destroy it.
LOL that sounds like my brother. excep he unwrapped all the gifts and rewrapped them. LOL!
O that is funny,
I use to know what I got toO! Asked my mother yesterday why I am soooooooo curious! Ha ha… Even found out what I got for this christmas.. I didnt even peek or ask.. was just talking random & hubby said yes you get this & that!
I didnt even ask.. How it hapend was, I was looking for a nice perfume ( still am) then he got this smurg look.. you know the one… Well there you have it.. A country cd, perfume & ? for me..
Love your blog~
Hugs from South AFRICA
mARITZA
So I’m impressed that you said Christmas box. Singular. Really, just one? I try to get rid of stuff/decorations every year but I still have 5 boxes. Yikes!
Oh no, there are more than one! I meant the one that I inevitably can’t find.