I love Christmas

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I used to always believe that the summer was my favorite time of year. It was the time of my birthday, as well as that of many of my best friends and my hubby.  It was the time of holidays. As i got older it meant a time of adventures and visiting foreign lands. The rain tended to be a bit less, there was often an opportunity to go to the beach (yes even in ireland) and people just walk around a little lighter on their feet in warm weather,  It was even the time of year that my first beautiful child was born.

But today, on the 2nd of december, I realize that Christmas wins the vote for my favorite time of year. Tonight at 2.30am, on the way home from a birthday party, I made tim stop to get the christmas tree.  I also admit, that a bit irrationally, I was upset when tim took one of the first tree’s we saw rather then spend hours looking at lots!!

And whatever about us adults, Christmas is a real time of magic for children.  This year Alina understands about Santa, and while not overly excited (i am doing that for her) she is looking forward to 1. going to ballyhard to see nana and granddad, and 2. seeing if santa brings the computer she asked for and if the reindeers will eat the carrots.

Another big plus for Christmas is the music….you can only listen to these songs for a few weeks each year…and some are classics.  Still “fairytale of new york” for me, although i have been listening to “christmas wine” too.  i have been preparing my christmas play list for weeks….only putting it on when i was home alone.  Now, no one can stop me!!

There are other amazing sounds too at this time of year, like the sound of the wind howling as you sit in front of a big fire.  I think it is one of my favourite things in the world…in front of a fire in ballyhard, other people around, but maybe a book in hand and a glass of red wine in the other!  Pure bliss.

Then of course there is the food…days and days of eating delicious things…and knowing there is no point in worrying about it until January.

And finally, maybe the most important thing of all for me.  Ballyhard.   My home house, this year newly decorated.  Which for me equals friends and family.  We will get to hang out with loved ones, connect with friends, play cards, sing songs, eat lots, read books in front of a fire, chat and laugh.  There is no place in the world i would rather be.  And it is family and my home that really mean Christmas is my favourite time of year.  We will miss you michael and patrick…but at least we will have a few more beds in the house!!

Time

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Right now I’m lying on a bed in a hotel room. My husband is relaxing in the bath. We both have a glass of cava in our hands. It is quiet…no sound but the occasional splash of water. We are calm. It’s our first full weekend (as in 2 nights) away by ourselves since luca arrived. And we needed it…we need to be alone, relaxed, together. We need time to reconnect without the outside world interfering.

We needed to each have a book in our hand, with time to read it. To talk about non work, non money, non kid, stuff. We needed time to lie beside each other without feeling exhausted. Luckily thanks to loida and meme and pepe (the babysitters), and a great bro john (who did not request I be in ireland), we are getting this time. Time to communicate. To relax. To talk and listen. Medicine for our souls.

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This exact time..

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One year ago at this time I felt I was the most nervous and excited human being in the universe – I knew that within 10 hours my 38 week old baby would be forced into the world. Having believed so strongly at the early pregnancy stages that it was a girl, this time 1 year ago I was letting the hopeful dream enter my conscious mind and thinking it could be a boy. I remember lying in bed feeling grateful that at least in the previous 5 days we had thought about some boy names, but as I tried hard to sleep (before waking up to go to hospital), I was very clear that we had no girl names that I loved. Which scared me a bit!

I knew this time no water would break, I would not suffer hours of contractions, tim and my doula would not be there…this time it was an “operation” and I would not get to push – but my amazing doc (damian dexeus) would be there so I was not at all worried about how the op would go.

I am lying in bed now, remembering the emotions. The biggest surprise I ever gave myself was not finding out the sex of no 2 – it caused no end of stress, but also meant that one year ago right now, I was like the most excited child in the world, waiting for santa to bring me my surprise!

Alina hates the wind and cold

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Today it is 18 degrees. Not bad for January in Barcelona. So with our 2 we headed to the beach. Admittedly it is windy at the beach, but in Alinas case, you’d swear we were in the Antarctic. Boots, tights, 3 layers and a warm coat were not enough. She needed a hat, wanted her hood pulled up, requested the scarf be wrapped around twice, and basically all visible skin was covered. Then after all that, she hid behind me to block the wind. And after flying the kite for 10 minutes, requested we get out of the cold!

It’s amazing. She is half Irish, half Belgium but hates the wind on her ears, or in her face. Even when it is not that cold! The water in her bath has to be hot, and she her lips turn blue at the swimming pool (all the other kids are fine!). Feeling the cold reminds me of my Granny Garvey a bit, but she lived in Ireland so had an excuse :-)

Denis the Menace

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Today is day 5. Day 5 of Luca screaming. Now, Luca has a particular scream. As my doc said, about 10% of children scream, and about 1% scream like Luca. However while before he screamed only if we took away something from him, Alina hit him, or he was exhausted, for the last 5 days he has been screaming for no particular reason at all. All the time. And it is that piercing, break windows, kind of screaming! We have tried gently touching him, saying shhh, telling him it hurts the ears, a little crossly saying his name, and even picking him up…but he is still screaming. And often smiling at you right afterwards. Even Alina saying “luca,that’s enough of that now”, “luca we don’t like screaming – papa does not like it. Mama does not like it and Alina does not like it” or “luca, screaming hurts the ears (while she demonstrates to him what that means)..has not had the desired affect.

Of course it is a phase, but it is hard and so when I heard a friend needed some help babysitting it was a great excuse to head off alone for a few days! If the Gods are very generous, when I come back this phase maybe over.

And we’ll go onto the next phase of destruction :-)

Love my little man, he definitely keeps us on out toes!