I'm Just So Distracted By Life
3:30AM. Yes, The Bear had succumbed.
5:15AM. “Happy Christmas, Mama!” Sweet boy.
So maybe I only got six hours of sleep to kick off the biggest day of the year. But now it was my turn to take care of the sick one, as The Bear – gimpy-kneed/gimpy-legged at that – had done so well for us over the last two days. I tried to get Puck to return to his room to snag… just a few more hours… He obeyed, but… Nope. No, he was more busy making the Cardinal party lights talk to each other while he waited it out till dawn…
“’It’s Christmas morning!’”
“’What’s Christmas?’”
“’It’s the day we celebrate God.’”
“’Who’s God?’”
“He made everything. He made wood. He made the tree you’re standing on!’”
“’Oh…’”
And because there was no returning Puck to dreamland, he joined me in the living room. Sorted through Legos for awhile. The first thing he came up with was a raft, housing two Lego people…
“Look, Mama. Your first love…” he grinned.
“Oh, is that me and Daddy?”
“Nope. That’s me and Anneliese.”
“Ah…”
Puck sat back down on the floor to consider future options…
“Well, what should I name my kid, Mom?”
“Whatever you’d like, I guess.”
“How about: Guy-That-Rules-The-World!”
“That could work…”
The Bear – good sport that he was – groggily removed himself from bed to join Puck in the unwrapping of Trader Joe’s paper bagged gifts. [My favorite wrapping materials.] Crayola crayon and dry erase board set, four Hot Wheels, and a $6 mini motorcycle track from Walgreen’s. Bingo, Pops. He couldn’t stay for long, though. Duty called. So Puck and I hit up Walgreen’s ourselves. As Puck marched inside, importantly swinging a small black notebook in one arm…
“Why are you bringing that inside, Puck?”
“So I can do theology,” came the important reply.
So we replenished our stock with Swanson’s chicken broth and seltzer water at Carrie’s advice. Batteries that didn’t fit the bedroom fan remote after all. And Lysol. With all the other sick people in the city. Yeah, great day to be out. Puck wasn’t too bothered by the day’s events, although he at first refused to open presents at Mom’s and Dad’s…
“Not without my dad!”
He also found a “new” freckle on his finger…
“I don’t like it to be there. I want it on the other side.”
The run-down of gifts was generous, as usual…
Puck – three archaeological dig sets [rocks, mummies, and dinos], Minecraft creeper t-shirt.
The boys began wadding paper and tissue into missiles.
Linnea-Irish – iPhone cover in black and cream paisley, leather book bag/purse.
Random attacks.
Francis – laser star gazer; Auntie Anne’s boxed pretzel mix.
A few girls got hits on the heads…
Rose – deep sea creatures coffee table book, rock climbing day certificate.
“Hey!”
Joe – LED vehicular interior lighting and Punch Brothers ticket.
“Watch it!”
Carrie-Bri – henna lip stain, hand crocheted ear wrap.
“Take that!”
Collette – German cocoa marzipans, another Korean TV series indulgence, modified [by Carrie and Lucia] Cardinals sweatshirt.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Mom – flowing white top with sweetheart neckline [one of her favorites], perfumes.
“Here, Uncle Joe,” Francis handed him a wad of tissue. “This is for you to throw at Lila.”
Dad – assorted chocolate-dipped things; a variety of photos from our shoot with Izzy earlier in the month.
The Buns: dried apple rings, rolling green hills/blue sky wall mural.
Mom and Dad napped. Francis watched “Little House on the Prairie Christmas” with Zuñi [I’m sure he would have picked that title without help]. Carrie tacked up the mural. Rose, Linnea, and Puck checked out some episodes of Kids Bored Shorts and How It’s Made.
Then Augusta. Everyone except The Bear, naturally, who was slowly beginning the recovery mode at home, stomach to head to back. That weird creeping crampy virus. Even in winter, the ride is nice. The landscape is good. And especially on Christmas Day when no one else is on the road. Silent woods, lakes, valleys, hills, quiet little town past the Lutheran church. Joe snapped photos of houses he would like to have while Carrie teased him about girls.
“Sun!” Puck exclaimed. “Did you see that little stable in the woods? I think that was the stable where Jesus was born! That is supposed to be in a different country, I think.”
About the time we got back, Puck saw Joe’s arm resting across the back of the van bench…
“What is going on here, Joe?!”
“What?”
“Your elbow! Look at all that skin!”
Puck was absolutely fascinated with the amount of bunched skin, and kept pulling at it while everyone else laughed. The marvels of Kindergarten life.
Mom and Carrie served up a pasta, cheese, and apple sausage casserole for dinner, while Carrie baked the box of Auntie Anne’s pretzels.
When we got home at six, The Bear was much more recovered, and eager to open the boxed pipe and assorted licorice candies waiting for him.
“Puck, why aren’t you getting your pajamas on?”
“Mom! I’m just so distracted by life – it’s Christmas!”