Happy Anniversary and Merry Christmas 2006!

This morning began not unlike many others these days. By 4:15 am, I had already wandered down the hall three times since midnight, helping Jeremy find his passy, consoling him over his stuffy nose, tucking him back in under the covers to fend off the chill of this cold December night. This time, Jeremy decided he wanted to jump on the bed, and one thing led to another, and soon all five of us -- Jeremy, Barb, myself and our two labrador mixes -- were down stairs watching Dora the Explorer cross the mountains to give Santa Claus a mandolin for Christmas. Barb and I were grateful that we had set the coffee up the night before. Jeremy was grateful he had the whole house tending to his needs. Both dogs were grateful that Barb was indulging their fantasies of being lap dogs. And then, as my mind was struggling to surface out of the sleep-deprived delirium, it dawned on me. I turned to Barb and said, "Happy eighteenth anniversary, sweetie pie."

At 10:15am this morning, a very tired Jeremy came over to me, grabbed my hand, looked in my eyes, and asked, "Nap?" Sweet music to a mother's ears!

Jeremy's second Christmas with us is full of light and wonder and laughs. He spots every decorated house, light pole and store front, and usually insists that we stop to gawk and touch and enjoy. He is very fond of the original animated version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Candy canes and Christmas cookies are favorite treats/bribes. And like most two-year-olds, Jeremy loves everything about Santa except his lap. This month has been a steady itinery of holiday parties and gatherings with family and friends, and Jeremy has been unfailingly good-natured. The next five days will include pie-making with Mommy Barb, celebrating with more family coming in from out of town, and hopefully a few presents. We don't think Jeremy has a clue about gifts that await him, because we have been so busy talking about and delivering gifts to others. Frankly, we haven't talked with him at all about he wants or the fact that Santa may come visit him. There may be nothing so joyfully unadulterated as a toddler giving a gift to another person with absolutely no expectation of anything in return except a smile. That is what Christmas is about, to me. As a mother, I hope that Jeremy retains that generous spirit forever.