The Train Wreck

Every year for Christmas we drive up to Lake Tahoe, CA where my en-laws have a vacation home with five bedrooms, fully equipped with cribs, pac-n-plays, bouncy chairs, bunk beds, etc. so all of us kids and our families can get together. It's a beautiful house and I'm pretty sure we all feel lucky to have this tradition.

A few years ago, all of us brothers and sisters would go out to dinner, have a few drinks, maybe even gamble at the NV state line for a bit, it was fun. Now, we all have kids. There's actually six kids age 3 and under right now. This year for Christmas, it was like we were running a daycare. The first morning we were there, we had plans to go to a 'Breakfast with Santa' event. Sounds exciting! Right? We packed up the kids, diaper bags, cameras, and headed out. We had a nice breakfast, changed a big poopy diaper, and listened to some carolers sing as we waited for Santa to show up.

Santa must have been running late because it was 30 minutes later that we all got in line which was an eternity in toddler time. The fireplace was blazing with absolutely NO safety gate and it was about 105 degrees in the room, but Santa was handing out gifts so we waited in line to see him. Why do we do this crap? Is it for the photo to email to my parents? I mean, the 3 year old was fine, she gets it. But my kids, almost 2 years old and 6 months old, were just tired, and perhaps miserable. I, personally, was sweating profusely waiting for these other kids to hurry up and get their gifts and photos taken so I could throw my kids up there and get out as quickly as possible. Bubu refused to sit on Santa's lap so I had to sit next to Santa with him, Peewee was miraculously fine with the bearded stranger, and we made it with a couple decent pictures.

Christmas morning was fun yet oddly stressful. The kids opened presents and we tried to keep track of who got what so we could hopefully safely get the presents home somewhat intact. Some of the toys were definitely the "winners" and so every child wanted to play with those and I'll just say, we are all still learning what the word "share" means. Maybe it was the fact that my watch battery died so I had no clue what time it was for days that made it tough for me. I actually forgot to give Bubu lunch one day because I just didn't know what time it was. Maybe it was tough because after a full day of chocolate, candy canes, and goldfish, Bubu had a tummy ache all the next day and I had to hold him for 5 hours straight. Did I mention he's got to be over 30 lbs now? He is. And for some odd reason, Peewee did not want to be held by anyone except mommy or daddy. So basically, I showered once in 3 days.

Regardless of all the constant commotion, we had a good time and the kids all had a pleasant experience that they may not remember. And we will all do it again next year. So yes, it was a train wreck, but with no casualties.