So that's it for another year. Paper in the bin, turkey gradually being eaten and work calling.
Christmas morning: Kieron would be woken at 6 by me in later years as I'm always excited to see his face and Callums. Jade is usually at her dads until mid-afternoon, so it's just me and the boys. Kieron jumps on Callum to wake him and the boys go into the lounge to see what presents they have. A festoon of paper later, they disappear onto the XBox, leaving me with the glorious wreckage.
Lunch round a decorated table, with Kieron doing the cracker jokes, lopsided paper hat on his head continually falling over his face.Vegetables left, pigs in blankets devoured with requests for more. Sticky toffee pudding as neither of my boys like anything with mincemeat in, slathered in cream.
More presents swopped once Jade gets home, followed by Christmas tv and occasional snoozes before feeding time again. A perfect day.
This year, Callum and I had dinner in front of the tv, waiting for Jade. Always waiting now for Kieron.
Monday, 26 December 2011
Saturday, 24 December 2011
Christmas Eve #2
So it's here again. Callum is with me this year by choice. Last year he chose to go to his dad's as he couldn't face being in this house. So I have to cook Christmas dinner.
Normally, Kieron is dipping into the Quality Street, but he always goes for the gold toffee ones. My house must be the only one that doesn't have all the boring ones still languishing at Easter. He stays at home while I go to the cemetery to take my mum and grandparents flowers and I always look at the childrens graves and think "there but for the grace of God, go I" and I am thankful that I have 3 beautiful, healthy kids waiting for me at home.
I always cook the turkey on Christmas eve and the last few years Kieron has given the bird a name. I think it's so that he feels it then becomes part of the family or something equally random. I get asked how many pigs in blankets I'm doing, as I always have to make sure that there are plenty left for tea time. Kieron wanders in and out of the kitchen, filling up on Rocky Road and Millionaires Shortbread, pretzels and similarly healthy foodstuffs.
Christmas music is playing in the kitchen and Kieron and I dance around while I cook, full of festive cheer.
In the evening, we have 'picky' food and chill out in front of the tv. Kieron is subjected to Top of The Pops Christmas number ones while I explain how that was 'real' music and drool over Boy George, much to Kieron's derision.
This year, I'll cook a very small turkey tomorrow, we'll eat in front of the tv as it will be too painful to sit around a half empty table and I'll think "God, where is your grace now?"
Normally, Kieron is dipping into the Quality Street, but he always goes for the gold toffee ones. My house must be the only one that doesn't have all the boring ones still languishing at Easter. He stays at home while I go to the cemetery to take my mum and grandparents flowers and I always look at the childrens graves and think "there but for the grace of God, go I" and I am thankful that I have 3 beautiful, healthy kids waiting for me at home.
I always cook the turkey on Christmas eve and the last few years Kieron has given the bird a name. I think it's so that he feels it then becomes part of the family or something equally random. I get asked how many pigs in blankets I'm doing, as I always have to make sure that there are plenty left for tea time. Kieron wanders in and out of the kitchen, filling up on Rocky Road and Millionaires Shortbread, pretzels and similarly healthy foodstuffs.
Christmas music is playing in the kitchen and Kieron and I dance around while I cook, full of festive cheer.
In the evening, we have 'picky' food and chill out in front of the tv. Kieron is subjected to Top of The Pops Christmas number ones while I explain how that was 'real' music and drool over Boy George, much to Kieron's derision.
This year, I'll cook a very small turkey tomorrow, we'll eat in front of the tv as it will be too painful to sit around a half empty table and I'll think "God, where is your grace now?"
Sunday, 4 December 2011
Another Christmas
Tonight my daughter has gone into our village for the switching on of the Christmas lights.
Two years ago, I took Kieron as usual and he stroked a reindeer, ate loads of sweets and had a go at ice skating....badly! He kept falling over and stumbled about on the ice while I watched and laughed with the sheer pleasure that only watching a ten year old can bring. Kieron has always enjoyed this outing: there are fairground rides and santa with his sleigh, candy floss and hot dogs and children everywhere. Christmas music reinforcing the reminder that Christmas is fast approaching with all the joy and excitement that it brings.
Earlier today, Jade decorated Kieron's Christmas tree in his bedroom. Normally Kieron does it himself, using up all the odds and ends left over from my manic tree decorating spree. Kieron loves the fact that I fill the house with greenery: a Victorian house that lends itself perfectly to Victorian decorations. Swathes of green and red up the bannisters, wreathes everywhere and trees in every room. So Jade did Kieron's tree in the same way that he always has with baubles thrown at it and all higgledy piggedy. Lights tangled round the branches and Christmas ornaments around the base.
A backdrop of Kieron's shark wall is hardly in keeping but hey......this is a 10 year old's room. Full of treasures and toys that tell a tale of who Kieron is.
A room of memories and other Christmases. A room to cry in.
Two years ago, I took Kieron as usual and he stroked a reindeer, ate loads of sweets and had a go at ice skating....badly! He kept falling over and stumbled about on the ice while I watched and laughed with the sheer pleasure that only watching a ten year old can bring. Kieron has always enjoyed this outing: there are fairground rides and santa with his sleigh, candy floss and hot dogs and children everywhere. Christmas music reinforcing the reminder that Christmas is fast approaching with all the joy and excitement that it brings.
Earlier today, Jade decorated Kieron's Christmas tree in his bedroom. Normally Kieron does it himself, using up all the odds and ends left over from my manic tree decorating spree. Kieron loves the fact that I fill the house with greenery: a Victorian house that lends itself perfectly to Victorian decorations. Swathes of green and red up the bannisters, wreathes everywhere and trees in every room. So Jade did Kieron's tree in the same way that he always has with baubles thrown at it and all higgledy piggedy. Lights tangled round the branches and Christmas ornaments around the base.
A backdrop of Kieron's shark wall is hardly in keeping but hey......this is a 10 year old's room. Full of treasures and toys that tell a tale of who Kieron is.
A room of memories and other Christmases. A room to cry in.
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