Well, I’ve wanted to write a “what we did” and “what we got” Christmas post, because I’ve been reading lots of posts like that and they’re fun. But truth be told, mine will be pretty darn boring next to everyone else’s. We’ve got no family out here so it was just us.

We had our special dinner on Christmas eve. Hubby made a glorious ham (I’m talking ham that ham haters have loved). He glazes it with mustard and brown sugar and slow cooks it and it is sooooo good. We had homemade scalloped potatoes and broccoli with that. Then after dinner we drove around and looked at Christmas lights. We came home and made some gingerbread cookies and then put the kiddos to bed.
Christmas morning found us up at 6:00 a.m. reading Luke 2, then opening presents and then enjoying warm gooey homemade cinnamon rolls.

Ethan received a Hot Wheels Turbo Glo track with Turbo Glo Car, the “Rings” Planet Hero action figure, two Magnetix toys (from a Secret Santa) and some candy and other odds and ends in his stocking. Upon opening his Turbo Glo Track set he squealed with delight and exclaimed, “I’ve been waiting for dis my whole life!!!”

Caleb received the new Mater National Cars game for PS2, the “Black Hole” Planet Hero action figure, a Backyardigans Memory Game (from a Secret Santa) and stocking stuffer odds and ends.

Vanessa received two new rattles and a Playskool pop up fun toy and then a cute pajama set and shirt from a secret Santa.

Hubby received a Kitchen Aid Knife Set courtesy of moi, made available through my first ever pay check for my blogging job

I received a new Spyro game and an Uno Attack game from a Secret Santa.

It was a delicious, peaceful Christmas. We watched all our favorite Christmas movies, read all our favorite Christmas books, listened to all our favorite Christmas music, saw all our favorite Christmas sights and enjoyed family together time for four straight days.

T’was wonderful!

There’s a reason I don’t put presents under the tree until a couple days before Christmas. I have discovered that Ethan takes after his father.

Hubby loves to wonder about what might be inside any nicely wrapped present with his name on it. He wonders whilst he sizes up the package. He wonders whilst he gives the package a little shake. He wonders whilst he presses the wrapping paper against the package, hoping to see wording or other clues through the paper.

Today was the day of wrapping the presents (minus one, which had better arrive on Monday!) so I told everyone to stay out while I went about sloppily carefully creasing and taping. When I was finished I brought the presents out and placed them under the tree, thinking I was prepared for what would ensue.

Caleb squealed out in a high pitched voice, “Presents?!?!? Por me?!?!?”

Ethan perked up at the mention of presents and two wiggly little boys were suddenly perched around the tree eyeing the gifts. I reminded them that the presents were to be opened only on Christmas, and really they are very good about that sort of thing. What I didn’t count on was Ethan's persistence in finding out what these gifts might be. After asking me for the umpteenth time what was inside the wrapping paper and me telling him for the umpteenth time that he would find out on Christmas, he began investigating.

Every little astonishingly perceptive comment uttered from Ethan's mouth usually starts with, “I fink….”

Walking up to me holding the smallest of the presents he said, “I fink dis looks like a game case.”

I turned my head, trying to hide the smile of incredulity that was creeping up on my face. Then I mentally scolded myself for thinking that this 5 year old lover of dvd’s and video games wouldn’t recognize the shape or sound of the disc inside.

I told him to put it back and he would find out what it was on Christmas day. The faintest hint of a smug grin flashed upon his face as he put it back.

Five minutes later he walked up to me and said, (concerning two other presents) “I fink Caleb and I have duh same present. Dey look and feel duh same.”

“No more touching the presents!” I said exasperated, wondering if he’d tell me exactly what he “finked” they were next.

Note to self: Next year wrap EVERY item in identical boxes, overstuffed with packing peanuts.

I think I have a fairly decent pain threshold.

I played roller hockey with my brother and his friends as a teen and proudly displayed the bruises and welts I received.

I played High School Basketball and got knocked about plenty as one of the shortest players on the court.

I birthed a 9 pound 15 ounce baby with a failed epidural and lived to tell the tale.

It’s not so much pain that I fear. It’s the absence of pain. The absence of feeling. Just like the kind you get when the dentist gives you a shot. I am afraid of being numb.

No I don’t care about the shot itself, that never hurts. But once I’ve been injected with the lidocaine, my muscles tense, my heart rate increases and I stay in a very anxious state until it has completely worn off.
Now I’ve gotten better over the years. I don’t write down my plans in case of death before visiting the dentist anymore, though I do still tell my husband to tell the kids how much I love them, just in case.

I try to calm myself mentally beforehand. And though I mostly believe that everything will be ok once I go, my body doesn’t believe me. Let’s just say it’s a darn good thing that dentist wears a mask.

I began with the usual warnings I give all dentists who are working on me for the first time:

* When I’m nervous I have to pee a lot, so you better let me go, no matter where you are in the procedure.

* You may have to give me a possible 7 shots before I’ll get numb enough (happened during wisdom tooth removal)

* The lidocaine may or may not wear off early. Sometimes it lasts way too long and sometimes it gives out after 20 minutes.

* If I bite your hand, remember, it’s nothing personal

So he began.

He shot me with lidocaine and after 5 minutes he tested my gum tissue. Good and numb. Wow, that’s a surprise.

*drill drill*

*Summer jolting*

“Yeah, felt that. Cold and painful”

“OW!!”

“Yeah, right there.”

*injecting more lidocaine*

*drill drill*

“ACK!!!”

At this point the dentist tested my gums again. I couldn’t feel anything which he told me indicated that I should be completely numb. But upon further drilling, yes I was indeed in pain. And that was just the beginning. He had two additional cavities to fill.

I told him to just get it done. I didn’t want anymore stupid shots (which were numbing only the very back teeth) and I just wanted the drilling to be over. So he drilled and I winced alot and three hours later it was over.

As he removed the rubber dam from my mouth I flexed my jaw and made a stunning realization. With all that junk in my mouth stretching my face muscles, I hadn’t noticed that the left side of my tongue and the whole bottom part of my face was numb. Why is this stunning you ask?

Because he was working on my top teeth. He gave me shots in the roof of my mouth, yet my bottom lip down to my chin was numb?!? When I told him this he chuckled and told me my nerves must be crossed. I’m sure he didn’t believe me. He said he had one patient once who insisted with every shot to her lower mouth, her upper mouth was getting more and more numb, but he figured it was just her mind playing tricks on her.

Well I am here to say that even if it was my mind playing tricks on me, it was still something I could actually feel. I was numb where I shouldn’t be numb and my one tooth was NOT numb. Even if that was some trick of my warped mind, it was tangible.

I am a dental anomaly.

*P.S. I give you leave to laugh at my expense. I am a rather sorry case aren’t I?

In which Summer discovers she has a parasite

Waa-waaaaaaaaa-waa-waa-waa-waa-waa-waa-waaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!
(Mommy, I’m awake from my nap, come get me)

Waa-waaaaaaaaa-waa-waa-waa-waa-waa-waa-waaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!
(Who cares about the sopping diaper! Pick me back up!)

Waa-waaaaaaaaa-waa-waa-waa-waa-waa-waa-waaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!
(You’re putting me down to spoon feed me and my gurgling tummy?!?!?!?!?)

Waa-waaaaaaaaa-waa-waa-waa-waa-waa-waa-waaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!
(You turned your back on me for 2 seconds!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Waa-waaaaaaaaa-waa-waa-waa-waa-waa-waa-waaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!
(You walked into the kitchen to get a washcloth?!?!?!?!?!?)

Waa-waaaaaaaaa-waa-waa-waa-waa-waa-waa-waaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!
(You picked me up without having your boob at the ready so I can wash these bananas down?!?!?)
*suck suck suck*

Waa-waaaaaaaaa-waa-waa-waa-waa-waa-waa-waaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!
(You put me down AGAIN!?!!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Waa-waaaaaaaaa- *splutter*waa-waa *cough* *gag* *breath* -waa-waaaaaaaaa-waa-waa-waa-waa-waa-waa-waaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!
(I’M DYING!!!!)

So tell me, is this just a girl thing? Cause my boys never did this.