Playgroup Christmas Party

If I stop too long to think about the fact that this will be probably be our last Christmas party with our playgroup (at least while we are living in this neighborhood) I would start to cry.  The kids are some of my kids' best friends and the other moms are some of my best friends.  We have had such an incredible 5 years together raising our babies into Kindergartners and they have been the best support system I could have ever asked for.  One of my dearest friends will only be in our neighborhood for a few more weeks and then, slowly, I know others of us who will be moving, too.  Lots of changes coming and adjustments coming in the future for all of us, but I didn't let that thought even creep in my mind until now.  Today's party was just lots of fun and hearing the kids run around together, squeals and laughter filling the house and best friends enjoying each other's company made for the perfect evening.  For the past few years the hostess has invited Santa to our little party and to the kids' delight he has stopped in for a quick visit.  This year he sent a letter that he was so busy feeding his reindeer and getting ready for the big day that he wasn't able to make it this year, but he did drop off a little gift for everyone.

The girls got some Christmas jewelry as their gifts and Hudson got a new pair of shoes.  Imagine that!  Santa knew exactly what the girls wanted and just what Hudson needed.

Handley has been asking for new earrings and when I would ask her what kind she wanted she would tell me she would like Christmas earrings and Georgia Bulldog earrings.  Each of the girls got earrings (stick-on for Harper) a jingle bell bracelet and Christmas necklace.

During the party they also got to make "reindeer food" and we all had dinner together, too.

All the kids, minus Hudson

If you are wondering why Hudson isn't in the group picture it's because he was busy pitching a fit in the background.  He discovered the reindeer food ingredients and was determined to eat the brown sugar off the table and spread popcorn kernels all over the floor.  Apparently I was putting a damper on his fun.  It's a good thing I color my hair because I have a feeling that boy will be giving me gray hairs before long.  Earlier in the day he had several "moments" and I'm learning to just ignore them (and the stares I might get from other people, at least those that aren't parents) and keep on keeping on.  He certainly has taught me to be humble, like earlier today when he had a full on tantrum in the middle of the grocery store, or the time when he had a meltdown in the middle of another store this morning, or when he just about knocked over an entire display of candles at the mall yesterday and screamed when I buckled him back into his stroller.  Notice a pattern here?

I pride myself on having well-behaved children, but the incident at the grocery store today just had me laughing as all that is changing!  It was partly my fault because I knew he was tired, but we were on our way to pick up Handley and I just needed to run in and get the teacher gift cards for the class Christmas gifts.  Usually when we pull into the parking lot he starts saying "car, car!" because he wants to ride in one of those fun carts that has an entire little car attached to the front of it.  The ones that are twice as long and three times as hard to steer around the aisles.   We scored the only pink car (Harper's request) and both kids climbed in and started honking their horns.  I didn't buckle him in and as I stopped to look at something he climbed out and just stood there smiling at me.  I sweetly told him that he needed to stay put in the car and buckled him up this time.  He did not like that idea.  At all.  He started flinging himself out the side of it and trying to wiggle out of the seat belt.  We made a beeline to the bakery to get one of the free sugar cookies they pass out to kids hoping that make him happy.  He just said no and then started taking his frustration out on Harper by pulling at her clothes (his way of getting back at us when he is mad).  Harper, being as calm as she could, told him to leave her alone and he didn't so I got him out and put him in the seat at the top of the cart.  I thought he was upset before, but that was just the warm up.  He went into a full blown fit and was trying everything to get out of there.  I even tried to give him the paci, which usually calms him down, but he took that and threw it as far as he could.  I collected that (and my mothering pride) from the ground and just continued on.  I know people must have thought I was extremely harsh when I informed him that that was absolutely enough, but he finally took the paci and calmed down.  Another mom I knew walked by right about that time and informed me she had that kind of day too and was headed to the wine aisle.  Thankfully for me I was already stocked up at home.

He is just so stubborn and strong willed.  I don't remember the girls ever being quite like this.  He goes after the one thing that they treasure, because obviously if they love it, it must be worth getting into.  Like Harper's purse full of trinkets that she loves carrying around, or her favorite doll she wants to play with.  Today in the car he and Harper both started getting frustrated and when I asked her what he wanted she said he was taking her baby away. I look in the mirror to see him yanking one of the doll's legs towards his seat as she was pulling hard on the rest of the doll. She finally gave up and let him hold it.  As soon as he had full possession he said "baby" clear as day and smiled.  He's such a stinker, but he's so darn cute that I have hide my laughter so he doesn't think it's OK to act like that.  What's funny now will not be funny later.  I was telling my mom this story earlier and she said, "You know he is going to torment those girls the older he gets." Oh yeah, I know, because my little brothers were the SAME WAY!  I just hope I can get a handle on his stubborn ways before we stop thinking it's kind of just a little bit cute.  I'm just glad they all get along and love each other and love laughing together and I pray that never ends.