Several years ago we stopped gift-giving for the adults. There were too many kids and it put a strain on the bank accounts. We now only get presents for the kids. And when you hit 18 you are no longer considered a child. We did something a little differently this time. We did not "assign" gifts to any particular person. The gifts were identified as to appropriateness based on age and gender ("toddler/boy" for example). Then the kids took turns picking their own presents. Got a dumb gift... well, you picked it.
Oh... and I have another new grandchild. Surprise! My son and his wife were expecting and her due date was December 28th. I walked into the house and there sat my daughter Candace holding an infant. Huh? Whose baby is that?! Come on brain, kick in any time here.
Apparently the babe decided to come a few days early. The wife's water broke and labor was induced... and the baby joined us on December 22nd. This is the wife's fourth child and my son's fifth child... but it is their first child together. Big family, huh. Eight kids now, but not all live on a continous bases with my son. He shares custody of his kids with the mothers (yes, pural). The wife has three children and she has sole custody. They are very well mannered children, too, especially when you consider their ages, 11, 13, and 16.
My son is the only one who has a house big enough to hold us all so most get togethers are done at his place. (Plus that means they don't have to form a caravan to drive anywhere since its hard to fit eight kids and two adults into a single SUV. Maybe they need to get a small school bus, huh.)
We ate first and then each child took a turn opening a present.
My little guy Darius got to pick the first gift.
No one in the family really knows how charming he can be because he always seems to be very cranky which is blamed on no naps. This night was no different. Both of the boys (Candace's off spring) were cranky.
Some of the gifts were "KEWL!!" Most of mine were duds, darn it.
(Got three orbs in this photo... two might be hard to see.)
A good time was had by all and to all a good night nurse!
And a minor update on my deranged neighbor... this morning I noticed my door mat is missing. I think I was being kind when I said she had the emotional maturity of a ten yr old. My apologies to the ten yr olds. Its more like a two yr old. This morning I was not feeling so hostile towards her... that is until I noticed the mat was missing. Its interesting to watch how she brings all this drama onto herself. She is, indeed, creating her own world... her own miserable, victimized world. And I am a blue-eyed evil devil.
1 comment:
It looks like everyone had a nice time together. And what a great gift for Christmas - a new baby! She's beautiful :)
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