Merry Christmas Eve

 Merry Christmas Eve!!

I am so excited about Christmas this year. It isn't often that I feel like I nailed everybody's gift, but this year I feel like I hit a grand slam. I am chomping at the bit for everybody to unwrap their surprises. 

Today my Mom will come down to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas with us. Per tradition, she will stay in Timmy's room. He loves having a special sleepover with his Nana. (Scott and I appreciate that she can keep him in his room during the Santa magic.)

We have a lot to do before Santa comes, so I am going to keep this blog short. Because we are unsure about Santa's favorite cookies, we are baking three different options for him. I know that my Mom doesn't care if my house isn't immaculate, but I want to at least tidy up a bit for her.  

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!

Achy Back

 We are in the final stretch towards Christmas. Food needs to be prepped, the house needs to be cleaned, presents need to be wrapped and cookies are waiting to be baked. This is definitely not the time to have an achy back.  Unfortunately my back did not get the memo.

Yesterday morning I felt the all too familiar twinge in my lower back, heralding an impending issue. I tried to take it easy to avoid further injury, but my efforts were useless. I have been on a steady rotation of ibuprofen, back cream and ice packs. I'm hoping that the issue resolves quickly because I don't have time to be idle. 

Getting old stinks!

Mr. Bill's Christmas

 I went to the prosthetist yesterday and, after an hour of tweaking a new test socket, I am completely comfortable. The absence of pain is completely liberating! Even though this leg is considerably heavier (because the test socket plastic is so thick), I feel like I have a new pep in my step. 

It is a good thing that I am feeling energetic this morning because I have a lot to do. I haven't wrapped any presents, and I feel like Christmas is approaching like a freight train. I know I will get it all done and I am trying to not feel overwhelmed, but it is easy to become lost in my sea of anxiety.

I really miss Mr. Bill this time of year. I always used to store my presents in his house, dropping them off by his back door whenever something new was purchased. Mr. Bill would go into elf mode, unboxing and fully assembling everything for me. 

During Christmas week I would sneak over to his house, spread my supplies across his dining room table and wrap all of the presents. He would listen to his Greek music and spin me tales from his childhood while I was tangled in tape and paper. Inevitably he would tell me that I bought too much which always parlayed into the story of his Christmas when he was five years old.

As the story goes, all he wanted for Christmas was a toy gun with a holster. He talked about that gun to everybody he met and wrote letters to Santa. He fetched the water for his Mom and helped his Dad tend to the goats everyday leading up to Christmas. On Christmas morning he couldn't wait to open his presents. He didn't receive his gun, instead he unwrapped a "stupid" bow and arrow. 

His Dad told him that a bow and arrow was more useful than a toy gun. Young Mr. Bill was upset and put the bow and arrow down, pouting for the rest of the morning. Finally, his Dad told him to get his bow and they would go shoot outside. Bill grabbed the bow, drew back and arrow and let it fly- right through the screen door of their little house. His Dad grabbed the bow and he never saw it again.

He would always finish his story with a sigh, a wink and a comment about being a troublemaker from a young age. My goodness I miss him!

Holidaze

 Our holiday weekend was relatively low key. Saturday was spent working and puttering around the house. Timmy and I baked cookies (when he wasn't playing with Friend) and Robby hung out with some friends in an online D&D game.

Yesterday we packed up the boys and headed to National Harbor to watch Holidaze by Cirque. Scott and I have wanted to see this Christmas themed show for several years and we were both excited to finally attend. Because of the threat of Covid, I purposely chose seats in the back corner of the balcony so that we would be away from the crowd. We could still see the show but we did not have to contend with theater neighbors. The plan worked perfectly!

While it wasn't the most awe-inspiring Cirque we have seen, we all enjoyed the show. Timmy seemed to be the most entranced, mesmerized by both the high wire act and the roller skating acrobat. I could see his little wheels turning as he watched the show, trying to figure out how to reenact the show. As soon as we got home he strapped on his roller skates, grabbed some fake snow balls and started practicing. My little guy is both determined and fearless. I know that those traits will take him to both great places and to the emergency room.

After tweaking my socket, I am walking with improved comfort. But until I return to the prosthetist today, I am hesitant to push my limits. Hopefully a socket reduction will fix the problem, and I'll be completely pain free and comfortable this afternoon.  I have a lot to do before Saturday!