Because of the dynamics and blend of this Family we have the "Three Waves Of Christmas" when it comes to Gift Opening! Wave #1 is Princess T waking up before Sunrise eager to open her Gifts! I am NOT a Morning Person and a 5:00 am Wake-Up Call doesn't work so well for me... especially on less than four Hours of Sleep. But, she is the only Child under the roof Christmas Morn and so she won't be denied and delaying her can only be done for so long... since there's nobody else for her to torment! So... even though I'd Worked the day before and picked The Son up at Midnight Christmas Eve when he got off his 2nd Shift at 'Total Wine'... by 9:00 am I cave and roll out of bed for the Initial Gift Opening Ceremony! *Yawn!*
Then there's Wave #2 much later Christmas Morn when The Son finally rolls out of bed after his exhausting pre-Christmas Work Shifts and heads from the Back Cottage to the Main House to join in the Festivities and open his Gifts. Even with Youth on his side he's at least looking as tired and weary as The Man and I... the trio of us looking somewhat like a Zombie Apocalypse trying to come to Life again! *LOL* I might add that the Boys and Men in our Family despise the Rituals of being Photographed and merely Tolerate my Photo Shoots. Knowing its futile to resist because of how obsessive and tenacious I am about acquiring the obligatory Holiday ones of them at least. Yes, they're obviously being Photographed under Protest and so getting the Candid or Cooperative Shot... probably NOT gonna happen! *Le Sigh* So I hastily toss his Gifts all around and at him trying to get it over with quickly... before he inevitably starts making goofball faces to totally work my last nerve and mess with me. Why is winding Mom's up so entertaining? *Smiles*
Wave #3 happens when Prince R torments his Paternal Relatives enough by Christmas Day that he's ready for an early pick-up by the Eve of Christmas Day! *LOL... actually THEY are ready for his early pick-up!* After plowing through all the Gifts they've indulged him with at the various Households of his Dad's side of the Family... as he's paid whirlwind Christmas Visits to since Saturday Morning... he is NOT gonna want to wait on what lays beneath the Tree at Home for very long once Christmas Day has arrived. They're Calling to him like a Siren's Song!
So his energy level is going to escalate exponentially and get like a two year old on Steroids... and go thru the roof! "The Call" to come get him early was bound to happen... not a matter of "if"... but "when"? Note: He will have worn out three entire Households of Paternal Kinfolk by Christmas Day winding to a close! *Winks* That's a LOT of wrecked nerves in a mere four days... this Kid is definitely High Maintenance! Luckily his Dad had gotten a Champagne Fountain for Christmas and it took the edge off 'til Gramma Dawn arrived. *LOL* If I hadn't of had to make the long drive Home from the City I might have joined him in a few glasses... to take my edge off too. *Smiles*
Because this is the Young Prince Christmas Day at about Midnight... or maybe it was 1:00 or 2:00 am... I lost track... he will outlast me, the adrenalin that is Christmas will keep him going for at least another 10,000 Miles. This Day I will be like the Last of the Mohicans in the extended Family... everyone else will have fallen out hours ago and has entered into Blessed Slumber as their Escape. And since I will only have about five hours before I have to get up for Work again anyway... I might as well just stay up... good thing I took an Early Afternoon Nap... his eyes were still as big as Organ Stops so it's painfully obvious he's not Fading anytime soon for sure!
Speaking of Mohicans... or Mohawks in particular, The Son is growing one out now... I think it looks good on him, he can pull it off. I remember when my Male Cousin on the Rez had one in the early 60's... of coarse back then only Native Americans were sporting them, but I always liked them... maybe it's a Cultural Thing?! *LOL* But I do like it better than the Shogun Samurai Warrior Style The Son had a few years ago... or the Grunge Phase... but my Parenting Style has always been "If it's not Permanent, don't sweat it..."
And I must say that being a Gramma is also one of Life's Greatest Joys and you're much more relaxed about Phases and Stages, 'cause you've been there and done that, usually more than once... so Experience and Maturity mellows you considerably. And speaking of Grandbabies... here is my Op to Brag on and Introduce the newest of our G-Babies, G-Baby #10... Prince B. Who looks very much like his Big Bro' Prince R did as an Infant... and what a Happy and Beautiful Baby he is too!
And he might as well get used to Gramma Dawn's obsession with Photographing him... *Smiles*
Because I'm just gettin' warmed up Little Man!
And Hopefully there'll be many more Waves Of Christmas in the Future to recount and have crazy and fond Memories of... and New Stories to tell...
And if we cannot be all Together in Person during the Holidays may we at least be able to keep in Touch and send Images via Cyberspace as often as possible, so we don't miss all of the Precious Moments with Loved Ones who are far away... but Close in Heart and Thoughts!
I Hope your Christmas was equally Memorable my Friends... because even the particular Challenges of Life can make for some of the richest and fondest of Memories to recount in the Future. They may even be the Moments you recall and remember more vividly and will bring a Smile to your face because of their distinctions and how Story worthy they become.
As I Ritually sat watching the Fav Holiday Movies of "Home Alone" and "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" on Christmas Day I realize that I never tire of their Quirky Families and shenanigans because I can see so many parallels to our own extended Family and so it always makes me Laugh. The McCallisters and the Griswolds and their Relatives could be us in fact!
And aren't their Quirky Distinctions and Adventures what made them so Endearing and Memorable even after all these Years? Had they been ordinary or boring and not had a good Storyline to their Life Adventures and been such Memorable Characters we probably wouldn't recall very much or look forward to spending time with them again each Christmas.
So I'm glad that our days here at Bohemian Valhalla are each day a New Adventure and never, ever Boring or Mundane. A bit Crazy yeah... exhausting or trying at times, most definitely... and during the Holidays amped up, oh yeah!
And you might feel a bit like this after the Experience... but it WILL be an Experience... I can Promise you that! *Winks* Thanks for joining us Virtually my Friends on The Three Waves Of Christmas at our house...
Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian