Family Matters - Week of 12-11-05

Every week I do a family rundown. Welcome to it.

Annie (3yrs)

Annie is all about Christmas. Now this gets into the uncomfortable area of talking about religion, what Christmas is all about, etc. This also brings up very interesting conversations with my mother, a Christian herself (who, well, tried to raise me Christian) and the explanation of Christmas.

?It?s not just about Santa Claus!? She says. And I agree. But it?s also a contrived holiday in all sorts of ways, including when the date was selected by committee, how it couldn?t actually have happened (since when do shepherds walk around flocks and see bright stars in late December?), and how I generally believe that Christianity is nonsense. I can respect things without actually believing in them, and this line is seen very clearly around holidays such as Christmas and Easter.

The point is, regarding Annie, I want her to think of Christmas as a time of giving. But for a 3 year old, receiving is where it?s at. While we can say whatever we want at this stage, I don?t believe she?ll ?get it? for another few years. Then I?d rather have her help the homeless or visit nursing homes or something. There?s nothing wrong with giving back, or showing that the reason for the season is not the birth of some mythical figure but about giving and family and fun.

Take that how ya want, I guess. In the meantime, I am stoked about getting Annie her presents and seeing her reaction. Should be fun stuff.

Abby (almost 2yrs)

Abby, meanwhile, is acting more and more like her big sister.

This is not the ?good kind? of acting like a sibling. But you probably guessed that.

She?s grunting, screeching, wailing and crying about whatever sets her off because she sees her sister do it. And honestly, sometimes, it?s all you can do not to pull your hair out over it. I?ve learned that when they get crazily enthused, sometimes you need to just steer them toward a freakout-safe room (ie, their bedroom) and let them have at it. Otherwise you?ll go nuts trying to OverParent(tm) your kid.

As for Abby?s wishlist, she?s was talking to Ericka about it just the other day:

?What do you want for Christmas Abby??

She whispers her answer, sweet and barely audible. ?A baby??

?But don?t you want a piggy too?? Abby loves piggies. She pets, kisses, hugs, and covers up a piggy bank every night. I?m not kidding.

?A piggy?? she whispers back to Ericka.

And so it goes. The cuteness involved here could shake the very foundation of our society, I tell you.

Ericka (her blog)

Ericka, my loving wife and confidant, has been busy cleaning house. Apparently this is one of my Christmas gifts and let me just say I am ecstatic about it. I?m a little obsessive about cleanliness at times, but other times it just piles up around me (I?m weird, I know). Ericka is set on getting rid of ?crap we don?t need or use anymore,? and I say go for it. I?m a thrower-awayer anyway. I?d much rather junk something that was ?worth a whole $10? than have a big honkin ?something? hanging around the house or cluttering up things.

I?ve also been busy buying her xmas gifts. Can?t wait to talk about those post-holiday.

Etc

I gotta say, this has been, by far, the most amazing week of this entire blog?s long history. I?ve been dugg over 1,700 times, I?ve been farked over 63,000 times, and I?ve even been slashdotted into oblivion. The Geek Trifecta came full circle. Thanks to the ravage slashdotting I?ve now got my webhosting squared away at imhosted with even more space and bandwidth for the same price I?ve been paying all these years. Can?t beat that.

I?ve gotten dozens of emails, a truckload of links, over a hundred comments?Is this what it feels like to be popular? I gotta say, it?s not a bad thing. The haters are outweighed 10?fold by the fans, and I would like to thank everyone (again) for coming, reading, and hanging out. I try to make this blog entertaining because that?s what it was meant to do?entertain. If I?m not doing that, then no one is reading, even myself.

Phew. What a week. See ya tomorrow.

You came to take us,
All things go, all things go