Birthdays and Christmas

That felt like the longest birthday ever. Izzy turned 3 last Tuesday but her party was on Sunday. She kept the festive birthday spirit going all week long. We had only close family and friends over which included her cousins. Izzy was a thrilled little girl and spoiled rotten by all those gifts. They were all perfect too and she is very happy - thanks to everyone who came!

Rob had a four day weekend thanks to Remembrance Day (ahh...one of the many perks of being a bank employee) and I think we relaxed, a little. I coaxed Rob into taking the munchkins to the Science Centre on Monday while I did some big city shopping. I told him that week days were great because they would practically have the place to themselves. Not so, apparently. Every school and daycare group in the city also figured it was a good day to visit the OSC. Rob said he had never seen it so busy. They had fun anyway.

We didn't do much else. I convinced Rob to put up the Christmas lights and we wound up helping our neighbour with hers too. We won't be around the next couple of weekends and I didn't want him to use the excuse of it being too cold outside. Some of you may not know that I am married to the Grinch. This is pretty much the extent of all the Christmas chores that he will help me with - grudgingly. He isn't really a decorative holiday kind of guy. Phooey on him. I have to laugh, though, when the kids ask why daddy hates Christmas. The three of us have more than enough holiday spirit for him, lol! Next week is the official beginning to Xmas 08. We are attending our first family holiday party, and it's on Rob's side of the family - ha! We have at least one Christmas activity planned each weekend after that too. I do yield and hold off until after Rob's birthday (November 27th) to put up the tree. He needn't worry though because I only want it up by December 1st anyway. Every year he says the same thing, You're lucky you didn't grow up with my mom because we weren't allowed to put any Christmas stuff up until after her birthday - December 12th. I laugh and he knows that in this house it is a weak argument. I know he'd try to use the same rule if he had been born Christmas eve.

I have to wonder why people (specifically my spouse) has any reason to repine over the holiday season. After all, its not like he has to worry about putting out the decorations, baking all those goodies, mailing our Christmas cards, buying and wrapping presents...not to mention concern himself with the planning and implementation of the chaotic itinerary. Its a good thing I have so much fun doing it or our holidays would be very dull indeed.