Christmas 2011

Christmas. A month ago already. It came and went so quickly.

It was a long holiday for me. It started a few days before Christmas with Abi getting sick. Then Edward caught it. And took a turn for the worst. On the eve of Christmas Eve, I had been up with Edward ALL night long. My little babe who usually sleeps so soundly, could barely breathe while lying flat on his back so I had to hold him almost all night. He slept in his old bassinet in our room, just so I could watch him breathe. He coughed and cried and wheezed, it was heartbreaking.

On Christmas Eve, with only about 2 hours sleep under my belt, I got up at 6am and headed to Woolies. And it was packed. At 7am when the doors opened, the car-parks were full and trolleys sparse! So I did my huge shop as quick as I could and headed home. To find James holding both the kids, saying it was time for a trip to the medical centre. Abi was so sick and had already been to the Dr's that week, Edward could barely breathe, he couldn't breastfeed because he was so uncomfortable laying on his side. So off we went. Both kids had a bad case of croup and Edward had a middle ear infection. So we hit up the pharmacy for some antibiotics and headed home. Where I realised I had forgotten some items from Woolies so HEADED BACK there at around 5pm. And it was a ghost town, thank goodness! Abi was really sick when I got home, so James whisked her BACK to the medical centre for another check.

As I wrapped the last of the presents on Xmas Eve, I felt sick listening to my kids coughing and spluttering in their beds. So cruel to be sick on the best day of the year (for kids!) We placed the vaporiser in Edward's room to try and clear his chest.

They were both so sick on Christmas morning, I thought about cancelling the family breakfast I was hosting and skipping the family lunch and dinner too. But we pushed on and the kids were as good as they could be.

On the positive side, the kids were spoiled and so was I. A new coffee machine and juicer sit in my kitchen. A new white kindle sits on my bedside table. Abi and Edward enjoyed being with family and eating all the lovely Christmas foods. Our special day went a little like this:


7am - Kids wake and we open Santa sacks and shower.

8am - In-laws arrive at our place for breakfast including croissants, mangoes, fruit salad, fresh juice and champagne.

9am - Present time. My in-laws were WAY too generous this year and I temporarily lose my kids in all the wrapping and gifts under the tree.

10am - Edward has a nap while we clean up breakfast.

1pm - Drive the 5 minutes to my parents house for lunch.

5pm - Head home to drop off presents and change outfits. Feeling exhausted by now.

6pm - Drive the 8 minutes to my in-laws house for family dinner.

7pm - Dinner is served. Put Edward to bed.

10pm - Head home. Edward feeds and goes straight to bed. Abi is hysterically tired by now. Delirious and sick, she cough vomits in my bathroom and cries in the shower for 10 minutes.

12am - Hop into bed and fall asleep in 12 seconds.