Although the house was decorated in it's usual festive splendor...and we had all the most fantastic seasonal foods, as always...and the Yule gifts were spectacular...and we were surrounded by friends and family who are definitely awesome...things just didn't turn out as planned.
We had two friends fly in from Maryland on the 2oth, and due to some complications with the giant quilt order I had been working on, I had to employ mom to help me complete it, which caused us to be doing last-minute cleaning and grocery shopping until moments before their arrival.
Things were hectic.
Once they arrived, and all the pandemonium had settled, I thought we were going to have an excellent Yule, as always...but after one day...the sickness began. Somehow, the entire household caught a vicious intestinal flu, and people started dropping like flies. Although I can't prove it, I think Freyja brought it home with her when she went to the pediatrician, only a couple of days beforehand. The first person to show symptoms was Freyja, then me, then our friend John, and then mom. The last two people came down with it after they'd already left the house. It literally got to everyone. John actually became so ill while he was here that he had to be taken to the hospital. The next couple of days were spent with a house full of sick people, all trying to take care of each other. It was a mess.
Our friends left on the 23rd, and by Christmas Eve, Freyja and I felt much better, but mom was still in bad shape. Somehow we were able to get moving and have our usual gift opening and a light dinner. The huge dinner we would normally have was out of the question, since everyone had such sensitive tummies. Even so, it was fun to see Freyja tear madly at paper, giggle, and get generally overstimulated from unwrapping presents. She really was a NUTBALL! I was somehow able to get some photos, although all the movement made for some blurry moments. I could not get her to sit still, whatsoever! For a couple of hours, depsite not feeling so hot, we had some fun!
Freyja did get some great new toys, which she was amped about. She ended up with some new books and a set of finger puppets, a soft bowling set, a new baby doll and stroller, a peg and hammer set, two different shape sorters, a Mr. Potato Head, a puzzle, a couple of pull-toys, some soft animals, a See and Say, and a new outfit. Wow! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!
Our Christmas Day tradition, which is to have a big breakfast and open the gifts which have been left in our stockings from the Tomten, was a bit altered too. Instead, we all crawled into mom's bed and opened them while munching on some Kringle in our pajamas. It was pretty funny...
Yule this year wasn't exactly the most rockin'...but I think we tried to make the best of it. I'm looking forward to next year...when things will hopefully be more like their usual festive selves, with everyone happy and healthy.
I hope your holidays were excellent!
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