'Tis the Season

We got our Christmas tree today!

Here's how I always thought it would be: We would take our new baby to pick up the tree. She would smile, laugh, and reach out to touch the prickly pines and we would snap millions of pictures. We would take the tree home, play Christmas music, put up the tree, and hang the ornaments while drinking wine. The baby would be watching in her swing, or one of us would be holding her while she stares at the tree with wonder and delight. Everything would look perfect, and the lights and ornaments would fall into place beautifully.

Here's how it actually happened: It was snowy and cold, and we bundled Maddy up so much that she was in her misery in the car. She passed out in her car seat the second we started driving. Having been hell bent on holding her during the whole tree-buying excursion, I took her out of her car seat and woke her. The poor child was not pleased! Our displeased child led us to rushing to pick out a tree, and only getting 2 pictures before screaming ensued. When we got home, we had to let the tree sit in the hallway for a few hours so it could dry and open up. Later on, Joe strung the lights (I am way too impatient), while I reluctantly poured myself a glass of wine: I was not feeling well anyway, but I was also a bit hungover from the party we had the night before. Mind you I didn't drink much at all, yet still managed to feel like crap... Anyway, Maddy was cranky and tired (having never fully recovered from her rude awakening earlier in the day!) and had to be in her bouncy chair facing the TV to be happy. My wine was not going down easily, and all of the beautiful ornaments that we have are way too heavy for the branches, causing the tree to look nothing like it did when Joe first strung the lights!

All in all, it was indeed a great day. I know that I am very lucky, but I have to say that I did find some humor in the way we romantics envision certain events. Of course, we are blessed and happy, and I have a lot to be thankful for. It could've been a lot worse...the lights could've been broken! ;-)