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Who needs a lesson in Patience? Me or my babies? ::

So, I have finally done my shopping for Christmas. Three days shy of the official Christmas morn. I thought I was going to have to lug my kids around in the eve of Christmas to hunt for the perfect presents for my precious nieces and nephews but apparently, I was more organized than that.

Well, that statement is officially classified as a shot in the dark.

Anyway, I finally got around to shopping for the kids and here I was lugging two kids around in a Toys R us shopping cart when I saw this really cool train track. Joshua has been really going bananas over his cousin's train tracks and toy train and I shouldn't even think twice about getting it for him. So I did. Now, apart from my own kids, I have another four others to buy nifty gifts for. Unlike previous Christmas-es, I spent hours pondering and toiling over what to get for the kids because I wanted the kids to ooh and aah over the toys and at the same time, I wanted the parents' approval on the toys. I want my money spent on toys that will last slightly longer than 2 weeks and not on something the parents' will think of as 'indecent' or 'inappropriate' and shove it unceremoniously into the attic or under the bed.

But this Christmas, I had no time to think. I was alone with Joshua and Jared because my live-in maid was home helping my mother-in-law prepare something for a Chinese Celebration thinghy. I had Jared strapped to a carrier infront of me and Joshua seated noisily in the cart stuffing his own face with popcorn. I couldn't care less about sweet tooth at that point in time. If he grabbed a packet of sugar off the shelves and consumed it raw, I'd look the other way and pretend not to notice.

As it is, I had to drive with one hand holding onto Jared's hand (he was seated on the leg area of the passenger seat…ok, not so wise but I had a reason for this!!!), shifting gear, exchanging unpleasantries with other motorists for cutting me off in a queue and also singing Baa Baa Black Sheep with Joshua all at the same time. I am not a Christian but I was praying to Ronald MacDonald for a safe trip.

So, I finally got all the presents and here is the deal. I have two hands and two legs. I have two babies with me and three or four bagful of toys. S-A-N-T-A!! Where are you when I need you? Luckily for me, there was this nice man who followed me to the car heaving the bags of toys for me. At one point, I was questioning (inwardly, of course) his nice gesture but when we reached my car, he was really nice and blew Joshua a goodbye kiss. I am talking about a guy barely out of puberty and he is nice enough to bring all the toys for me, to the massively jammed up parking space, out of his way and is nice enough to blow Joshua a kiss? Damn, I want to meet his mom!

Once at home, I dragged the toys upstairs to hide them from the kids .well, more like to hide it from myself. I couldn't wait for the kids toit, you see. And I am wondering who needs lessons in patience, me or my kids. I am thinking to myself, "Marsha, you already KNOW what's in those packages. Why are you hovering over the presents for?". I promised myself I wouldn't buy expensive toys for Joshua and Jared. I would purchase nice reasonably priced toys for my nieces, nephews and cousins but not my own kids. Quoting my husband, "They have enough toys to last them at least 3 lifetimes". And I agree. It must have been those Christmas songs that goes Fa La La La La La one time too many that derailed me from my decision.

In the meantime, Jared is pooping non-stop the past weeks. I am wondering if it's because of something I ate or the two glasses of wine I had at a friend's Christmas party. I am not talking about four or five times of butt-washing but I am talking about 10 to 12 times. We took him to the Doctor and there was nothing wrong with him, according to the Doc. She said it was probably because his stomach was irritated with something I ate or it could be because of all those hidden maggots, dust and grain that is invisible to the naked eye manifesting itself on the toys he puts in his mouth.

By the way, wed (ok, ok. I DID) all the presents the day before Christmas. We (ok, ok. Me. I) couldn't take it any longer as it sat there in the living room invitingly. Joshuad up his train set a long time before that. Infact, hed it up the day we bought it! I had to get him another present (an add-on) for formality sake. (Ok, ok. So, I fell in love with the railway set and wanted to have an elevated highway for it).

Can't I lie just an itty bitty bit?

:: Marsha ::