Bringing Down The Tree

We decided to take out tree down last week. Actually, what happened was that I had promised the little kids we could do something fun after the lactation appointment as the big kids were gone with Grandma. By the time we got home I was tired and hungry so we ate lunch and then I proceeded to sit and nurse the baby and not get up for awhile. While sitting there I couldn't help but observe that our tree had shrunk to about half its original width, was brittle as a toothpick and had that very sweet smell it gets right before it goes bad and turns to that very nasty smell that makes you quickly want to throw it outside. So I thought we'd  forgo that stage and suggested the little kids start  un-decorating the tree. And since the branches were all sad and droopy they could reach  most of the ornaments, except the star.
Kateri put on the tree skirt and they began dancing around pulling off ornaments and whooping  it up with all the energy of a native de-frocking of the tree festival that would end with the tree being lit. On fire. Which was one of my fears and another reason it needed to go.   They quickly had stripped it of everything but  the star on top left, which was beyond their reach. But not the dandling chord attached to it.  So they made up the game 'lets see if we can pull the star down' which I quickly anticipated would turn into 'lets pull the tree down' intentionally, or not, so I put the kibosh on it.

 

 

I was happy that the 'fun thing' for the day also happened to  be something we needed to get done and all the activity entertained Malachi as well.

They were quite happy pulling off ornaments and lights and running their hands down a branch to make all the needles fall off. Which the needles did very readily. I warned them it would make a bigger mess to clean up when they were done but they insisted they loved so sweep and vacuum the needles and that was why they were doing it. Plus they commented several times that this was the best activity ever and as they threw handfuls of pine needles into the air . Then Kateri go the idea to roll in the needles and get them to stick to her hair so she could be a real Christmas tree.

And then the fun was over and it was time to clean up and all of a sudden it was the worst day ever and it did not count as the 'fun thing' for the day. So, just like the living room, things were back to normal.

I am happy to report that Malachi is back to normal as well. Whether it was the growth spurt or the clipping that was disturbing him, I'm not sure. But his naps are better and he is more cheerful. And we are seeing a lot more of his tongue as to him it feels like a new found toy to stick out and wiggle around. And I think that means it is not sore. The nursing is better and I have not had to  employ any of the awkward nursing poses to help him. Which would have been an option as we are still not getting out much. The colds sounded bad but now the reports about the flu going around sound worse and after it was reported that an usher at church came down with a horrible stomach issue during liturgy I renewed my resolve to never leave home again.