It's Beginning To Look . . . Oh, You Know

Today's big Christmas Countdown activity was to buy and decorate our Christmas Tree!

This was a big deal, because it was the first time that Peeper went with us to pick out the tree.

Flashback: Our tree expedition for her first Christmas was the last time she had a bottle (other than immediately after surgery) and the last time she was away from us until the following summer, when she stayed, rather unhappily, with Shrike's mom couple of times and we decided she just wasn't ready for that, until our tree expedition last year, which was the first of many, many happy visits with Eena and Papa!

We took two vehicles, so Shrike could drive the tree home in the truck, which evidently didn't occurr to us either of the previous years, because the whole babysitting-required thing was about "We can't put the tree on top of her!"

We got it at Lowe's, and it didn't take us long to find one that we liked. In fact, we bought the first one we looked at. Which was also the first one that we came to. It was cold, okay. (Temperatures hovering around freezing and snow flurries off and on.)

Peeper wasn't really feeling the whole "Let's pose with our new tree!" thing, but she did like it. She felt it and smelled it and gave her approval.

Then we went in side, where it was warm, and played with dancing, singing Santas and friends. And wore a Humhummuh hat.

And then across the street to Ryans for some lunch. Which included, well, you know.

When we got home Peeper helped move things out of the corner where the tree lives (including her bookcase and table), and we got it up and lit.

Shrike had to go in to work for a while, so Peeper and I put the ornaments on while she was gone. Actually, I put them on and Peeper played with them, mostly identifying our various pets on their ornaments. There are a lot of pet ornaments. One per pet per year until I came to my senses in 2006 or so and did one for all the cats and one for all the dogs. Then in '07 I did one with everybody photoshopped together. I don't think they've had an ornament since Peeper was born. Sorry, critters.

This is the first time we've actually put on ornaments since Peeper was born, which means that it was the first time I'd gone through them since MamaCat disappeared, and certainly since GirlCat died, so that was a bit emotional for me.

Add in a couple ornament for me and Shrike from every year, and two for Peeper, and we could do a whole tree in nothing but that. I actually did blow off several semi-generic ornaments, and pretty much only used the "family" ones, plus a few that were particularly special gifts, and/or "camp things."

I actually still have a few to add, because when Peeper got bored playing with them, she started plucking the off the tree, saying "No, no, no!" I'm not sure if she was telling herself she shouldn't do that, or telling me she didn't want them there. I really think it was the latter.

So, I set them aside and put the tree in jail protective custody.

I will put those on later, and will put the angel up top when Shrike finds the clippers to shorten her perch.
But, so far, I think it's looking pretty good.

I also put the greenery and lights on the entertainment center and over the window (with our stockings) for the first time since Peeper was born.

I did not put out any of the sit-around-and-look-pretty decorations, though. That just seemed like it would be a reeeaallly bad idea.

When Shrike left for work, she said she'd give me a call on the way home, to discuss dinner. After a bit of thought, I decided to start a new family tradition: We ordered pizza and ate it in the living room, enjoying the pretty tree and watching The Year Without A Santa Claus.

We didn't get very far in the movie when Peeper quit on us, but maybe we'll try to finish it later, and maybe we'll have a bit of hot (warm) chocolate with the second act.

It's not exactly cuddling on the couch, listening to The Nutcracker and sipping spiked eggnog, like in the childless days of yore, but you mama now.