Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Polish Santa

Its an O family tradition to read Polish Santa every year. Its just noy Christmas without it. Aunt Ce-Ce does it best; as the perfect polak accent, but since we now get together with her sometime after the holidays, my sister gave it a shot. And I must say she gave it a valiant effort, very valiant effort. . .

Da Night Before Christmas in Poland


'Twas the night before Christmas 
In my Polish house
I creeped down da stairs 
As quiet as mouse.

Da rest of my family
Dey is asleep
With visions of mushrooms 
Through der heads creep.

Da work shoes are hung 
By da chimney with care
In hopes that St. Stash 
Hill fill them dere.

While over in corner 
Is silly to see
Kielbasa and cabbages 
Hanging from tree.

Den dere's dis bang
Da house starts to shudder,
Some nut lands on roof
And breaks da rain gutter.

He starts down da chimney
Swears cuz it's tight.
I hide behind beer cases
Way out of sight.

He lands in the fireplace –
Scorching his hair
On da busted up orange crate
Still burning dere.

He climbs out - I peak
And get a good look
He just like picture
In my Polish book.

He got vodka glazed eyes
And stomach like bubble,
A five-day beard –
There's soot on the subble.

Dis Polish Santa
I know without fear
Cuz he heads for da kitchen
And opens a beer.

He's lost all da buttons
Off his old mackinaw
And wears da biggest tennis shoes
I ever saw.

He finished a six pack
And gives a big smirk,
Reaches in potato sack
And then goes to work.

Now under da tree
He starts to set
Da most beautiful presents
A Polak can get.

There's a new mushroom basket
And shovel for brother,
A bright red babushka
And a pick axe for mother.

I must see him leave
So I rushes outside
And looks up da roof
While in bushes I hide.

And what do I see
Through da twigs
But this old wooden garbage cart
Pulled by eight pigs.

Polish Santa jumps in
And gives them all hell,
"Come on youse pigs
Don't just stand there and smell.

On Stella, On Walter,
On Stanley, and Joe,
And all youse others
Who names I don't know.

Fly over da junk yard
And stay out of sight
Must visit all peoples
Before I get tight."

Then I hear him say
As he flew over me -
"I'm da only Polak

That gives things for free."

Saturday, December 24, 2011

The Night Before Christmas


Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"




Up tomorrow, Polish Santa. I promise, you don't want to miss it!

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Christmas 25 Questions

Yes, I need to update about our last OB appointment, and today's appointment. Maybe tomorrow.
For now . . .

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I prefer wrapping paper (unless it’s an awkward item) because I know people prefer unwrapping a wrapped gift. But gift bags are SO much easier. So at the very beginning of the season it is all wrapping paper, but when I look at all I have left to wrap and realize Christmas is in a few days, things start going in bags.
2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial. I love the smell of a real tree, but not the hassle or mess of one. Plus, I am too scared of a fire. Call me Miss Worry-wart
3. When do you put up the tree? If I had it my way, I would put my tree up the day after Halloween. The holiday season goes by so quickly, and half the time I feel like I don’t have time to enjoy it all. But, my husband won’t let it go up until after Thanksgiving.
4. When do you take the tree down? I procrastinate as long as possible. But I do my best to get everything down and put away before I go back to work.
5. Do you like eggnog? Love it! I excitedly tried some eggnog coffee and creamer the other day (it was just okay) and baked some eggnog pound cake. Because, I LOVE eggnog!
6. Favorite gift received as a child? I always got awesome gifts, it’s hard to pick one favorite. Every year was something else awesome. My parents rocked! Some things that really stand out to me are my Strawberry Shortcake dollhouse, my Cabbage Patch Kid, my bicycle, tv, and my stereo
7. Do you have a nativity scene? I do. I have gone through several different ones and finally have a set that I just love! The Nacho also has a Little People Nativity set.
8. Hardest person to buy for? My brother-in-law Will. I am sure he is tired of getting golf balls from me every year.
9. Easiest person to buy for? My mom, my sister, and the Nacho
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Now that I have started sending cards, I mail them.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? pine cones. spray painted gold. with little bits of grass and leaves in the mix. Granted, that was actually a gift to my husband (who at the time was my new boyfriend) from my grandmother. I guess the worst gift that was given directly to me, was also from Grandmother; plastic and yarn woven place mats. Got a few each year for Christmas and my birthday until I had an entire set.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? oh gosh, there are so many. I love Charlie Brown Christmas and the Grinch (cartoon, not live action). Also love a Christmas Story and A Wonderful Life. Oh, and Claymation Christmas, Garfield Christmas, and the Peter, Paul, and Mary Christmas special. But I guess, if I had to pick only one, it would be The Bells of St. Mary’s. It just wouldn’t feel like the holidays if I don’t watch it at least once.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I usually pick up a few things here and there all throughout the year, but the official shopping for me starts bright and early on Black Friday.
14. Ever recycled a Christmas present? I have on occasion, but haven’t in quite a while. When we were kids, my mom would take all the junk her students would give her, sort everything out: the total crap to donate, the food, the good stuff she wanted to keep (mostly the homemade crafts) and then everything left went in a big box. The next year, when it was time to get gifts for our teachers, we would go to the box and pick something from there to regift.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Chex Mix! It is my main source of nutrition during the holidays. In fact, there is a tin of Chex Mix sitting next to me as we speak.
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? White lights. 2 strands of solid and 1 strand of flashing
17. Favorite Christmas song? Oh gosh, this is just as hard to answer as the favorite movie question. There are so many. My favorite traditional Christmas song is the Boston Pops version of Sleigh Ride- and it has to be BLARING loud! My favorite “remix” is Straight No Chasers version of The 12 Days of Christmas. And my favorite “new” Christmas song is Glorious by Melissa Ethridge.
18. Least favorite: Santa Baby – ugh! Can’t stand it. why does everything have to become sexualized, geez, even Santa isn't safe. Plus Bruce Springsteen’s version of Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town. The beginning is ok, but the end is like nails on a chalkboard to me, with all his fake laughing in the background. And then any Christmas song sung by the Beach Boys. It just doesn’t sound right to me.
19. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home. It helps that all my family live right here. We do have to travel either right before or right after to go see D’s side of the family. But I want my children to wake up in their beds at their house on Christmas morning.
20. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yep. But I’m not going to do it here, don’t want you to cheat. Now, don’t ask me to name the 7 dwarfs, because I don’t think I can.
21. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star, but I have yet to find one I like. I would really like to try one of the bow tree toppers, but I don’t think I am crafty enough to make it look good.
22. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning. Christmas Eve is NOT Christmas. Do you open your birthday presents the day before your birthday? Or do you have everyone bring your shower gifts over so you can open them the day before your baby shower? No, no you don’t.
23. Most annoying thing about this time of year? How PC it has become. It is Christmas. We are celebrating the birth of CHRIST! And how crazed and stressed people get about getting the best gifts and spending the most money, completely forgetting what Christmas is really about.
24. Favorite ornament, theme, or color? My tree is red and silver, my decor mostly falls into a Santa theme, and my favorite tree ornament is a ratty old plastic angel with “real” hair (meaning not painted on) that I have had for years and years; she’s practically bald now. I remember as a kid my dad would have to lift me up on his shoulders to get it high up on the tree (because she had to be flying) and now, I barely have to lift my arm to get her high up.
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? For the Nacho and all my family to have a wonderful, relaxing, blessed, safe holiday. And, an ongoing gift would be for L’s pregnancy to continue to be smooth sailing with one big happy ending in May. Materialistically, I would like my dream diaper bag, and anything we have on the registry for the twins.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Prayers for a Friend Please

Yes, I know I never posted an update after our last appointment, and I was planning on doing that today, but then I realized we have another appointment tomorrow, so I will just doing a double update after that.

Instead I would like to ask everyone to say a quick little prayer for a dear friend of mine, let's call her Betty.

Last week Betty had her second IUI procedure. (for those of you going ????, the unscientific explanation is it's the turkey baster procedure. Stimulate her ovaries to produce a few more eggs than normal, when they are ready the doc takes her hubby's contribution and squirts it in.) Betty did her first IUI a month (or so) ago, and it was unsuccessful. So I am just praying and praying and praying that this time works.

I can't say I understand what Betty's infertility struggles have been like. I have no idea. From an infertile standpoint, I was lucky. We knew what was wrong with me; no baby oven. I didn't have to go through months of unsuccessful trying before moving on to IVF and a surrogate. I have no idea what it is like to get a negative pregnancy test month after month for several years. I can't even imagine the heartache. My journey has been completely different.

But I do think I understand some of the emotions, some of the fears she is going through. I know what its like to not be able to have a glass of wine and a little fun with my husband and end up pregnant. I know what it is like to hope and pray for something, never wanting to give up. I know how exhausting it is to keep going. I know what its like to think you couldn't possibly have any more tears left to cry. I know how scary it is. I know the fear of thinking it will never happen. I know what it is like to look at my beautiful, perfect child and ache to give him/her a sibling, a partner in crime. I know how painful it is to look at a new mom and her new baby. Or how difficult it is to hear the news that someone else is pregnant, especially when that someone is a teenager, has 8 bazillion kids they already can't afford, didn't want kids in the first place, etc... I can't totally relate with her on all of that, and more.

But I also know what it's like to see that positive pregnancy test. To see the baby on an ultrasound, to hear the heartbeat. I know how much sweeter it is going to be for her.

Betty already has one child, and she is an AMAZING mother; her husband is an amazing father. I can't think of 2 more deserving people. And I know their first child is going to be an amazing sibling. So please send up a prayer for them.

And Betty, you have been one of my biggest cheerleaders through all of this. You have prayed for me, offered me words of encouragement, have let me release all my worries onto you, and have just been there for me. I want you to know that I am now standing on your sideline with my pom poms, cheering you on!



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