Christmas Day

Christmas Day was remarkably uneventful for the most part. Sydney woke up bright and early. We brushed her teeth and brought her downstairs to open the one remaining present that has not already been opened. Santa made a quick visit to our house and left a few presents this year unlike years past. We decided to open our presents early in the week and move on. The one large remaining box sat under the tree, waiting for Sydney. It was a walking, talking Cabbage Patch Kid baby. Sydney was mildly amused by the doll. She learned to squeeze her hand to make her walk and talk. The CPK doll had a hard plastic pacifier meant to fit tightly into the doll's puckered mouth. Before long, the pacifier was fitting snuggly into Sydney's puckered mouth. It was the only thing she liked about the doll. Ruh roh!

The rest of the day past by quietly. The weather was cold and damp. It had been drizzling slightly all day which somewhat dampened our spirit as well. Early afternoon, Tracie took the baby upstairs to change her diaper. They made a quick stop in the bathroom to wash up. Before long, I heard Sydney burst into tears. I found out she had toppled over and banged her forehead lightly against the vinyl floor. No harm done except for a bruised ego. Her forehead should be rock hard by now. The night before, she had leaned over Tracie as Tracie was bent over. As Tracie stood up, Tracie's head and Sydney's forehead greeted each other cordially with a loud thump. The neighbors probably had heard the noise and thought Santa was landing on our rooftop. Luckily, no one was seriously hurt. There was not even a bruise. Sydney should make a fitness video and title it "Foreheads of Steel".

Back to my story, Tracie calmed Sydney from the fall in the bathroom and took over to the changing room. I decided to sneak downstairs to catch a few minutes of TV while the family was occupied upstairs. I beebopped down the steps while singing a Christmas tune: "Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the wayyy..ay..aayy.AYYYY...."

CRASH, BOOM, BANG!!

Tracie was laughing so hard, she had almost turned into Peter Pants (pee'd in her pants). Lying in a heap on top of the metal gate, I could hear her howl in the midst of her laughter: "Oww, oww, oww, I gotta go. I got a full bladder!!"

I had misjudged the last step and reached for the gate at the bottom of the stairs to catch myself. Unfortunately, it was not closed all the way and swung open with my full weight bearing down on it. The gate gave way as my foot caught the lower cross bar and slammed into the corner of the wall. The whole gate crumbled on the hard wood floor with pieces of plaster scattering about and my face planted on top of it. The poor frame was a twisted wreck. What a fine Christmas Day we're having.

I strained my right shoulder pretty badly and could barely lift my right arm but at least I was pretty sure nothing was broken. Similar to Sydney, it was mostly my ego that was bruised. After a few ibuprofen tablets and a shoulder massage from Tracie, I would be almost good as new in a few days.