Today all the kids from all morning and afternoon sessions and their parents AND their siblings got to go to the school and have a Christmas party and basically tear the ranchehouse down. It was CHAOS! We arrived about 10:10 (which I was frantic about being late, but apparently nobody would have noticed who was coming and who was going in that crowd). The kids had a quick snack, because there were tables of delicious treaties right in front of their noses...even though we'd just finished breakfast a few minutes before. Then it was off to the playroom, where they spent the next hour and a half playing, while I sat nervously close to them, trying to shield and protect them from the 100 other kids that were running wild. Most parents stood around talking to each other while their children tore at the place, and each other, but am I a nervous Nelly of a mother? I sat within 3 feet of my children the entire time...just in case. I mean for one, I want to be there if my kids hauls off and smacks someone else's kid, or steals a toy...it's called responsible parenting...but mostly, I knew my kids would be good and I wanted to be there in case some other kid tried to haul off and smack mine. We came away unscathed. No bruises, no fights, not even a single tear. phew! Max busied himself at the train table for almost the entire time; connecting cars, making track and driving them around.
He just stared with wide eyes when he picked up a Bob-the-Builder truck and some other kid snatched it out of his hands immediately claiming he was playing with it. What can you do? Lucy enjoyed playing with the kitchen set and making me course after course of delicious plastic meals. 
Then they spent a few minutes in the little play house, making more food and 'fixing things' with the screwdriver and hammer.
I was hesitant to pull my camera out at first, because I didn't want to be one of THOSE moms, but then I thought, 'who cares!? I AM one of those moms." So I snapped a few pictures, and then quickly saw a number of other parents pull out their own cameras...so apparently we were all just waiting for someone to get it started. We had a few more snacks and gave our presents to the teachers - Lucy chose some pretty picture frames and then colored a picture for each of them...so cute and totally her idea. 
I said a few Merry Christmas' to the other moms that I know, who were probably surprised by my lack of socialization, but survival mode had kicked in. At one point I saw one kid using another kid about half his size as a step stool, and I figured I had made the right choice. Plus, my kids feel like they have a totally awesome mother today, because I actually got down on my hands and knees and played with them, while the other moms all stood and talked...gold star me! Don't worry, they'll forget in a few minutes and I'll hear the usual "you never play with us!" at some point later today. But for now, we're happy, and I'm proud of my kids for being able to stay calm in chaos and maintain their dignity and manners whilst (yes, I'm using the word whilst) everyone else around them was acting like savage gorillas. (too harsh?)Lucy also got to bring home her Christmas loot bag that was full of all the crafts they had been working on this month. She sweetly gave two of them to her brother right away, because they are just the best of friends. Now they are in Lucy's room, still playing nicely together, and I've created a list of all the things I want to get done this afternoon before Tyler's work Christmas party...and yet all I've managed to do is blog. Oh well, that's fun too. And I have thrown a load of laundry in and made my bed...so we've started, right?
Merry Christmas!
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