It

The Boivins invited us and my Dad over to sit in for my brother who usually helped with the outdoor lights, tree decorating, and cookie frostinging, but he conveniently scheduled his inbound flight for late enough in the season to require substitution.

Ainsley has been steering Erin towards no morning nap, but despite our best efforts, and Beth busting out her flute for a holiday tune, she zonked out post-lunch at the suckle-pod.

She didn't last to the car, though, and we couldn't get her back to sleep at home, either. At least Ryan took a nap, which was important because

***drumroll***

I Was Left Home Alone

***cymbal crash***

Ainsley was invited to celebrate a friend's 40th birthday at a resort in Maryland, so we arranged for me to have some backup bottled bodily bounty, a grandad to help run the "cover 2", and a hope that she could actually get more than 3 straight hours of sleep for the first time in nearly 2 years.

We had a good night, with Erin devouring a plate of saffron rice, green beans, and leftover stuffing, while Ryan and I added some frozen fish. (Dad, stuffed from an extended stay at the Boivins', didn't partake.)

Got them* in and out of the tub, and thanks to Erin having but that 20-min snooze since 5 o'clock int he morning, went down easily after some books and a bottle.

*not Grandad

***tuba***

Dad had equal success with Ryan, and then he helped me bust out our own Christmas decorations before leaving me to my lone recognizances.

The fun began at 9:50, though I was able to coax her back to sleep in my arms (despite kicking over a stack of puzzles that had been under her old bed), and I got her down a little after 10. I was running around in the basement until midnight, hitting the hay, and...

woke up at 4:38, stunned that I my sleep hadn't been interrupted. I could still hear the lullabies playing through the monitor, so I knew it was loud enough. I fell back asleep until she woke up at 5:05.

She had slept 7 hours straight.

She's my best friend, don't you know.

Got her back to sleep twice more in my arms, but she wouldn't stay asleep once down, so we had an early breakfast together.

Ryan got up at 6:34 (sadly asking after his mommy), but cheered up with some bites of orange and the prospect of Wiggle-Watching and surprising Grandad with birthday doughnuts; as it happens, he went to church a half-hour earlier than he'd planned, so we missed him. The three of us went Christmas shopping at Lowes and Bed, Bath, and Out There in Mid-Air Three Stories Up.

Unfortunately, Erin didn't last, falling asleep in the car literally a block from home. Despite my attempts to sing louder, snap to the music, throw random bits of garbage on her head, etc. The garage door didn't wake her, nor did the automatic van door. I got Ryan in and settled, and found her still snoozing in her seat, so I pulled off her shoes and put her in her crib, jacket and all. She snoozed about an hour while Grandad came over again to help put up our tree and watch "Toy Story 2" and eat his doughnuts already.

After Ainsley got home, we got everyone down for naps and I started putting up lights outside in teen-degree windchill, before taking the gang out to go see Santa at the mall. When Santa asked Ryan what he wanted, he said, "I would like a green...." (long pause) "...I'm thinking." Which cracked Santa up. When Santa asked Erin what she wanted, she said, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH."

Like brother, like sister.