Grinch Baby

Well, I guess the holidays wouldn't really be complete without that three hour car ride and my big, loud, crazy family. Although I managed to keep Christmas day quiet and relaxing, I couldn't save Mason from the circus that anxiously waited for him in Forty Fort.

Mase stayed awake the entire ride there, save the last ten minutes of course. He fell asleep as we got into town, and was woken up as soon as the car stopped. It was only eleven o'clock and still quiet when we got there; the only people there were my grandparents, my brother, Krissy, Haylie, and my cousin Ben. Mason played on the floor and let my grandma hold him for awhile without protesting before I took him up for a nap. He slept for about twenty minutes and woke up still grumpy. I reluctantly brought him down into the craziness. Twenty people now convened in my grandma's living room. Twenty people who talk LOUD including four hyperactive kids and a grandpa who needs to have the tv cranked up to a deafening level even when no one's watching it.

Mason went crazy.

Sometimes it's really hard being Mom. The majority of the time, I really feel like I have it all under control. Mason's always happy, he's healthy, and he's well taken care of. Other times, however few and far between those times may be, I feel like I'm twelve years old, still a baby myself, taking care of a baby. At my grandma's house, surrounded by moms who've been moms for fourteen years, I felt like I had no idea what I was doing. Mason was over-stimulated, over-tired, and just plain over Christmas. Everyone wanted to hold him and he didn't want anyone but me. He burst into tears if someone so much as looked in his direction. I could practically hear the mental critiques of my mommying running through their minds.

I know I'm not doing it all wrong - they might not have even been thinking that - but I wanted everyone to see what a happy-go-lucky, fun, smiley baby Mason is. He's not usually this grumpy Grinch baby, bah-humbugging on everyone's Christmas fun, and I needed them all to know that.

Just when I was about to give up on the day, things turned completely around. We were supposed to leave at six and were just about ready to head out when, at about five fifty-five, Mason miraculously morphed back into Happy Baby and decided he'd let my aunt Shirley hold him.

And then my brother.

And then pretty much anyone else who wanted him.

He even opened some of his presents, played with them, and posed for pictures by the tree with Haylie.




We ended up staying until seven so everyone could have a little time to enjoy Mason's company... and then I had to practically pry him out of their hands. Even though I know everyone loves him regardless of his mood (and I'll admit, even I feel like curling up in a ball and screaming sometimes as a direct result of too much time with the family), I was so thankful that Mase decided to have that one hour of happiness before we left. That last hour completely made the trip worthwhile.