This year’s holiday season was different than the rest. My twins turned two and suddenly Christmas took on a new meaning. Seeing the excitement and anticipation through their eyes was amazing! It also led to me overscheduling and stressing out; wanting to make sure we had the perfect holiday. I’m left feeling exhausted, overworked, and not sure what to focus my nervous energy on next!
From December first on, I made sure that my twins got to experience every ounce of holiday magic. We visited every Santa, rode The Polar Express, baked cookies, attended parties…the list goes on. My kids are now the right age to soak it all in and I was determined they did just that! I sent out the perfect Christmas cards, decorated the house inside and out, obsessed over everyone’s gifts and offered to host every event. I partially blame my addiction to beautiful (unobtainable) Instagram content, but that’s a topic for another post.
I am not telling you of all our Christmas accomplishments to brag in any way…in fact quite the opposite. The month of December has left me feeling exhausted and defeated!
Every single moment of our holiday was scheduled. Between us hosting Christmas Eve dinner for 15 people, to a revolving door of family stopping by Christmas morning, to a drive down county to visit relatives Christmas evening we partied HARD. By the time 9 p.m. on the 25th rolled around I was sick, tired, and most of all mentally exhausted.
Did my twins have a great holiday? Sure! But at what cost?
This season I’ve had two sinus infections, strep throat, and more than one nasty cold. Enrolling two toddlers in pre-school has brought a whole host of new germs into our house and I’ve picked up every single one of them. Then, don’t get me started on the weight gain! Every baking session I taste tested my fair share of treats. My bi-weekly workouts have gone by the wayside and my fat jeans are feeling snug. My health would have appreciated a little less holiday cheer!
Now that the holidays are over what comes next? I feel like I’m holding the ball waiting for my next play. I suppose I could take some much-needed time on the sidelines and slow down. Why is it so hard for us to do just that?
The post-holiday season also brings a slight sense of dread. This will be our first winter with two high strung toddlers in the house. What do I do with them while cooped up during a snow storm? How will I get their energy out and save my sanity? At least during the holidays, our planned events kept everyone busy.
I’m not sure what January will bring, but I suppose that’s the beauty of the new year and a fresh start. Hopefully I can learn from the 2017 holiday season and slow down a bit! In fact, that sounds like a great New Year’s Resolution! Anyone want to volunteer to hold me to it?
