The reason for the season - Children's Christmas pageant

They often say that art imitates life and our church’s recent Christmas Pageant was no exception. Liam, at six years old is the oldest of our five “Lyons Cubs”; he played the part of a shepherd and, much like any other day, he was faithfully followed by our four other kids – kids who on this day were dressed as extremely furry little lambs.

Needless to say, the sight of my small shepherd leading his flock was priceless. Liam was as earnest as could be as he stood on the altar and mumbled along to the music. Ciara, my four year old lamb, had practiced her hymns at home and proudly belted out the first verse to “Away in A Manger”; the highlights for her were the high notes… as in “the litTLE Lord JeSUS lay down his sweet HEAD!”

While Liam and Ciara seemed to at least partially understand the sanctity of the Pageant, the same can not be said of our trio of two-year olds. Dressed as lambs, they acted a bit more like monkeys -- curious little monkeys -- the kind that like to pick things out of each other’s fur or, in this case, fuzzy lamb’s wool. They were also the kind that like to frolic in the aisle, climb over the pews and make a run for the border.

With headband ears, socks for paws and a cotton-ball adorned t-shirts for “fur”, the triplet lambs might have stolen the show. Except for that, of course, they were part of a larger flock – each more precious than the next and most attached to a big brother/shepherd in one way or another. The shepherds did a great job of tending to their herd… especially since my little lambs have been known to steal more than the show.

Just a few weeks ago, Cormac sauntered up the altar and came back with a $20 from the collection basket; thankfully, our priest (and our parish!) has a sense of humor and while I admit that I was momentarily tempted (all those diapers are expensive!), I did make him return it. Even so, the pattern of lifting things from the altar has been established and the Toys for Tots collection was just too good for my little guys to resist!

All in, I think our five little “Cubs” – now also known as a shepherd and his lambs – learned something from our Christmas pageant. They now know the words to some Christmas carols beyond Jingle Bells and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (which our aforementioned priest is quick to remind us are not actually Christmas carols since there’s no mention of Christ!). They know that however tempting the gifts on the altar may be -- whether they are gold, frankincense and myhrr , a crisp twenty dollar bill, or Toys for Tots -- they are not meant for them.

I’d like to think they learned that there really is a “reason for the season” and it’s not Legos or Crayons or Dolls or Choo Choos. It’s something far more important and far more sacred. As Ciara so eloquently put it as we left a Christmas party a few weeks ago, “ so Mom, Jesus gives the presents to Santa and Santa gives them to the children.” Well, little one, it’s something like that.

Oh Christmas tree: A tale in four parts

Decorating the tree just isn't what it used to be.  It used to be that we'd gear up for a big day out and hike into the woods somewhere to find the perfect tree.  After several heated but friendly debates about trees that were too tall/short/fat/thin, we'd settle on one, lug it home, bring it inside and decorate it.  Possibly with a nice bottle of wine and a fire in the fireplace.  The next day, we'd wake up, turn on the Christmas tree lights and revel in the glory of our totally terrific tree.

When did this last happen?  Hmmm.  It's hard to remember -- perhaps because for three of the past six years, we had a newborn (or newborns!) at Christmas time and I'm suffering from major case of mom-nesia.  What I can tell you based on our recent tree-trimming experience is that what used to take a day, now takes at least week.  Our annual tree-trimming has become a tale in four parts:

1. Buy the tree. This may or may not be a family affair.  Last year my husband bought a tree on the way home from work one Friday night.  No debate, no fanfare.  It just arrived on our front porch.  And there it stayed for several days until we found the time and energy to lug it inside.  This year it was a family event -- at a local supermarket.  Not exactly prime for photo ops and warm, fuzzy memories!

2. Bring the tree inside.  This year, we successfully managed to get the tree from the porch to the living room and into the tree stand all in one day.  Quite a feat with five little ones tearing around -- two of whom were giddy making lists for Santa Claus and three of whom "no like that guy!"

3. Light up the tree.  We learned the hard way that toddlers like to get tangled up in the lights so we now put them on after our little ones are all tucked in.  This year, it was a random Tuesday after a long day of work.  We were both bleary-eyed and even Burl Ives crooning in the background couldn't put us in the Christmas spirit. It felt more like an obligation or chore rather than the festive event it used to be.  Even so, it was nice to come down the next day to see our tree all lit up... even if the branches were still lacked ornaments.

4. Decorate the tree.  Now, this is it -- the grand finale, the moment we've all been waiting for.  It's Friday night and the kids have been asking for a week if we're ever going to decorate the tree.  I've lugged boxes of decorations up from the basement, Christmas tunes are blaring and our five little elves are eager to get the job done.  And indeed they do.

It is finally beginning to look -- and feel -- a lot like Christmas.   So what if what used to take a day now takes a week?  So what if a few ornaments broke in the process?  So what if the tree is a bit crooked, has some bare spots and all the ornaments are clustered together in just a few spots?  We had fun.  In fact, we had a lot of fun.  And when Liam said, "we're really happy, huh Mom?", it was as if Christmas arrived a little bit early this year.  Because really, what more could any parent want?

Does the stress of Christmas suck the joy out of the Holiday season?

‘Tis the season! Time to trim the tree, make a list, check it twice, talk to your kids about being naughty or nice. There’s a wintry chill in the air and a spirit of festive warmth all around us.

Why then, are we consistently bombarded with news stories and magazine headlines geared toward “keeping your sanity this holiday season”? Are we making ourselves crazy? All the shopping, baking, entertaining and striving to create the perfect holiday memories seem to be sucking the happiness out of our “Happy Holiday” intentions.

This can’t be good for our kids. How can we expect them to comprehend the true meaning of the season when we, as parents, are so often caught up in the mayhem? Here are a few simple ways to remind your children that this season, giving really is better than getting:

1. Give it up. If your house is like mine, it’s about to be bombarded by an influx of shiny, new playthings that will turn today’s favorites into tomorrow’s castaways. I suggest you take a pre-emptive strike and enlist your kids’ help in cleaning out the toy box, toy bins, toy baskets, basement and bookshelves.

Encourage them to say good-bye to the old – not only to make room for the new but, far more importantly, to teach them that a child in need deserves a good deed. This is their opportunity to do some good this holiday season; to “share” their gently used treasures with those less fortunate.

So, take your kids and the books/toys/gadgets they’ve outgrown to a local children’s hospital, shelter, nursery school or even a thrift shop. (Call first to be sure they are accepting donations!) Tis the season to teach our kids that helping others is a great gift… one that will last a lifetime.

2. Give your time. With Christmas right around the corner, why not plan a family event that focuses on the gift of time? How many times have we all said “oh, how I wish there were more hours in the day! Just think of all I would accomplish!"

Well, here’s something you can easily do – find a few hours and take the time to visit grandparents, volunteer at your local charity of choice or even just spend some time together as a family. Tis the season to unplug and tune in to those around you; this just may be one of the best ways to spread the joy of the season.

3. Something’s gotta give. When you “just say yes” to everything – the school bake sale, the Christmas pageant, the cookie swap, the class gift – you stretch yourself far too thin. Speaking from personal experience, I know that this can make you the overtired Grinch you detest rather than the jolly St. Nick you’d much prefer to be.

This holiday season, do yourself (and your kids!) a favor and just say no. Giving up a few of the things you think you “have" to do – whether it’s sending cards, wrapping gifts or baking yourself into a frenzy – will result in a happier you… which, of course, translates to happier kids. So, tis the season to “just say no” -- to doing too much and to the perfectionist ideals set forth in those charming Norman Rockwell prints.

Tis the season to be jolly… remember that and you and your family will indeed have a Happy Holiday season and a most Merry Christmas!

The arrival of the triplets - raising five children under the age of five

“Did you see that?” Dr. Kaplan asked. I was reclining awkwardly on the table as he searched for the baby’s heartbeat with an ultrasound wand. “Did I see what?” I responded rather nonchalantly. I was late for a meeting, we had already confirmed I was pregnant for the third time and I was eager to grab my prenatal vitamin prescription and go. “Well” he said, “I think I see a shadow. Or, it could be a twin.”

WHAT?!!!!!!!! A twin?! Impossible! There are no twins in my family, no twins in my husband’s family and I was quite certain that I was not having twins. I wasn’t even sure we were ready for one more baby with the two toddlers (ages one and three) we had at home. Two more babies were out of the question! Surely, what Dr. Kaplan saw was a shadow.

He sent me to Lenox Hill Hospital to find out and promised that if it was indeed a shadow, I could call him the next day and read him the riot act. But, he cautioned, “If it isn’t a shadow, if it’s a twin, we’re looking at a very different type of pregnancy.”

A very different type of pregnancy indeed! I nearly fell to the floor when the technician at Lenox Hill informed me that “Dr. Kaplan wasn’t right but, he wasn’t exactly wrong either. There are THREE heartbeats. You’re having triplets, identical triplets.”

And so it was that my overly organized, practically planned life took a walk on the wild side. Still reeling from the news and wondering how we would juggle five children under the age of four, I started blogging to share the ups and downs of my high-risk pregnancy with friends and family. As one doctor put it, “the human body isn’t meant to carry a litter” and mine was no exception. Various prenatal visits suggested that the tots inside me had Downs Syndrome, heart defects and a host of other horrifying maladies. None of them proved true.

On October 10, 2008, Kevin, Declan and Cormac were born, each a hearty, healthy bouncing baby boy weighing somewhere between five and six pounds. Yes, that does mean that my poor body somehow contained over seventeen pounds of baby… a condition that was neither comfortable nor attractive! In any case, we had been prepared for the worst, prayed for the best, and rewarded with three little fellas that have redefined our family and our future.

What began as a personal diary of sorts has evolved into something more; LyonsDenMom.com is a place for me to share the adventures and missteps of life in the Lyons Den; it is a place to share the ups and downs of parenthood in addition to some tips and quips I’ve gathered while juggling a full-time job and house full of little “Cubs”; it’s a place that leaves readers with a chuckle and the overall sense that “if she can do it, I can too.”

It is my hope that sharing tales from the Lyons Den will help other Moms to feel positive, empowered and with the recognition that we’re really all in it together… because whether you have one kids or two kids, or God help you, five of them, the trials and triumphs are universal. And, as I know all too well, a good laugh will always brighten a dark day!