Tears of a Wrapper (or Her Daughter)

This will be a poopy Christmas for no one:

…at least not in this house. Derek has a full bag, also, I just can’t show it in the photo.

Derek took the kids to Newburyport and back to exchange gifts with Grandpa and Mimi, who live in Salem, Massachusetts. It’s an hour round trip, plus, Grandpa and Mimi ran 15 minutes behind.

I left at the same time to go to Somersworth Walmart for gift boxes and then the plan was for me to come home and wrap presents for the three of them. Walmart was even busier than TJ’s, though. Lines halfway to the back of the store.

When I finally got home, it took me probably 20 minutes to root through my closet and sort all of their gifts into bags, then get the bags all downstairs to the dining room. I did not even have time to wrap anyones’ presents before Derek dropped Aislyn off at home and drove Desmond to basketball practice.

I told Aislyn she was not to go in or near the dining room because I was wrapping her Christmas presents. She immediately burst into tears, and didn’t stop crying for half an hour. As diligently and calmly as I tried to explain the situation to her, she still could not understand, so I ended up lugging all three bags (and Pound Puppies) back upstairs simultaneously and possibly threw my back out. That’s how many gifts there are between the three of them.

The lesson is (if you’re me):

• Never start Christmas shopping early
• Write down everything purchased

I’m going to be wrapping for the rest of my natural life!