O Tannenbaum

Thursday, Adrian and I finally went and picked out our Christmas tree. Since we get a live tree, we can't put it up too early or by Christmas it is tinder. We found a lovely selection at our local Lowe's-Frasier fir, nice shape, not too big-all for $30. Can't beat that. It took us a few days more to get around to putting up the lights and ornaments and such, but Adrian took the lead on decorating the tree.

It's like nothing we've ever done before. One could almost say it is (gasp!) tacky. First, we used colored lights, the big bulbed ones. Now, you have to understand, the Amos' just do not do colored lights on their Christmas tree. We were a strictly white-lights-on-the-tree only family. Then to compliment the colored lights, Adrian used glass ball ornaments in every type and hue we own. Large, small, shiny, matte. In all the colors of the rainbow. We also hung a variety of ornaments on the tree as well without any particular unifying theme. This is a hug step outside of our usual method of tree decoration. Normally I pick out a color scheme and coordinate the ornaments and the wrapping paper to match so we have an all around look for the tree. Not this year. I guess we figured this is Alastair's first Christmas and we wanted to do it up in fun kid-rific fashion. Go big or go home, if you know what I mean. Or maybe we were just inspired by the Tacky Lights Tour last week.

Alastair loves the tree. Somehow, though, I think we could adorn the tree with toilet paper, junk mail, and plastic bottles, and he would still love it. Probably love it more.

People keep asking me if I've had "his pictures done". What does that mean? I'm not familiar with that terminology. It wasn't covered in the parenting book or classes. Is this another way I am failing as his mother. By not having "his pictures done"?