The best laid plans

Well Christmas has come and gone in the Hill household. It was truly awesome, but a whirlwind. I just thought I would blog about some of it mostly to help me remember!

Christmas Eve morning started out with a visit from the repairman. I got a new washing machine this past spring after my old washer and dryer caught on fire (through no fault of my own I am sure). Lately my new washer has been making this weird high pitched squeaking noise during the spin cycle. I am sure this is totally unrelated to the time I tried to wash a king size down comforter in it. Anyway, the only day in December the repair man could come was on Christmas Eve between the hours of 8 and 12. Matt went in to work for a while so the boys and I got up early to wait. It was around 11:50 and we got the call saying we were next on the list so I told Connor to quickly pick up some toys and go play in his room so he would be out of the way. A few minutes later he comes back downstair showing me his hands which were completely covered in blue marker. Seriously it looked like he was wearing gloves. So I took him into the downstairs bathroom to scrub off this masterpiece. While we were in there having a serious talk, little man takes it upon himself to go discover this awesome blue marker. I emerged from the bathroom with Connor to see Hudson scooting down the stairs with his clothes and face completely covered in blue marker. Connor gasped and said, "Mommy, brother did art on his face. It is soooo beautiful!"

I totally freaked because although this marker was "washable" I hadn't even been able to get it all off of Connor's hands and here it was all over my beautiful baby's face....and teeth...and tongue. I stripped Hud down to his diaper and took him up to try and minimize the damage. I had just started brushing his teeth when the doorbell rings. Of course. I run back down the stairs holding a half naked baby who is now foaming blue from the ink/toothpaste combo in his mouth. It seriously looked like he was a rabid blueberry eater with a full foam beard. I open the door and the repair man looks at us in shock. I guess were not what he was expecting. I quickly explained that Hudson chose to eat a marker in the one ten minute window in which we were expecting him to arrive. He just kind of mumbled his sympathy and went to work on the washer.

I went back to work on Hudson, the newest member of the blue man group, while Connor went to work assisting the Tom the repair man. Bless his heart, he was very patient with the endless questions such as, what is that tool for? My daddy has that tool, do you know my daddy? Why is your truck white? Mr. Tom, have you ever put a dog in a washing machine? Would my dog fit? I finally came back down to the laundry room and told Tom I had to take a break from the scrubbing because I had reached my level of frustration and Hud was still blue. Tom looked at me and said, "Ma'm I understand I have three boys myself." Ahhh, we were kindred spirits (I chose to ignore the old lady Ma'm comment).

I took the boys back into the living room to play and allow the poor guy to finish his work in peace. Hudson was having a blast smiling and playing with his bright blue lips and teeth and I resigned myself to the fact that our holiday photos this year might be featuring a smurf. As I was working through my next possible plan of action,watching my blue handed son play with his blue faced brother I heard Tom the repair man whistling a tune from the laundry room. It took me a second to recognize but once I did that little ditty made my morning. The song? Elvis Presley's Blue Christmas.

Oh Tom the Repair Man, we are kindred spirits indeed.