Ghosts of Christmas Past: 2002

The year we moved to Maryland, and the last time we tried poetry at holiday card time. We conducted an unscientific experiment to ascertain who was actually reading the Christmas letter by putting the news of the twins at the end.

’Twas the Night Before Christmas 2002

’Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house

One poor creature was stirring, trying hard not to grouse.

While Alison and Leah were tucked up in bed,

Mike lay awake, restless, a sound in his head.

Such rumbling and whistling! Through his eardrums it bored

As his wife, dreaming happily, lay beside him and snored.

He could cope with her hormones, her changes in mood,

The fatigue and the nausea, the aversion to food.

But the nightly assault taking place on his ear

Left him thinking of June, when the due date will near.

Pregnancy symptoms aside, we’re all feeling quite good

Getting used to the seasons in our new neighborhood.

We couldn’t wait to take pictures of Leah in snow.

She took two steps outside and decided, “hell, no!”

It was hard to leave Florida; it’s our friends we miss most.

But we know it was right, because Mike loves the Post.

Leah’s busy all day drawing, playing, and swinging.

And that tune you may hear -- it’s Blue’s Clues she’s singing.

Some days we’re laughing, other days we’re perplexed

When she’s an angel one minute and Young Satan the next.

It’s par for the course -- after all, she’s now two,

With a mind of her own and trouble to brew.

As always, we welcome visits from friends

And hope we’ll see some of you before next year ends.

One more thing we should mention, that may cause some grins --

Our arrival in June is going to be twins!