North Pole Experience

Over the years I spent the holidays working (literally) through the disappointment I felt about the loss of what I thought was my chance to have my own family.  My family always included me in whatever celebrations we had (and whatever schedule of mine they always worked around so I never felt left out), but there were several years I wished the holidays just didn't even happen.  The first couple Christmases after Kyle died I didn't even celebrate.  I was alive and there, but I wasn't present.  

Regina and her family surprised me with a Christmas tree one year…and when I came home from work in the middle of the night to my quiet, lonely, undecorated house…the entire place was glowing from that perfect, table top tree sitting on the island in my kitchen.  I loved that tree.  And I loved that it represented the "okay" to be happy and celebrate the holidays again.  

Although I spent most years without a plus one, I still wanted to be married and have a family more than anything else.  I was so sad when my sisters would take their kids on fun trips to the beach and many other fun destinations, but I was never more disappointed not to be a part of their Polar Express Trips.  I knew by the time I had a family…their families would be too old to care about the Polar Express. 

Richelle called me one night in late November and said how sad she was that Jake was missing out on things because Derek and (sometimes) Carsen didn't want to participate…or they were just too old to care about certain things.  She asked if I wanted to go to Polar Express or the North Pole Experience with them.  She  didn't want Jake to miss out his last few years of being young and truly believing in the miracle that is Christmas.  I told her I wasn't' planning to take Blip this year because he's so young.  We talked a bit longer and I finally caved.  It probably took an entire minute and a half.  Plus…she had already done the research, so she was able to tell me exactly what times were left on the one day we'd be able to make it happen- December 1st.

We (we meaning Richelle and myself and the other sisters) were leaving three days later for our Disney trip, so there was NO way I could spend a Sunday night out of town and miss work on Monday…and then miss Thursday and Friday too (even though Friday is my regular day off…). So Polar Express was out (since that's an overnight trip).  That left us with a 3pm departure to the North Pole.  We bought tickets and that was that (Carsen decided to come with us, so that was an added bonus).  

I was slightly concerned about the time slot, but figured Blip would fall asleep in the car.  Well…that would have been awesome, but there was no sleep to be had.  By the time we got to Little America Blip was still in a great mood.  He was even more excited when he saw the bus we'd be riding…and even MORE excited when we got ON the bus.  His excitement was all encompassing…you couldn't sit there and see/hear him without being happy yourself.  He bounced and danced on Mike's lap…he was soooo happy right up to the point of getting to the North Pole.

He was happy enough to knock on the door, but when those doors opened…he was done.  Luckily I was smart and brought my Ergo, so he happily let me wear him around…because he didn't want to wait.  He didn't want to be talked to by elves…pretty or not.  He didn't want to sit and make toys (mostly because he's too little to dress himself…let alone a bear).  He did want to play with the balls and the slides and the elves, but he was WAY too little for that with all the bigger kiddos around.  He did want to sit and have a cookie, but he really was just too tired by the time we were at the cookie room.  

Up next was Elf University (EU).  By this point I was dying of heat stroke (my body heat + Blip's body heat + rooms that were too hot with too many people in them + crazy thyroid on new meds = heat stroke).  If I could have found a semi-quiet spot that Blip could have fussed for three minutes…he would have been out cold.  Unfortunately, there was no place even close to that, so I kept him as quiet and happy as I could.

After EU we all went to see Mrs. Claus and then to see the big guy himself.  I'm not sure how, but Blip knows who Santa is.  As soon as we started seeing Christmas stuff out at the stores (mostly Costco…since we frequent that store the most) he recognized Santa.  Exhausted Blip doesn't care for Santa.  Or anyone for that matter.  He's just unhappy and miserable when he gets too tired…and he's still being stimulated.  He did a good job for being exhausted.  I was happy with how everything turned out.  It could have been a lot worse!

After we were done at the North Pole, our cute bus took us back to the hotel and we headed home.  Blip slept part of the way, and then we stopped for dinner.  I was happy that he didn't sleep the entire way home.  We got home around 8pm, and he went to bed like normal and all was happy at our house.

I'm glad we decided to go.  Blip was a little young, but I'm still glad we went with Jake and Carsen.  I like him to experience things even if he can't participate in all the activities…and even if he won't remember.  I know I will.  Visiting the North Pole was a great way to get the Christmas Season started.