An Early Christmas Gift

Every morning, my routine is to start my coffee, put leashes on the dogs and then take them outside.  I usually wait in the garage while the boys do their little doggie business, and check my email, Facebook, etc. while I wait for them to finish.

This morning, when I checked Facebook, I had been tagged by my youngest step-daughter E in a post with the following picture.

Step Parents

Now, I have seen this before today.  I have always felt that it is so true, but also didn’t want to post it or like this on Facebook, in case the girls would feel uncomfortable about it.  To have it tagged on my wall, and for 2 of 3 of the girls to “like” it, made it so special to me.

I cried.

Asked my husband if he had seen it.  He smiled and said yes.  Although, technically he is Mack’s step-father, when we had her name changed, and since she has been her Dad since she was seven and the only one she has ever had, he honestly is just her Dad.  Mack doesn’t consider him anything but her Dad.

I have mentioned before that being a step-mother has been the hardest mothering that I have ever done.  After thirteen years, it is finally feeling like things are coming together.  They really, actually love me.  I have loved them all for a long time, which is why it has always broken my heart when things were so hard, or there were such horrible disagreements.

This year has been huge in developing the relationship that I have with my youngest and oldest step-daughters.  Things with the middle one are still pretty tense and awkward after the birthday incident, and hasn’t really gotten  much better, but it is what it is.  I do think there are some jealousy issues there, and I don’t really know how to fix that.  She is 28 years old, she needs to get over it.

For a very long time, we have given the girls money vs. giving them a gift for Christmas.  This year I had an idea for the big girls that I thought they would really like.  I asked my husband what he thought, and he kind of shunned the idea.  He called me back about an hour later and said that I could give them the option of the gift I was thinking of (Coach purses) or money.

The oldest and youngest jumped on the idea of a Coach.  They were both really excited.  Middle step-daughter wanted money.  So that is what we are doing for her.  I had a lot of fun picking out purses that I thought they would really like.  I was not surprised with middle stepdaughter’s choice of money.  I am just glad that my husband was okay with the idea of them getting different things, he usually likes for whatever their gifts are to match.

They do have a few matching things.  I got them all earrings, a Coach key chain, and gift card to a restaurant.  The grand kids are getting gift cards to Toys R Us.  The older two girls are getting mustache earrings, and the three and two-year old are getting coloring books.  They are all getting a gift card to Monkey Joe’s, except the baby, he isn’t quite ready for jumping yet.  We have had a few issues in the past with them being bummed that they didn’t get more.  I hope that they don’t act like that this year.

I need to get a little something for the baby so he has something to “open” too.  We will be doing Christmas with the girls and kids next Sunday, so I have a little time to find something for him.

Other than the little something for the baby, I have every single gift wrapped, every single thing bought.  It is just crazy.  I am not usually done so early.

I don’t know if I will get back here before Christmas, so if I don’t, I do hope that you all have a wonderful holiday.