Save Me from the Post Christmas Celebration Explosion!

Okay, I am ready for Christmas to be over now.  I am ready to take down the tree, put away the decorations, and to have my home back.  Normally I want to hold onto the "Christmas feel" for as long as possible.  Last year I think I even convinced my husband to leave up the snowmen (that I am addicted to buying) till after Superman's birthday party because I wasn't ready for them to be put away.  But this year?  I am done.

I think part of the reason is that I now have a toddler.  Toddlers take up more space than most people and it isn't just because they have more stuff. Superman likes to spread everything out nice and wide when playing with it.  Downstairs that means that when playing blocks, every single one of them are out and on my floor and since my Christmas tree is also taking up a large portion of my living room, I feel like I can't walk anywhere without stepping on a toy.  He also likes to lay down when he is playing with certain toys (as do most toddlers, I suppose) and that just means more surface area of my floor is gone.  Add in two giant dogs, a baby, a baby's toys (including a play gym and exersaucer), and I really don't have any space to walk around my own living room.  I want my living room back!!!!!!

I feel like the weeks leading up to Christmas result in us throwing out our usual routine to celebrate the season (or do thinks in preparation of those celebrations).  Now, post Christmas celebration explosion, I just want to get back into our usual routine...back into our groove, if you will.   Our usual routine of going to Baby Boot Camp is out since there are no classes this week, so that leaves us at home, surrounded by toys and decorations and holiday chaos. 

I'm not the only one feeling the holiday hangover*, I posted on Facebook yesterday that Superman was VERY moody and on my personal page I posted this:

S wants me to play with him, but tells me "no" every time I touch a toy, T is exhausted and almost inconsolable, and Clyde is barking at the wind.  Stick a fork in me, I am done.

There were several people who let me know that they were in similar boats.  Then I began to see other people post that their kids were "off" and were desperate for things to return to normal asap.  One friend called it the "holiday grouchy" and another wished she could bring back her "elf on the shelf".

For people with school age children, I now understand why so many of you can't wait for school to start back up.  It isn't so much that you don't want your kids around or to spend the time with them, you are just seeking your normal routine to return for the sanity of both you and your kids.

So what do you do to get things to "return to normal" even when "normal" can't be achieved until after the new year?  Me? Well I am going to start by taking down all the decorations.  Till next time....




Devan from Accustomed Chaos posted an article called 7 Signs Your Dealing with "After Holiday Aftermath" that I read after I had already started this post.  I was sure she was going to have the same complaints as I, but her post has a little different twist.  Go check it out!