There really still is dial-up in this world

I'm back from a short week at my in-laws. We left early Christmas morning, and pulled up into their laneway, 8 hours later, just as they were arriving from their revelries at my sister-in-law's house. And they had no clue we were coming.

We arrived with the back of the car full of gifts (the kids thought Santa had dropped their loot off at Grandma and Grandpa's); Christmas dinner (a ham, potatoes, breads, veggies, you name it!); plus all the stuff you need to travel with two young children for 4 days. Thank goodness we'd had the last minute common sense to board the dog. He would have sat on my lap, otherwise - all 70 lbs of him.

Anyway, after they got over the deer in the headlights look, I think my in-laws loved the surprise. Because of a little family disagreement, they hadn't seen the kids in over a year and a half - more than half of our youngest's lifetime! Hubby and I thought it was time we extended an olive branch, and I'm glad his parents noticed the gesture. Everyone was on their best behaviour. And while my father-in-law, in particular, hadn't been overly impressed by our two tiny toddlers last time, he was smitten this time - he even sat on the floor and dressed Polly Pockets for a few hours!

The trip was also smoother than most, with a few exceptions on the drive home. My three year old, who is typically a great car traveller, became the toddler from hell somewhere between Peterborough (where we met up with friends) and Perth. I was this close to digging out the gravol and doling out a generous dose to her. And yes, I lost my temper there a few times. But I tell you, I think anyone would have!

One thing hubby and I did well is that we apparently didn't spoil the kids too much. My in-laws did, though. Man, it seems like people in Southwestern Ontario buy WAY more stuff for their kids than we do. Everyone gave us gifts. Their grandparents, aunt and uncle. Friends of my in-laws. Cousins of my husband's. Friends of his. And people didn't just give one thing. Some people gave each kid 4 or 5 things! Yikes! Anyway, now they're spoiled. And I'll be doing some major toy cleaning and sending stuff to charity. I want to see if the Children's Hospital would take toys. When we were there last month for my three year old, the playrooms looked a little barren.

Oh, and on a sidenote: tragedy struck my three year old for the first time yesterday. See, last month, just before she had surgery, she got really sick and ended up at the clinic, where the doctor, who was out of stickers, gave her a stuffy instead. It was a well-played with white rabbit, with pink overalls that my daughter called "Toutou lapin". And she instantly fell in love with it. She took it everywhere, made sure he was warm at night, that he could see the TV when they watched it together... you get it. So naturally yesterday she took it shopping with hubby... and when she walked out of Loblaws, she realized she didn't have it anywhere. She and hubby retraced their steps through the grocery store and Loblaws, but no Toutou Lapin. Now all we can do is hope that some generous soul found him and returns him to the customer service at one of those stores. In the meantime, I have a very sad little girl.