So we put up the Christmas Tree!!! Jeremy was nervous. “What are we going to do if they touch it?” “Will they leave it alone?” And, for once, I wasn’t worried. “I’ll just only put out ornaments I’m not really attached to and we’ll put the unbreakable ones down low, it will be fine”. Famous last words! Usually I’m the ones planning out the logistics and worrying about details, not Jeremy. So we commenced putting up the tree. We decided to stick with the fake tree for another year since, at 2, the twins really don’t “get” the whole Christmas thing just yet. So we assembled the tree, strung up the lights and got started on the ornaments. Here’s a few photos of the tree assembly:
Yes, the flashlight is necessary when putting up a tree.
They were very serious about handing me the pieces.
Claire decided Cate needed to be decorated as well.
Matthew was helping Jeremy with the lights.
Cate checking out one of the bulbs. Hey, where's the dog going?
Once the tree was up, it was naptime. Normally the kids are great about going up stairs for a nap, not once that tree was up! They just wanted to skip naps and stare at it ;)
So they napped for about 2 hours and then they were back up. That’s when the trouble started. They were stalking the tree. Going from side to side pointing out all the ornaments, touching, pulling, you get the idea. We kept telling him it was just to look at but who are we kidding? They’re two! So we were in the other room when we heard it. The huge “crash” and then nothing. I went running in the living room to find Claire scampering away from the tree and Matthew trapped underneath it. Matthew started to cry but he was fine. Once Jeremy got the tree straightened back up and Matthew saw us laughing he started laughing, too, I held him for a minute and he was back to playing. I’m pretty sure Matthew’s clothes got caught on a branch or an ornament and when he tried to walk away so did the tree ;) So, I lost one ornament during the incident (to which I wasn’t super-attached) and the tree now leans to one side but it’s not a big deal. So the tree was up for 3 hours (2 of which the twins were napping) before it went tumbling down….the first time.
Fast-forward a day to Sunday night, the kids are again “playing” near the tree. Not sure how it happened (I was standing right there) but somehow Claire pulled the tree over this time and got caught underneath. She was pretty upset by it and took some consoling but she was unhurt. This time I lost 2 ornaments (one of which I was attached to), but at least no one got hurt.
Soooooooooo, now, the tree has been up-righted and mostly put back together (the angel won’t stay on the top). But, this time, I’ve added a safety feature: a gate around the bottom. The kids can reach over the gate and “see” (which in two-year-old language means touch, feel, pull, you get the idea) all the ornaments but if it happens to topple again the gate should catch it.
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