Over the top? ME?????

Today I had an interesting discussion with my friend/doctor/boss, Steve. To preface this, for any of you who do not know, Steve has pretty much been a major figure in my life for the past 4 years. He started off as my naturopathic doctor when I got back from Sweden (still is). His wife, Lenore, used to have my job. They got married a the summer before I started grad school. During my final semester of grad school, I decided I was going to do what nobody ever thought I would do... move to Wolfeboro. I had it all planned out. Long story short, I told Steve he needed to hire me... and HE DID! There was no talk of an available position or any family plans that might create a job opening. But, the stars aligned and the universe allowed me to boss him into becoming my boss and I began working part-time there in June 2006 and then full-time in June 2007 when Lenore had their first baby.

In the past year, we've become great friends and as my boss, doctor and friend, he is totally up in my business more than anybody should be!!! LOL!!! But, I wouldn't have it any other way. The point of all of this is that Steve knows pretty much everything about me and finds great pleasure in making irritating jabs on a pretty consistent basis. Today was no exception. (To be fair, I do the same thing right back at him which is why we work so well together.)

In any case, this morning we were talking about holidays and how we love them in my family. It's all a little out of hand, in a very tongue in cheek kind of way. We know we're ridiculous. We have huge family Christmases every year the weekend before Christmas with all 17+ of my mom's side of the family. Thanksgiving, which we all claim is not a big deal, is never less that 12 people and usually includes some stray Asian students who are staying with me during their break from boarding school. One year, when my (then) Swedish boyfriend and I came home to celebrate his first Thanksgiving, my sister's kids had decided to help explain the meaning of Thanksgiving by decorating their Radio Flyer wagon and making it into the Mayflower. They were all dressed as pilgrims and indians and we sent Gustaf out to greet them in the driveway. His played a long very nicely, but he had no idea that we would all be wearing headdresses or pilgrim hats for the entire meal. Of course we had to tell him that all American families do this. LOL!

But in our family, the holidays extend beyond the obvious. It's a freak show of sorts. Mom can almost always think of someone whose birthday should be celebrated by having a birthday cake on any given day. Of course Santa and the Easter Bunny come, but also the Great Heart, the Great Shamrock, and even the Great Groundhog has made an appearance. We love the little treats they leave us and most of all, my family has a real thing for greeting cards (especially my dad).

But as I rattled off the vast number of Great "beings" that visit us each holiday to celebrate the many reasons in life there are to celebrate, well, absolutely nothing, Steve's very animated facial expressions and ever-dropping jaw seemed to suggest that this is not normal. He kept saying "WHAT?" "REALLY?" "ARE YOU SERIOUS?" And then it hit him... I'm working on "having" a baby and this baby will inherit all of these crazy holiday traditions. He was silent for a moment and then said, "You're going to be a totally over the top mom!" I immediately dismissed his absurd comment, as I always do, and told him that's ridiculous (ok that's not what I really said, but I am going to keep this G-rated).

As the day went on I kept telling myself, "You will not be an over the top mom. There will be structure. There will be realistic expectations." Then, about 15 minutes before I was to leave, I caught myself stuck on page 40 of the Hanna Andersson catalogue that came in today's mail. What was I staring at? The nausiatingly cutesy matching mommy/toddler sundresses. I immediately rose to my feet, took the catalogue, hung my head like Eeore, entered his office (tail firmly between legs) and presented the evidence. Guilty as charged.

Oh and by the way, that catalogue is sitting right next to me as I type...