Christmas Tidbits

Did I mention that we put up our tree on Tuesday night? Less than three days before Christmas?

It fell over on Christmas Eve, dropping every last ornament and somehow catapulting the hooks into oblivion, never to be seen again. This is actually the third time (as far as I can remember) that our tree has fallen over in the last five years, and the kids always SWEAR they were not in the room when it happened.

Just after we RE-decorated the tree, we attended our Christmas Eve service where Soren sprinted to the front and center of the church every chance he got, yelling "Hi!" and "Papa?" with all of the strength and volume he could muster.

We brought him home that night sporting a bloody lip and a bite mark on his cheek. Such is baby love.

Z woke up at 5 am this morning. We told him it was the middle of the night, and he swaggered back to bed, drunk with anticipation. If K would not have gassed it up as loud as possible for the rest of the morning (and he blamed it on my cooking!), I might have gone back to sleep before our day officially began at 8 am.

The kids tore through paper and bows, saying, "Ooh!" and "Agh!" and "OH!" about each gift, except for B, of course, who actually offered a running commentary on what gifts indeed had or had not been on "The List".

For example, "I got a batman toothbrush. That was not on The List."
("Do you like it anyway?")
"Yes, but it wasn't on the list....A dinosaur digging kit! That was NOT on the list, but I did want it. I just forgot to ask for it."

You see, it isn't so much that he is unhappy unless that particular something is from The List. It is just that he is mentally checking off how well Santa follows basic instructions.

He's Santa's official boss, I think.

Z got a Spiderman costume that literally could have fit me. It said SEVEN on the package. It looks like an adult 7, although it says "Kids" on the tag. Z spent a good portion of the day asking me to re-roll up his Spidey pant legs. It was annoying, and I kept thinking I should just forbid him from wearing the thing until I (I mean, my mom) could sew it up.

I just couldn't forbid such a thing on Christmas day though. Besides, he needed his costume so he could save the world. Who was I to stop him?

All three kids got Leapfrog pens today. All three pens were on full volume, as the little punks sat in a row on the couch, listening to individual stories. The kids were okay with it. I, on the other hand, was feeling a little schizophrenic. Ah! The voices! The voices! They won't stop! The VOICES!

Besides the little stocking gifts (my favorites), I simply asked "Big Daddy Santa" if I could have money this year. I recently went through my house and got rid of all of my ugly decorations. Let me tell you this place is bare! I will build the decor back up over time, and now I have some cash to do so. Woohoo!

K had LOTS and LOTS of books on his List.

And a beer-making kit.

I could build myself a second home if I would cement K's books together. He really has that many. So I decided K "needed" the other thing. It came in the mail Christmas Eve. M was upset when he realized that every single bottle he tipped to his waiting and very parched mouth was empty.

This particular boy recently moved to a big kid bed at night, and while he sleeps fine and cuddles right in at night, he hasn't taken a nap since he learned how to climb out of his crib. As always, Aunty Angie sent the perfect gift: Scout the stuffed puppy. Scout not only makes awesome animal noises, but he also says M's name and sings lullabies for the tired boy.

The kid is in love.

He snuggled up close with the strange green puppy who kept repeating his name, and he didn't try to climb out of his bed even once. I was glad not to have to re-position the boy in his bed 100 times in that long two hour nap stretch.

S wanted all things girly, and that is what she received. Little Mermaid underwear, Little Mermaid Barbie, Leap pen, toothbrush...
The thing is, she REALLY wanted a Little Mermaid costume, and I, Oh Cheap One that I am, looked and looked for one that was less than $20.

I never found one.

On Christmas Eve, I broke down and went to Walmart. I knew they had the desired costume there, even though exceeded my budgeted price. They were out, and I ended up spending more than $20 on a Princess Tiana dress...a princess that S has not yet even heard of. She was polite, and she did the "ooh", but I think she is secretly wondering if Santa mistook the green on Tiana's dress for the green on Ariel's fins.

In the end, the day was lovely. We went to bed (or I will soon) thankful, not just for what we have, but for what we have been given in Christ. Thanks, Jesus, for giving your life for us. Happy, happy Birthday. We love you.

Flowery Sheets

When our kids were 3 1/2, we moved them to big kid beds.

We rolled up blankets along the side of the bed, so they wouldn't fall out. We bought them new comforters and sheets to match. We made it a big deal. I was awake all night, wondering if they were okay.

Yesterday, I bought a mattress for M. We put up his bed at about 10 at night, and we threw him in it that very night. No party. No new blanket or sheet set. He's using an old flowered sheet of mine. Not even a new pillow.

He slept fine, a little to my amazement. He woke up at 8 o' clock, climbed out of bed, walked down the hall to our room, and announced the new day with a "Hi!"

Later, he dragged me to his room to show me his bed. "Beh", he pronounced, as he climbed in over the railing. He thinks he's big. "Me", he said, meaning "mine".

Poor kid. He's happy. He doesn't know he's the 2nd-hand-no-frills-baby-of-the-world yet. I wonder when he'll start protesting the pink bedroom walls and the flowery sheets...