A Message to the Big Guy

Elliot received a video message, via email, from Santa today. Elliot watched the whole video in stunned silence. When it was over, in a small voice, Elliot said "That is the best thing I ever saw!" Then, putting his hands up to his face he said, "That was so good I think I could cry!"

Elliot was so impressed with Santa's personal communication, that he wanted to send one of his own. Not having a PNP Communicator (Portable North Pole Communicator) we had to settle for good old fashioned email. Here is what he wrote:

dearsantaitisielliotihopyouhavamerrychristmasandsantaireallylikedyourvideomessageloveelliot

It doesn't get much sweeter than that.

Taking Stock

The wrapping paper is crumpled and thrown away, the cardboard boxes are by the curb, the new clothes are folded neatly in drawers and the cookies have all been eaten. The Christmas-crazies have settled down and it's time to take stock of another great holiday.

Betsy got everything she asked for. Since her vocabulary is about 7 words, 3 of which are unintelligible, she had the easiest demands to meet. Betsy got a dollhouse from Santa and clothes, books and a caterpillar game from mom and dad. She's very happy with all of her presents and usually has to fight Elliot to be able to play with them (oh, the plight of a second child!).

Elliot got his beloved letter book from Santa. Mom and Dad gave him underwear (Betsy discovered these in Mommy's not-too-clever hiding spot, otherwise the big man would probably have had the dirty deed of giving undergarments), books, a marble game, train toys and a remote-control car. Even though he didn't get his Harold book or comic and it was a marble game and not a slide, I think he had a pretty good holiday. And, luckily, Elliot's birthday is only a month away. Because, thanks to his cousins, he now wants a digital camera, remote-control train, fishy light and a marble slide (Jake got the real-deal from Mary Grandma).

As for Joe and me, we're happy as can be. He got all the Grateful Dead stuff he could shake a stick at, plus new clothes and underwear (boy, that Santa sure knows how to give gifts!). And I got double of everything on my list. Seriously. I guess my list wasn't long enough because I got two food processors, two cookbooks and two sweater chests. I did get some other things, but next year I'm definitely going to work on my list. Until then, if anyone wants to chop up some veggies, bake a batch of cookies or store some woolens under their bed, just give me a call - I've got some extras you can borrow!

No Such Thing

A few weeks ago, I gave Elliot a toy catalog from a major retailer. I hoped that by giving him the catalog to look at, he'd get some ideas for things he wanted Santa to bring. No such luck. He looked at the pictures and made up stories about what was happening, he asked if he could "borrow" some of the toys, but he didn't want Santa to bring him anything. He thought the catalog was the gift. He brought his "magazine" to bed with him. He hugged it and loved it and called it his own. He broke down in tears when he thought it would be thrown away after he'd been sick ("But, honey, it has VOMIT on it!").

Since he was pretty nonchalant about what toys he wanted, I thought Santa and I could get Elliot whatever we wanted. I thought we were in the clear because he seems to like everything. Then he saw the letter book and had to have it. Okay, so Santa can handle a letter book.

Now he wants more. Today I asked Elliot what Santa was going to bring him on Christmas morning (just to make sure he still wanted the letter book) and he told me "a letter book, a marble slide, 'Harold the Helpful Horse' book and a comic book stawing Ewiot!"

WHAT?!?!?!

So the letter book was no surprise. But the rest of it? Hopefully Santa knows what he's talking about because I don't have a clue. His little magazine doesn't feature any marble slides, I haven't seen any commercials for "Harold the Helpful Horse" and since when does he like comic books? He gets scared when Nemo's mom dies!

I'm really hoping Santa can pull through on this one because I did a google search and there is no such thing as a "Harold the Helpful Horse." No. Such. Thing.

Here Comes Santa Claus...

This morning marked our second annual breakfast with Santa.

We got the kids dressed in their holiday splendor
and drove over the river and through the woods
(well, really it was just a golf course)
to see the jolly old man in a silly red suit.

It was a really fun event and the kids had a great time.

There was cookie decorating and face painting...

Santa's band of merry elves played music...

and Joe and Betsy shared their first dance together...

Santa even brought Donner, Blitzen and Comet
to meet all the good little kids.

And for the second year in a row,
in spite all of the holiday cheer and hoopla,
my kids did not want to meet Santa.

No shaking hands, no giving hugs and definitely
NO SITTING ON LAPS.

They wanted nothing to do with jolly old St. Nick.
Oh well, there's always next year.

I should have known better...

My girlfriends and I sponsored a family in need this holiday season. Each person bought gifts for a member of the sponsor family and I was in charge of wrapping the gifts. It seemed like a great idea to get all of the presents to one location, wrapped and delivered together. It seemed like a good idea at the time. But I forgot that one of the sponsor kids is the same age as Elliot and her wish list had some good stuff on it!

Elliot found the "letter book" for Ladarah and commandeered it for himself. He was very upset when I wrapped it and DID NOT want the special girl to have his toy.

He eventually got over it when he realized that he could just ask Santa for a letter book. The special girl could have his toy as long as the big man brought him a replacement. So ever since the plastic, talking toy graced our doorstep all I have heard about is getting a letter book from Santa.

Normally, I don't think Santa would mind that a child REALLY wanted one toy. Especially a toy that doesn't cost too much and is educational. Except that Santa already got all of Elliot's toys. Santa figured that since Elliot is such an easy-going kid and hadn't expressed interest in anything in particular, Santa could get whatever Santa wanted. Boy, was Santa wrong! Santa should have known that he couldn't get through Christmas without at least one demand. And all I have to say is there better be a letter book under the tree on the 25th or Santa's going to be in big trouble with one little boy!