The Christmas List

Our stockings are not hung by the chimney with care, and hopes of Saint Nicholas were almost not going to be here.
I've come to accept that I am, at times, a dysfunctional parent and that is okay. I guess I should have known that when I forgot to take our kids' teeth when they left them under their pillows. But that is an older blog you can read later.
Well I was almost busted by our little curious six-year-old. He made his Christmas list back in November. A 15-item list with pictures he cut out from a Toys R Us booklet that came in the mail. Kids really think money just grows on trees.
Anyway, he asked me to mail it to the round man in the red and white suit. I agreed then put it in my purse. Well I forgot about the list 'till about a week or so ago when I started my Christmas shopping for them. It was a nice little reference to use with the pictures. After I used it to buy a few things from the long list, I put it back in my purse. Then forgot about it.
Last week I was busy on the computer and he asked me if I had anymore gum. Normally I say, "No" and keep moving but I was in a jolly mood and told him I had some more in my purse. Now I know some of you ladies reading this may wonder why I didn't see the list when I changed purses. Well I'm not that into purses. I have about four: black, black, brown and tan. Only one of them is a designer bag that my hubby purchased for me on my birthday: a black Coach bag. I checked, it's authentic; he didn't get if from the trunk of someone's car.
Back to the story... so he goes to get the gum out of my purse. What was I thinking- I have everything in that purse sometimes.
"It shouldn't take you that long to get a piece of gum!" I shouted.
I heard him rambling.
"All I see is a straw or something in a wrapper!" he yells back.
What in the world was he talking about. I didn't keep straws in my purse. I thought for a moment then realized what he probably found- it definitely was not a straw.
I almost broke my toe getting up from the computer to get my purse. When I got to him he was sitting there holding his list.
"Mama. Why is my letter to Santa in here?"
I snatched my purse, my monthly product he discovered, and the letter. I had to think fast.
"I made a copy of it and sent it to Santa," I told him.
He wasn't buying that.
"But now Santa won't know what to get me for Christmas."
"Trust me he will know."
He was sad.
"Look! Everyone knows that Santa doesn't keep up with list very well so all parents make copies of their kids' list in case he loses them!"
His sister started laughing.
He slowly looks up and over at her. "Why is she laughing then?" he asked.
"I don't know but she better hope Santa got a copy of her list too," I said while giving her a threatening look.
"But mama, if you have the list..." he started.
"NOW LOOK! FOR THE LAST TIME HE GOT THE LIST! He called me on my cell phone to let me know."
He was even more puzzled.
"Santa has YOUR cell phone number mama?"
I was going too far.

Brothers and Sisters

Our kids are so competitive! If our son hears me say that his sister has done something well- then he has to try and do it too so he can receive some praises.
And you know as parents we want to encourage our kids as much as we can.
Well we have the best of both worlds in them: our daughter is a great writer and her younger brother is a blossoming artist.
I remember when I was little, around the same age as our daughter- possibly younger- my best friend and I were the same. I was an aspiring author and she was an awesome illustrator/artist. We decided to make a book. It could have been a hit except it stopped as soon as the idea came about. We ended up arguing over whose name would appear first on the book cover.
Well our two little ones need to work together and encourage one another.
I think our big eight-year-old is getting nerves now. And her brother is on them quite a bit.
He made a little picture the other day and smiled as he came to show me. "Look at this mommy," he said. I wasn't quite sure what it was but I told him it was good. He skipped off to share it with his sister. I thought about that for a moment then went back to what I was doing.
"What is that?" she asked him, trying not to laugh. "Well mommy said it was good and she knows what it is!" he told her.
"Duh! That's yo mama. She supposed to tell you that," she said laughing.