Santa Rocks!

Thanks, Santa!

All Molly asked for this year was a guitar and (a last-minute add one week before Christmas) a new dolly with curly blonde hair. And boy, did you pull through! (Like you wouldn't...)

Not only did you rock Molly's world with a kickin' pink guitar, you also managed to make (with very little notice) a new dolly with curly blonde hair!


You also gave Molly the sweetest little artist's apron, complete with new markers, which she loves! How did you know it would be so perfect? Oh, that's right - you're Santa.

Thanks for the note, too. Glad you liked the cookies and the reindeer enjoyed the carrots and celery. Until next year...

Family Folktales: The Kohl's Jacket Story

New category time! This one we'll call the "Family Folktale." You know - it's all those stories that moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles tell over and over and over again - so many times that you start to wonder if they really did happen - or if they're just urban legends.

Perfect example: the time I got shoved down a grain chute at my grandparents' farm by my cousins... but that's a story for another time...

The point of Family Folktales is to capture these stories soon after they happen to prove that Mommy really is not making this stuff up in front of your friends, or grossly exagerating (as Mommy is sometimes prone to do...), but that the events recounted actually did take place in the manner I describe.

So, our first foray into Family Folktales has quickly come to be known as "The Kohl's Jacket Story." This story has been told so many times since it happened that I swore I had blogged about it... but I had not. So here goes:

It was early November, and Daddy was out of town on a business trip. Mommy actually got out of work on time and was able to pick you up a little after 4 p.m. So, we had a little time before dinner. Mommy, always an early Christmas shopper, decided that we could go to Kohl's to try and find sheets for your cousin Ellie for Christmas.

(Editor's note: No, I'm not a horrible aunt who only buys practical things for presents. Ok, well maybe I do buy practical things for presents... but they are certainly always appreciated. And Ellie asked for sheets, anyway... but I digress...)

It was unseasonable warm for November, so you were wearing only a light jacket... the one pictured above, to be exact. Your pink and pink Carter's jacket we bought at Costco last year. Perfect little jacket - not to heavy, but nice and warm.

Anyway, we walk into Kohl's and you promptly remove your jacket, shove it in the bottom of the cart, and climb in for a ride. Kohl's has weird shopping carts -- more like a giant bag on wheels with a seat on the front, so it's easy for things to go out of sight out of mind... (you can see where this is going, can't you?)

When we get to the girls' clothing section (because, like the swallows returning to Capistrano, I can't go to Kohl's without scouring the girls' clothing section for sales... because you need clothes...), you jump out of the cart to look at purses. Then, another mommy was pushing her cart by, so very nicely pushed our cart about a millimeter so she could pass. All of a sudden, you were like a mama grizzly defending her young: "Mommy, that lady is going to take our cart!"

"No, Molly - she's just moving it a little to..."

"No - she's going to take it!"

And with that, you grabbed the cart and start pulling it through the tiny aisles - rolling over fallen clothing and lord knows what else - all in order to save our cart.

Well, fast forward through the rest of the Kohl's visit: found clothes for Molly, no sheets for Ellie. Check out. Then say, "Ok, Molly - where's your coat?"

"In the cart."

Look in the cart - no coat.

Molly had liberated the wrong cart.

"Oh no, we've lost your coat, Molly."

And with that, my poor little puppy dog droops her head and tail, looking very forlorn. "Oh, it's ok, sweetie. Let's go see if we can find it."

We rush back to the kids' section. Don't see a coat or any stray carts. I start to explain my story to the woman at the service counter, who's looking at me with every word like I'm a crazed lunatic. Coat in cart... thought some other woman was going to take it... grabbed wrong cart. But then a very nice woman told us she was closing that night and would be happy to call us if she found it.

As we walked out the door to the van, you were so sad. It was like we had lost Chompers or Humphrey. I couldn't yet at you -- it was an honest mistake. And you really felt awful about it.

"Are you ok, Molly?"

"Why did we lose my coat?"

"Well, we just grabbed the wrong cart, that's all, sweetie."

"Mommy, why don't you have a second coat at home just like that coat just in case I lost it?"

And with that punch line, the Kohl's Jacket Story was born.

You were bummed all night. Thankfully, Tracy from Kohl's called during bath. She had found your jacket. HOORAY!

The next day at school when I dropped you off, I shared the story with Ms. Kelley and your friend Ellie's mom. Later that day, you recounted the harrowing tale for Ms. Kelley and Ms. Cindy, the school owner. You asked her, "Ms. Cindy, do you have a second coat in case your kids lose theirs?" And what did Ms. Cindy reply? "Of course I do, Molly!"

So, I told Daddy we need a house that's twice as big since I now need two of everything... just in case.

Tete A Tot First: Ice Skating

We had a great first today - ice skating. Last week, your friend Abby invited us to go ice skating... but since you were having a bipolar week (not literally - it's just a 4 thing...) and so we decided it probably wasn't good to unleash that on the world, let alone friends.

But this past week, you were FANTASTIC - and really good for Daddy when I was called out of town on a last-minute trip. So, Daddy suggested we all go ice skating today. Just a last minute idea... it was either that or go to the grocery store.

We had a WONDERFUL time.

We visited this great little outdoor rink that's been around forever. It was a fantastic 40 degrees -- so not too cold that you're miserable, but cold enough to make you feel like you should be ice skating. Christmas music was playing over the loud speakers -- and at one point, the opening to "A Charlie Brown Christmas" gently started. It was perfect.

Thanks to a LOT of help from Daddy, you made it around the rink four times over the course of a couple hours. We'd go around once, then take a break. After our second round trip, the Zamboni came out... Then you announced you wanted to do a figure eight. Well, at least you're an overachiever!

After about 1-1/2 hours, we were all pooped and packed up to head home. On the way out, you said, "I really want to come back sometime."

We will, sweetheart. We definitely will.

We Should Have Named Her Carol

Every Christmas, Molly’s school has a wonderful little production called “The Jingle Bell Ball.” Each class sings two songs. (Check that – the kids in the older classes sing the songs. In the younger classes, the teachers sing while the babies sit there, shake jingle bells, or cry.) Last year, the Ballerinas made their debut – which Molly LOVED.

So Molly’s class has been working on their songs for a month. And I think Ms. Sofi has taught them EVERY Christmas carol. All of them. One will start on the radio, and she’ll sing along. Not just the standard “Jingle Bells” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” either. She knows, “Deck the Halls,” “Jolly Old Saint Nicholas,” and “Winter Wonderland.” Even, as she calls it, "The rum-a-tum-tum song."

Molly’s other favorite carol is “Angels We Have Heard on High.” (This is one of my all time faves, too… since I have wonderful memories of singing this 1,000 times in high school swing choir.) She learned this from one of our favorite Christmas books Olivia Helps With Christmas. (Seriously, we LOVE Olivia!) So, just like Olivia’s family, I sing the verse, and Molly always let’s go for the chorus…

The best moment for me was when we were decorating Molly’s Christmas tree. (Yes, she has her own tree. More on that later.) She was hanging the ornaments – clustering them all together so all the “friends” could be next to each other (which was making me CRAZY! You have to spread them out!!!)… and she just starts singing in the sweetest little voice, “We wish you a Merry Christmas… and a Happy New Year!”

That’s what Christmas is all about.

"There Was More than One Lobster Present at the Birth of Jesus?"

My favorite line from the movie "Love, Actually." (Here's a bad clip of it on YouTube...) That movie is wonderful, affirming, and heartbreaking all at the same time... The cast rocks and the soundtrack is amazing. But that's not what this post is about...

Molly, your Grandma Twyla gave you a wondeful Christmas present when you were 18 months old - the Fisher Price Little People Nativity Set. And the story of why is even more wonderful -- it was her job every year, when she was a little girl, to set up the Nativity Scene under the Christmas tree. But it was a very breakable set - and so her parents told her to be extremely careful with it and NOT to dare play with the Baby Jesus. Just put him in the manger and be done with it. So, she bought you this set so you could play with it - just like she always wanted to. And this way, every Christmas, you and she would share a tradition. Very, very sweet.

So a few weeks ago, you lovingly set up your little set under the tree... and this year added an elephant that Grandma gave you... which made me think "I wish I had a lobster to throw in there." I walked by the tree later and witnessed this:

"So, there was an elephant and a giant tabby cat present at the birth of Christ?"