Christmas #4

Today was our third Little Christmas (where we give and receive gifts to and from others), with the Real Christmas being the one where Santa came. This was a very Lego-intensive Christmas. I'm not sure, however, who is enjoying them most.

Trio

Finally, a decent picture of all three of us.

Perhaps...

...the cutest reindeer ever.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Hanging the stockings by the chimney with care...

Dinner

Imagination

This is the man's house. And you know what, Mommy? The man had so many pet alligators that he'd watch them race. And when they were finished, he'd put the hammer down so they'd stop. And this is the window so he could watch his alligators race. And these are the stairs so he can turn into a scuba diver. And he's resting on his boat. And Mommy! He has a parachute now. Now he's going back to his home.

And then there was the whole part about the pirate ship and the monsters in the speeding boat.

'Tis the season...

It's really interesting to experience how Zack's behavior has changed across Christmases. He definitely understands that he'll get gifts, and every time he sees a toy store flyer he goes through it and says, "I want this for Christmas. I want this for Christmas. I want this for Christmas...." Let's just say it'd be easier for him to list what he doesn't want for Christmas.

But he is also starting to understand better that it's also a time for giving, and we've actually had to move a lot of our gift wrapping to times when he's not around because he started wanting to give away a lot of things from our house. He wrapped up a little toy pitcher for his cousin Ella, which is perfectly acceptable. But he also decided that the vase that he made for me for Mother's Day would be better off with Grampa Jim, in spite of my protests to the contrary. He also wanted to give one of my ornaments to someone else. It was at that point that we made gift wrapping a covert operation.

But not before he wanted to help wrap his gift to his Daddy. I had bought it online and showed it to him. He promptly wanted to wrap it. And as you can see, he wanted to do it himself. And in true Spotts male fashion, he made sure it was well-taped. Doesn't he look so grown up doing all this?

He is also very excited for Christmas to come. Here's the conversation we had this morning:

So do you know what we're going to do tomorrow after we pick you up from school?

Yes.

What?

I don't know.

We're going to get in the car and go to Nonnie and Nonno's.

Yeah! Today?

No, tomorrow.

Is tomorrow today?

No. We'll leave on the day you have karate.

Do I have karate today?

No, today is KidFit. Tomorrow is karate.

I like KidFit. Remember yesterday {keep in mind that "yesterday" is a catchall term for any day in the past 4 1/2 years} when we went to Nonnie and Nonno's and you picked me up before sleepy time {naptime at school}?

Yes, but we're not going to pick you up that early tomorrow. It'll be after naptime.

I'm going to tell Miss Carol that I need to sit in a chair at sleepy time because you're picking me up. I'll wait for you to come. And when Miss Carol goes out into the hall, she'll see my Mommy and Daddy.

OK, but we're not going to be there that early.

I'll wait for you to pick me up so we can go to Nonnie and Nonno's. 

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I have a feeling that it might be a long car ride to Connecticut tomorrow night.

Who let the dog out?

Last Sunday, we invited about 10 of Zack's friends from school and the neighborhood to decorate gingerbread houses. Of course, my camera filled up after about four pictures, so there isn't much documentation of the fun that was had. All the kids were great and I noticed that the mess was less than last year.

But that's not what I wanted to talk about.

For this event, I put Georgia up in our bedroom. She gets a bit nervous when there are so many people in Her House, so it's just easier all around for her to be out of the way. From past experience, I knew that I should lock the bedroom door so that little hands didn't help her escape. The door locks from the inside, but it can be opened from the outside (Just wait. You'll find out how).

All was going well. Georgia barked for awhile, but when she started to hear all the kids downstairs, I think she was grateful to be holed up with a bed all to herself. After two hours, all the kids had left except for one and we were starting to clean up. All of a sudden, there was Georgia, licking up sprinkles and pretzels from the floor. Interestingly, Zack was close behind her. I asked him what Georgia was doing downstairs.

"I let her out."

Now I had tested that door and I knew it was locked. So I bit. I asked him how he opened the door.

"I got a stick and put it in the hole, and wiggled it, and the door opened."

And that, my friends, is how you open our locked door from the outside.

Lost in translation

I think I need to talk to Zack's Spanish teacher. Zack has been singing Felice Navidad as "Police Mommy die." And he's rather convinced of his version.

Buddies

Zack seems to be maturing in his relationship with Georgia. There is less obvious "sibling" rivalry and more involved interaction. When Zack wakes up in the morning, he has to spend some time snuggling with and petting Georgia, saying such sweet things to her, including "I love you, Dorjia!". He plays with her more, rather than doing things to her (though this does still happen). And he's generally more concerned about her well being--feeding her, giving her treats, petting her so sweetly. To her credit, she's responded by letting him pet and snuggle with her, by listening to him more, and by generally being less wary of him. And, of course, by giving him hugs. Which TOTALLY make Zack's day.