The Count Down !

12 days.
I know that it's 11 days to Christmas.   but it's 12 days until my u-trus is coming out.
THAT is going to be the best Christmas present ever.

J has been buying presents since the day after Thanksgiving.    She's purchased several of the same item, extra items she thought she might be able to sell and make a buck.   She buys the toy the kids will say they are asking Santa for one day and then when they change their minds she then buys the other thing.
Can I just tell you how hard it is to enforce the Read, Want, Wear, Need routine when the one buying the presents is only 23% on board.
Last night I came into the office and witnessed Mommy J coercing our 4th born into a toy that was already purchased....a toy he will indeed love, much more than dream light dog he's mentioned asking Santa for....the dream light that J hasn't bought because she hates it and the idea of spending 30-40.00 on something that we both know he will have no interest in 2 days following Christmas seems much too frivolous    Not that she hasn't bought every other toy on a whim the other kids have talked about asking Santa for....you know, just in case they FOR SURE decide on that toy.   Better to be prepared she always says.
Last night Nate happily climbed up on Santa's knee and when asked what he wanted, without hesitation said, "A dream light !"    I do believe the battle has been lost.  or won.  depending on who you are.

We have a new(er) shopping mall downtown.   They have this GREAT santa there and have the perfect set up.   You check in and get a pager if there is to be a wait.    Then you go shop and eat and wait for your pager to go off.    How awesome is THAT !  Last year it was 1 1/2 hr wait to see Santa.   The kids played for an hour and stood for 30 min.  which was exactly 27 minutes too long.    It was so crazy that they each barely had time to ask Santa for something.   He couldn't hear because the mall is so loud and then after a quick over priced picture it was over.  ugh.
We got to City Creek mall right after Syd got out of school yesterday and there wasn't a person in line.    We entered this closed gazebo type thing that had been turned into a personal Santa's cottage.   It was warm and quiet and WONDERFUL!   It was just my family inside too.  How cool is that.
Ryan wanted nothing to do with Santa.    Even when I walked him up to where Santa was sitting he was pushing so hard against me that I thought I might fall over.   As we were the only ones there, Santa grabbed the book "Twas the night before Christmas" they gave each child (in lieu of the candy cane) and began looking through it and pointing certain things out in it to Ryan.    Such a special, unlike any other mall Santa experience, we've ever had.   And he looked JUST like Santa.  and Mrs. Claus was handing out the books and was darling.
It really was just magical.

Ryan hesitantly agreed to sit on Syd's lap..not having to touch Santa :)   This was the only picture Ryan was actually looking towards the camera.

After the flu we all got this terrible yucky congestion cold crap.   The effects still show in their eyes and coloring.   Poor things.   Still.   Best Santa experience to date.

Thursdays Thoughts by Sydney

1- What do you hope the New Year brings ?
Fun

2- If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be ?
No homework

3- What do you want to be when you grow up ?
A school teacher

4- If you had 3 wishes....what would you wish ?
To be rich
To do whatever I want
To have any kind of pet I want

5- If you could go to dinner with 3 people....anyone....who would you go with ?
Hailey
Imani
Nia

6- If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go ?
Paris, France

7-  Do you want to have kids when you grow up ?
Maybe

8- If you had a million dollars....what's the first thing you would buy ?
A fancy fancy house

9- If you had a million dollars to give away......who would you give it to ?
Africa

10- Who loves you the most in this whole world ?
Everybody :)

Wordless Wednesday

Stuck Like Glue ?

With the boys in kindergarten I've noticed some separation happening.   First they were separated from sitting at the same table because they wouldn't stop talking :)

Spencer has always been my "friend maker"   He is extremely social and will talk to anyone of smaller stature.    "lets play" can be heard at playgrounds in parks and at fast food joints.
Cameron is friendly but is more reserved and follows on the heels of his brother in social situations.  Or he's fine to stay by himself.

There was a birthday party invitation that came home prior to Halloween.   The birthday boy isn't in their kindergarten class but was in their preschool class and I often see him playing with Spencer during recess and before school.
It wasn't addressed to one or both of the boys but Spencer assured me it was just for him.   The invitation was given to Cameron.  but according to Spencer he gave it to Cam to give to Spencer.
I asked the boys mother at the Halloween parade just to make sure and she let me know that both boys were invited.....however I'll never know if my asking didn't push her into inviting them both.

Since then Spencer has come home from school and has been begging me to set up a play date with a new boy from his class.   It's Axl this and Axl that.    mom can Axl come over....can I play at Axl's house ?
I sent a note with Spencer to give to Axl.   It had his phone number on it and said that Spencer wanted to set up a time to play.
I got a call last night and it was quickly arranged that Spencer would go home with Axl after school today.
I put a note in Spencer's backpack for his teacher advising her that he would be going home with them and then told Cam that I would still be there to pick him up.
Cam quickly told me that he would go with Spencer to Axl's house.    :-(
I'm sure that it would be fine if he did.   I don't think Axl would care but when I asked Spencer if it would be ok he quietly said, "no....I just want to play with Axl"

They've always been considered a "pair"    And them splitting up is fine with me. I think it's good for both of them.  But Cam has always relied on Spencer to set it up.....and his sweet little voice wanting to go today just about broke my heart.
I'm hoping that this will force Cam to make his own friends and play dates.

I'm still waiting for the day that the one brings home a real date and the date leaves with the other one :)

**UPDATED**
I picked up a single child from kindergarten today.   He had Spencer's backpack in hand.   He climbed in the car happily enough and reminded me that Spencer went in Axl's car.   I didn't say anything.   As we pulled out of the school parking lot Cam said sweetly, "I hope Spencer has a good time"  
My heart was so full that the breaking part just hurt even more.   SUCH a great brother.

Repeat Thursday

Only with real throw up this time.

Cam is my last to fall.   and we all know he will fall.
I just can't imagine that he could come out of this unscathed.

I need everyone to be feeling better tomorrow....we have a Christmas Party to go to.   There will be great food, entertainment and presents.   oh and the best part...there will be no puking kids there. :)

Wordless Wednesday

P.P.P.S

Early morning the day after Thanksgiving Syd did "the cry".   You know.  The one where the child knows what's coming up and the overwhelming fear of not having any control over it exiting their body sends them into shrieks of sobbing and announcing that they don't want to throw up, like that will stop it all.

You know when someone has the flu and you are either by them or taking care of them and you get that lump/feeling in your throat....when your subconscious screws with you.....maybe it's the smell....maybe it's the idea of what just happened....but you start questioning whether or not you are coming down with whatever seems to be punching the crap out of the other person.

Shortly after arriving home from putting up Christmas decorations at my grandma's house, the fever and aches started.   Yip.  Mom down,  need a light.
To add insult to injury I started my period.  
Now this is what I call multi tasking at it's finest.    There was some form of liquid exiting every single one of my orifices at almost the same time. T.M.I ?  No,  P.P.P.S   I had the puke, poop, period sickness.

24 hrs after Syd started showing symptoms she was up and bouncing.   32 hrs after my symptoms started showing, J gave me more tylenol for the fever I still had and some tums for the heartburn I was sporting.
I brain shouted, will it not end?, like that will stop it all.

Last night at 10:37 pm.   Ryan did "the cry".   A throw blanket, due to quick thinking and the fast hands of J and a bucket full at 2 am later he's up and playing and seems none the worse.

Ryan playing.  for now. 

Getting ready for school Spencer said his stomach hurt.   he says that a lot.   gas, hunger pains, poop pains.  he feels them all at much higher levels than the rest of us.  I think it's because his internal organs are closer to the surface than most...you know, because he's so skinny.
I still don't know if he's the next victim....but he's curled up in my bed watching Polar Express.
Why take the chance.

And in perfect form J leaves out of town this week.    Which means that I need the last 3 people to get sick today.    What ?   I can handle it.   I'm a multi-tasker remember. :)

The thing that makes me smile through all of this. albeit a more humble smile.  Who can say that they lost weight after Thanksgiving ?  
You want me to send you a dirty napkin ?  a licked cup ?
I wonder what elements need to be in place to keep a virus like this alive and well.   I could use it after Christmas and New years too.  ;-)
Anybody have a body of questionable water near their house that you could maybe send a small flask full to me ?   I am CERTAIN that if I could get that tape worm business up and going I'd be living in the lap of luxury.