Expectations

This afternoon I was so excited to get the kids home, eat dinner and do some holiday crafts. I found some things in my office to rework for holiday gifts with the kids and I was so excited.

Then we got home.

Lyla was cranky and Steven was cantankerous. I decided to make quick burritos (some beans and cheese on a tortilla) for dinner so that we could east fast and get to crafting. Lyla loved the beans but Steven wouldn't touch anything. He ate about five bites of his tortilla and told me he was done. Lately we've been back to the picky eater so I told him he had to eat a small pile of beans before we could do our project. He threw a fit and got sent to his bed.

This cycle continued for about an hour. Eat your beans. No, I want to color. Go to your bed. Eat your beans. No. Go to your bed. You pick the order but just imagine a broken record repeating this sequence over and over.

About 10 minutes in I decided that I wasn't going to back down and slowly other privileges would be taken away. After all, I am the boss, right? I never know if it matters but I want Steven (and Lyla) to have boundaries and know that I am not going to bend to their every whim.

I was sad that I only got to do a little of my project with Lyla and maybe tomorrow I won't set my expectations so high.

Oh, and to top the night off, Lyla puked down my v-neck (dry clean only) sweater as I was rocking her to sleep. Definitely not what I expected tonight.

Our Christmas Tree

We fully intended to make this afternoon all about Christmas decorating and then the day got in the way. It wasn't until about 5:00 that we realized how late it had become and that we better get moving or we wouldn't be getting our Christmas tree this year!

So we piled in the car, on this oh so frigid night, and drove to the kid's school parking lot. Since this is our second year in a row buying our tree at this lot, I guess it is our new family tradition! We had a really fun time walking through the snow to find a tree just the right size for our little house and then waiting for the Boy Scout, his mom and Tommy to devise the best way to tie it to the roof of the Subaru.

We ended up stopping halfway home to tuck the blanket back up on the roof again this year. I tried to be artsy and take a photo of Tommy's reflection in the side view mirror - this is all I got.

Once we got home the kids had a great time putting the lights and ornaments on the tree. Lyla actually had more fun pulling the ornaments off the tree so the tree is quite top heavy this year. It is so fun watching our kids get so much joy out of the holiday traditions we are forming with them.

Preschool Christmas Program

Steven's first Christmas program was tonight at the "Big School." His preschool is associated with a Catholic grade school so the school is always referred to as big. Tonight, I think, the bigness overwhelmed Steven. He actually stayed with his class for this program, unlike last spring, but he was not so willing to participate like when we would practice in the car.

Steven (Dasher) with his friends Brendan (Shephard #2) and Siobhan (Angel)

His class sang Feliz Navidad, Away in the Manger and Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. I think Steven's favorite is Rudolph - it sure is Lyla's favorite because when we got home and ate some of his candy cane she kept repeating Rudolph, Rudolph, Rudolph.

He is not quite out of his shell but he is making some progress! I guess I shouldn't be too worried, he is only 3!

Tonight at Bedtime

Steven wanted to read If you Take a Mouse to the Movies before bed tonight. There is a line in the book where the mouse wants to listen to Christmas Carols and the boy turns on the radio.

Steven asked me "what is a radio"?

I said "it is like daddy's IPod."

Steven replied, "ohhhh."

Second Sunday of Advent

This morning Steven and I carried the Advent candles up at mass. I was a little nervous but he did great!

We arrived at mass and Margaret our Parish administrator was waiting to let Steven practice with the candle. He walked with it across the back of the church all by himself so we thought he'd do fine carrying it up the aisle. So we waited for the opening hymn and got in line in front of Fr. Glenn. He gingerly walked up the aisle and stood in front of the wreath. Fr. Glenn said the opening prayer and began the advent candle blessing ... then poof ... Steven blew out his candle!

We might be waiting for Jesus' birthday but, Steven, those weren't birthday candles!

Santa at none other than the ...

Zoo!

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