My Christmas shopping is almost complete. In years past I fretted over spending the exact same amount on each child and making sure the same number of gifts rested under the tree on Christmas morning. This year, a new version of reality has set in. Buying for a 2 year old is much less expensive than buying for a 10 or 12 year old. I have expensive taste in clothing, especially when it comes to my girl. In most areas of life I'm satisfied to live on my "beer wallet", but with Taluelah, my "champagne taste" is hard to control. Even so, I can find some adorable outfits for a fraction of what the 10 and 12 year old's super skinny jeans and name brand skate shoes cost.
The boys' lists to Santa included items that ranged in price from $10 to $225. Though, there was a small note next to the priciest item on both lists. Adam's included a "maybe" in front of his request for an iPod Touch and Avery's request for the same gift was followed by "if you can, but don't fret over it." I wonder often these days if my boys are humoring me, not wanting to break my heart and prove just how grown up they really are, by not disputing my claim of a jolly fat man who comes bearing gifts. As each year passes I am sure it'll be the last that's full of magic, for them, at least until they have children of their own.
I joke that the boys were getting too old and I wasn't ready to let go of my babies and so I had another. But, Taluelah is in fact one of the greatest blessings bestowed on our family, right in line with her brothers. I know that when the time comes for my boys to gently let me down off my Christmas high, the magic will still live thanks to our rambunctious little girl. I also wonder if this is another reason the boys haven't burst my bubble yet. If nothing else, I think I've instilled in them a faith in all that's good. They are sweet boys and would like for their sister to have the same "belief in something more than meets the eye".
We took the kids to see Santa at the mall over the weekend. It has been years since we've even entertained the idea of the boys sitting on Santa's lap. I thought that if they would play along then their sister would as well. Seeing Santa and telling him she wanted a present was all Taluelah could talk about for days. We passed by the Man in Red on a visit to the mall prior to this weekend and our girl just about had a fit trying to get Santa's attention. She nearly waved her hand right off her wrist.
The line wasn't as long as we expected it to be which I thought a good thing for various reasons. I figured the longer we had to wait, the more apprehension might take over Taluelah's desire to see Santa. I was also waiting for either of the boys to back out of the charade I was requesting them be a part of. I told them they didn't have to sit on Santa's lap, but just be in the picture. The photo people took over though when it was our turn. I handed a willing Taluelah to the Santa look-a-like. She plopped down on his knee happily. Adam was situated on Santa's other knee and Avery in the middle of them both on the chair. It took Taluelah a moment to realize that she was sitting on a stranger's knee. I think reality hit when she gazed upward at Santa's face and saw that this was not someone she knew. Her expression was priceless. I refer to the look as her "How dare you?" face. It is something of a cross between betrayal, obstinance and uncertainty. She narrowed her eyes, pushed out her bottom lip, dropped her head and refused to respond to her brothers or the strange man who was holding her.
Right before Taluelah's head dropped, the photographer got a shot of my offspring, Adam with an uncomfortable half-smile, Avery with a "this is hilarious" smirk and Taluelah looking not at all pleased. I really wish the captured image was of Taluelah, either looking up at Santa or the aftermath with her head down and brothers attempting to console her. At least then we could laugh and remember clearly, in years to come, her first reaction to Santa. Taluelah did manage to accept Santa's offer of a high-five and a knuckle bump once I removed her from his lap. When we asked our girl why she became upset after she looked at Santa, she said, "I didn't like his nose."
We hope to finish up what little shopping we have left this coming weekend. The house is decorated, tree up. I have one week left of work before a two week hiatus. We sit and wait with baited breath for our government wheels to turn in the right direction and keep the money flowing to Dustin and the other 15 million plus Americans who are currently out of work. Timing is everything and what more perfect time than the holidays to threaten to cut off the pittance of support unemployed citizens are receiving. I can't complain though. It has been exactly one year since I began this job I enjoy so much, and if the small amount that Dustin does receive can continue until he finds a place of employment, we will be fine. If the flow of government support does halt, we will be fine too. We always manage. We always will.
Happy Holidays!
No comments:
Post a Comment