Vain

A few days ago we were at a department store when we noticed Parker staring at himself in the mirror. He carefully brushed a few strands of hair off his forehead and said aloud, "I look so good in this mirror."

What?! I know he's never heard me or his dad say that. I was getting worried that he was becoming vain. Later in the van, he seemed to be talking to himself. He said, "Hello, gorgeous!"

Again, I was a little concerned.

That night he asked me to watch Alvin and the Chipmunks movie with him. It has been running in the background of our home all Christmas season (since Daddy is home and doesn't worry about constant television rotting his little brain the way mommy does). As I sat with him, I heard Alvin admiring himself in a mirror, just as Parker had done. In another scene, the Chipmunks stumble across a cabinet full of food and exclaim, "Hello gorgeous!"

Relief washed over me. But then, so did fear. Parker was an absolute sponge. I think it's time to pull the plug on the TV. Let the whining begin.

Merry Christmas!

Well, the first part was merry. Parker came running down the stairs, "Santa came! Santa came!" After admiring his tool bench and fireman coat, he said, "Oh! I have one other thing I need to check real quick..." He ran to the mantle and stood on his tiptoes. Satisfied his stocking was stuffed with candy and small gifts, he returned to his tool bench (where he played all day).

Maddie, on the other hand, was not so happy. She was fussy and clingy and feverish. She took a long morning nap and awoke, coughing, shaking, glassy-eyed. I was scared. After leaving a message for the on-call doctor and waiting half an hour, I started driving around to urgent care centers. All closed.

I got back home and finally talked to the on-call doctor. We were instructed to go to the ER. Over 6 hours later, we returned home to a tired dad, a lovely [cold] Christmas dinner, and a little boy who didn't want to go to bed.

The worst part about it was missing out on Parker today. I so wanted to play with him and his toys and just share a laid back Christmas day. It made me so grateful to all of the ER doctors, nurses and pharmacists who worked today - away from their own families - so they could care for mine.

'Tis the Season

Parker is psyched about Christmas. Every part of it. He told me tonight he was going to eat up Jesus' birthday cake before He came. Hmmm...I'm not sure it's a good idea to mess with the Almighty's dessert.

Tonight we went to our friends' house for dinner. When we left, Parker said, "Thanks for having us, Carrie and Paul...Merry Christmas to you - all day and night!"

For the last few mornings the first words out of his mouth have been, "Is it Christmas yet?" When we say no, he isn't disheartened. He smiles and says, "I didn't think so, [then in his high-pitched excited voice] but it's coming soon!"

I am really glad he is excited again. For a brief time, he seemed pretty depressed when he realized there was a "naughty list." See, he tries so hard to be good, but sometimes it's just not possible. I mean, he is after all, only 2. There are messes to be made, Ipods to break, sisters to smack, etc.

I certainly didn't help his insecurities the day I picked up the phone to dial Santa. He had just nailed Maddie with a toy again and was screaming his little head off because she dared to pick up a toy he'd set down a few moments ago. When I told him who I was calling, he literally threw himself at my feet, wrapped his arms around my legs, and sobbed, "Pwease don't call him!"

Needless to say, I have backed off my mean-mommy/vindictive Santa approach, and the joy of Christmas has returned. Thank goodness!

Master Manipulator

Today we went to something called Winterfest in downtown Seattle. Really cool indoor and outdoor event. We saw a huge train set, a children's choir, a giant snow globe, etc. As we were heading out toward the ice skating rink and merry-go-round, Parker started having a meltdown. You know, the kind where he throws his head back so far and his mouth opens so wide he looks like a singing muppet. The tears were rolling and we couldn't make out what he was saying. Aaron looked around, exasperated, and spotted a candy shop.
"Hey Parker, would some cotton candy make you feel better?"
Immediately the tears ceased and his voice returned to normal: "Yes, I think that would make me feel better."

Later at home, Parker nailed Aaron in the head with one of those small, hard bouncy balls.
"Ow! Stop!"
Parker (tearing up): That hurted my feelings when you told me to stop.
Aaron: Well, it hurt my head when you threw it at me!
Parker (still teary): But that hurted my feelings! (pause) Maybe a trip to the movie store might make me feel better. Yup, I think so.

Anarchy

Today Parker took the rules down off the wall.
"I am big. I don't need these anymore."

I made these rules a few months ago and drew pictures next to each, so Parker would know exactly what was expected of him.

1. Sit and eat at the table.
2. Ask before you go out or open the door.
3. Ask before hitting, and be gentle with babies.
4. Scream into a pillow or in your room.
5. No bad words.

Today I only had to remind him once that we don't put sleds on top of Maddie and get inside to squish her.

Yeah, he's got the rules down pat. No worries.

Exploring

Today Parker donned his reetaculars (binoculars) and his large brimmed frog-print hat and told anyone who would listen he was a "big explorer."

He would peer through the reetaculars, and exclaim, "Mommy! I see some wild aminals!"
Me: What are they?
Parker: (in an intense whisper) They're wions (lions)
Me: Ooh...scary.
Parker: No, it's okay; they're dead. You can touch them.

No more trips to Cabelas with daddy.

Lost

Tonight I was thumbing through an issue of Seattle's Child, a free, local magazine. The article Local Families Reflect on Holiday Giving Traditions stunned me. It broke my heart.

The reasons for holiday gift-giving didn't make any sense to me. The explanations left me with a sense of emptiness. None of the six families highlighted indicated Jesus' birth had anything to do with this season of celebration. Few used the term "Christmas" or "Christmastime." They wrote about "winter festivities," "winter solstice," an "evergreen wreath" that symbolized the "cycle of life and the constant change of the seasons." A young couple with a baby actually wrote, "We're making it up as we go along." Only one family mentioned anything about religion, indicating they "opted to celebrate [Hanukkah] in a cultural way" in addition to their winter solstice celebrations.

What is the point of all this gift-giving exactly, I wondered. Where is the hope or joy?

We had a recent death in the family. What a blessing to be able to tell Parker the truth with confidence. What relief to let him know Bobbi's children will see her again in heaven. I wondered what the young couple in the article will tell their baby about the "cycle of life" when someone she loves dies. I wondered what they tell themselves. I just wanted to cry.

How do you reach people when the lies are so pervasive? How do you protect your own children from these lies? I thought, "Lord, get me out of this foreign land [Seattle]!"

He said, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people." Luke 2:14

Do not be afraid, Jessie. This is good news you can share with all people.
Christ is born!