My quirky 3-year-old….and her new “pirate” pose as she calls it:
Boo has been saying for weeks now that she will NOT go see Santa. No way, no how. Remember last year (click here for photos)? I asked her one more time the other night thinking maybe she’d change her mind:
Me: We need to go to the mall and see Santa….pleeeeaaaaase?
Boo: I’m NOT going to see Santa already. He’s at the North Pole. And he HAS my letter.
Me: So you won’t sit on his lap for a picture?
Boo: No, I only want 2 pictures of me and Santa.
(I guess the 2 pictures from when she couldn’t express an opinion yet?)
Me: Does Santa scare you?
Boo: No, he just makes me nervous.
Me: What does it mean if you are nervous?
Boo: It means I don’t like to sit on people’s laps Mommy.
(Totally fine by me. And the more I think about it, I totally agree with her….I mean, there’s no way you would get ME to sit on Santa’s lap!)
And so that was the end of it for me. If she doesn’t like Santa, then she doesn’t like Santa. She wrote him a letter….that should be enough, right?
But then the unthinkable happened…..
Boo’s school had a Christmas program last night. The school had wonderful intentions…..and at the end surprised all the kids with Santa. Each class, with all the parents in the audience, had each child get in line with their teacher to go up and see Santa. I didn’t really know what to do…..for the first time in my life I was totally paralyzed. I stood by while my child was stuck in a line to see Santa. Her eyes were tearing up like she was going against some deep conviction she had. And the rest of the story just breaks my heart…..because she has such a sweet spirit, she was extremely polite to Santa, got up on his lap, tears welling up in her eyes and tried to smile the whole time. She didn’t want to hurt Santa’s feelings.
Here is one second before that smile:
As soon as she stepped off the stage, I gave her a hug and told her how brave she was and there was a nervous laugh/sigh of relief as she wiped her tears away. The whole car ride home I was worried she would think I had betrayed her. I mean, that kid on Santa’s lap was not my kid…it’s the only time I’ve ever seen her so unsure and, ugh, sad.
THIS is my kid…..in a nutshell:
Ok so, in the car on the ride home:
Me: Did you get to tell Santa what you want for Christmas?
Boo: No, he was only giving candy canes….(long pause)….I think I’ll just tell Daddy what I want for Christmas.
I’m officially over Santa. Sorry Santa.
The other day in the car she told me the whole story of Jesus’s birth in detail…..her own detail but it was pretty spot on. The wise men were “wishy men” and Joseph is “Joe Fess”…..she knows the reason for the season. She does some things that totally blow me away. Like the time she came into the living room and asked us to open the back door because she had to ask God something….and wasn’t sure he could hear her from her bedroom. Are children closer to God? Things like this just make my head spin…..I HAVE to know…..like the time my Grandfather called my sister and left a message, after he had passed away?! I researched that one for months! Sorry, total tangent there…
Oh, and tonight Boo and I went out to dinner and out of the blue:
Boo: Sometimes you just don’t listen to me Mommy.
Me: I’m sorry….I’m listening now. What do you want to tell me?
Boo: That’s what I wanted to tell you, sometimes you just don’t listen to me.
Me (trying to mask my utter disgust towards myself): Duly noted. I promise to listen to you better.
I guess this means I’m not getting the “mother-of-the-year” award?
Back to Christmas:
Tonight I took Boo to do some Christmas shopping. I let her pick out anything in the whole store for Daddy. She picked this:
Mr. LBB is going to be ecstatic. Just what he’s always wanted. I think I’ve convinced her to let me help her repaint it with chalkboard paint.
Last week Boo DID write her letter to Santa Claus with Mr. LBB’s help. She’s asked for:
1. A watercooler
I have no idea…..
2. A camera with no feet, only legs
I’m assuming this is a camera on a tripod?
3. A telescope that can see all the stars
Can a toddler figure out how to focus a telescope?
I’d already done my shopping for Boo…..and I didn’t pick up any of these items….maybe I’ll leave them up to Daddy. I’m 100% certain she’ll be the happiest little girl on earth when she opens ANYTHING we get her….that’s just her personality. She’s always grateful and excited. I can’t wait for Christmas morning…..Mr. LBB had to confiscate a few presents so I wouldn’t cave and give them to her BEFORE Christmas.
My favorite gift I just can’t stop thinking about? This beautiful little custom waldorf-style doll made by my friend Debra of Apple Tree House Dolls…..I found the yarn for her hair on a trip to L.A. and knew right away it was perfect for a doll for Boo. I haven’t figured out what to dress her in yet…but she’s named Laurina after a little girl we sponsor through Three Angel’s Haiti. She’ll be the perfect sister to Boo’s other ATH doll Li’l Sally (when Boo met Li’l Sally).
Of course Li’l Sally needs a gift, she is after all like a member of the family! I had a little custom backpack made by Bitty Bags. Boo LOVES rainbows….isn’t this the cutest thing ever? Tia does amazing work!
My last handmade gift: Boo LOVES ketchup….she puts it on everything: pancakes, macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets. She spotted this t-shirt from across the entire store. I secretly bought it and made it into this dress for her. She might just faint when she sees it.
One week left until Christmas!
That dress is adorable. Very nice, love those bright colours! And that little girl of yours is very cool 🙂
Oh Gosh! Stick a fork in me – I'm done! This post slayed me. I'm totally enjoying my 3 year old too, although Boo is light years ahead spiritually and emotionally! What a sweet girl that she didn't want to hurt Santa's feelings. The appropriate term for her (straight from Cajun Country) would be "Sha" (rhymes with baa) derived from the french word "cher" which means dear. She is so sha. Her heart is sha!
Santa is hit or miss at our house. My 3 year said she hated him and them proceeded to hop right on his lap and chat his ear off. My 7 year went on and on about how much she loved him and then stood next to him and barely acknowledged his existence.
I am glad I am not the only Mom who tries to giver her kids their Christmas presents early. I just get so excited that I can not wait to see their faces!
I do believe children are more spiritually open than us adults. When my girl was three, she asked me if God created himself since he has created everything.
Merry Christmas
this is my favorite post. ever.
Great post! The Christmas season is so much fun with little ones. I love the way that their minds work. I also love when their thoughts challenge and analyze what is…they are authentic…not afraid to express themselves. Such purity in their thoughts. Beautiful Boo has so much charm and is so full of life. She has a special purpose from God…one of which is to make the world smile. Merry Christmas!
you sound like a really good mom with a great lil family! your daughter is beautiful and i love her hair!
could #1 be watercolors?
i LOVE the catch up dress! great work!
I have tears in my eyes reading this.
Our Little Miss Magic is 3 as well and will not go anywhere near Santa.
The fact that she knows the REAL reason for the Season gets you a SUPER BLINGY GOLD MOMMY STAR in my book!!!
xx-Kristyn
This is a lovely post! Your kid is just too cute!
I loved the dress you made for her.
Marry Christmas!
OMG Ashley, my mom died 4 years ago this month. She died one month before Ella was born, so Ella never met her and didn't know too much about her because, well, she is only 3 now. Last year (when she was 2 almost 3) we were in our kitchen, my husband and other kids were there. Ella said, mommy I need to find our wooden rosary, grandma wants me to bring it to her. I looked at my husband, and said I think it is in the toy box (this was a children's rosary made out of big wood balls). She went and got it and started walking to the front door. I asked her where she was going and she said I am bringing to grandma. I asked her where grandma was and she pointed to our front door (which is all window) and said she is right there, mom, can't you see her (as if I was a dummy, like duh, mom..)She walked over and hung up the rosary on the door, and then ran off to continue playing, as if nothing happened. I called my dad and brothers. TRUE STORY and it just brought me to tears. SO I do believe kids are more connected. It is something I will never forget and for a few months after, she would randomly make comments to me about well grandma says, or grandma wants me to … wierd but brings peace. Ella was a twin and I lost her twin (brother Jordan )when I was pregnant, so I always thought he had my mother to protect him, so in some wierd way, I think that is why Ella is the only one who has talked about my mother like that, and she is the only one who never knew her.
Great story about Santa. And you are right, I would NEVER sit on his lap.
Dancing to G6 was a crack up! Loved it!
she is such a special Child.. you could see the Lord is going to use her in a mighty way!
High Five Boo!! I TOTALLY LOVE KETCHUP!! lol
Love the letter to Santa.
So good to hear some children know the TRUE meaning of Christmas. Some days I wonder if we are the only family left that doesn't really bother with santa. (I know we aren't) but the focus seems to be santa more and more each year, and what we can get rather than what we can give.
I bet our girls would get along so well, we have this little princess/pirate at home who loves to dance (I don't know where she gets her hip action from) and her favourite thing in the world are rainbows. Santa will bring her a rainbow light. I had the Christmas story, too and she was quite good with the details, until she told me that there was a lot of blood…she either got something completely wrong or far too much detail – I hope that it is the first, I forgot to ask the teacher before the holidays. I love how they come out with things that just stop you in your tracks, make you laugh or just stunnes you.
Loved the video. She is so cute.
This is the cutest post, Ashley. My Leila sounds a lot like Sienna! Really polite, not wanting to hurt Santa's feelings…we had a similar situation at her preschool. Anyways, love her dancing and her new dress! Leila would be so jealous – she looooves ketchup (and calls it red ranch, but she calls ranch white ketchup. Go figure.)
Happy Sunday!
She is the CUTEST! And what an awesome idea to paint a piggy with chalkboard paint!
These sound like pretty regular conversations I have with my 6-year-old, and it was the same when she was 3. She regularly cracks me up, makes me think, and makes me realize I could be such a better parent…
that's awesome! I love the gifts you picked out and made. My son is only 13 months and I'm so excited for him to open his presents that he doesn't even care about yet! =) And I'm totally with you on the Santa thing.
great post, that video was the best!
I love it! My son used to be a ketchup king & now he's the lone ranch ranger. The dress is adorable & I'm so excited, that I found your blog! I just downloaded the free beret tutorial, too; THANK YOU!! I was just at Epcot, with my kids & my daughter saw a pink beret that she wanted, in "Paris"…I can't wait to make this for her!