We hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas and happy holiday! This Christmas was just amazing…it makes it so much more fun now that Boo is old enough to really understand what is going on.

Last night, Boo counted out 8 carrots and a few cookies for Santa and we put her to bed. I really THOUGHT she was sound asleep and I started filling some stockings and then out of nowhere she pops into the den “oh my gosh MOMMY, ……I thought you were SANTA!” She scared me half to death….I threw the stocking behind me and pretended to be checking the cookies. She begged to sleep in the den because she said she needed to talk to Santa about something. Instead I convinced her to leave a note…something about a helicopter she wanted to add to her list.

Early this morning I heard her run out to the den and do a huge gasp…..then she ran back to our bedroom to tell us that Santa had come and she had forgotten to wake up and catch him! She was so teary and shaking the whole time she opened her presents…..I was worried she was going to faint from excitement!

Boo got most everything from her list: the bike, the telescope, a little helicopter, Li’l Sally’s sister……but somehow there was a miscommunication and the #1 most requested item, the watercooler, wasn’t purchased. She’s been telling people ALL day that “Santa GOTFOR (forgot) my watercooler!” We think he might stop by on his way back to the North Pole tonight or tomorrow and drop it off (whenever Target opens back up). She had also written Santa a few letters and stashed them under the tree, and I guess he didn’t pick them up and she was pretty sad (wish I’d known they were there….this is only going to get harder next year!)

Mr. Lil Blue Boo gave me a new ski helmet, a gift certificate for a new ski jacket, a ton of candy, and a new hair dryer….he also washed my car. I didn’t need a THING so my presents were perfect. I gave him hand sanitizer (he never has any in his car when I need it), eye drops, a shirt Boo and I picked out in red which makes him look even MORE handsome than we already think he is, and about 10 pounds of chocolate covered peanuts. We are really easy to shop for 🙂

Even Li’l Sally, Boo’s Apple Tree House doll, had presents this year:

We are so lucky to have some amazing friends who all cater to Boo’s wild imagination….”Uncle” Walker wrapped up his space shuttle gift in engineering plans and labeled it just how Boo would have imagined it:

Tuckered out (with her new doll Li’l Laurina from Apple Tree House). Li’l Sally is wearing her new Melamoose PJs:

Right now I’m taking a break to write this post while I cook….every year I make these balsalmic brussel sprouts for my mother-in-law (only she and I will eat them, and my whole house smells like cabbage now) and squash casserole. In a bit we will head over to my in-laws again for dinner and games and family time….it doesn’t get better than that.

I hope you all are having a wonderful day….whether you celebrate Christmas, Hannukah, or any other holiday….I hope everyone is spending it with their loved ones and in a warm place, in good health and with full tummies.

Lots of Love from Lil Blue Boo 🙂

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!