It Never Fails...

These little elves of ours have been spreading Christmas cheer like it's their business.  We pulled out their little Christmas trees that go in their rooms on Friday and since then, I've been whistling Christmas carols and planning neighbor gifts and drinking hot chocolate and any other number of whimsical holiday things... because, that's the effect they have on me.

And you know, I'm probably going to abuse them and their exuberant outlook on all things mundane, holiday or otherwise, for the rest of their lives.  I'll be that old woman who hangs their stockings from the mantle the day after Thanksgiving then firmly suggests that Ryan snuggles on the couch with me under a Tartan plaid blanket with the fire dancing to watch Rudolph on the ABC holiday special with a cup of cider all in the name of "doing it for the kids".  Which is reason number four hundred thousand and twenty-one that I'm so-so glad I get to be a mama.

Today we escorted Santa to his house.  No joke, they wouldn't leave his side.  In fact, they beat him to his front step and went right on into his temporary cottage like they owned the place.  They were waiting on his overstuffed chair by the fireplace before he even got in and hung up his jingle bells.  And you know what I say?  Kudos kiddos... serious, king-sized kudos.

Never in my life have I seen little ones more chillaxed around Santa and I love it more than I can say.  They told him all about decorating their little trees in their rooms and singing Jingle Bells in the car and going to the red house for Thanksgiving and then they even remembered to mention the fact that they would like a truck with a trailer and a four-wheeler for Christmas and finally he had to offer them a little coloring book to move on to his next anxious clients. 

I watch this whole process completely amazed that these little men are mine.  And I just cheer from the sidelines as they converse and explore and go, go, go.  They are cautious but so brave.  And maybe it's power in numbers and the security of having little friends in their brothers, but they just push limits... their own, and those around them, and they kind of lead the pack with their fearless natures.  Suddenly, behind them, there was a slew of kids who watched and saw that visiting with the Big Man ain't no big thang, and they too were ready to give it a go.  

And so, we'll continue our holiday rampage.  But rampage makes it sound too crazy... how about our holiday buffet?  I'll work on finding the right word there, but seriously, isn't having family, specifically little kids, the very best part of the holidays?  I can barely stifle my goofy grin...   

Or my own adoration of the Big Guy in Red for making this the most magical time of year.

.XO.