Chuck D & Mr. T

MJ is a soap snob.

We have been trying very hard to teach the children to be gracious gift recipients and to know that even if they don’t like something it is the thought that counts and that they should still thank the person. So Teddy said “Mommy, even if I don’t like it I will still say ‘Please’.” The proceeded to kick, scream, and cry “Not this!!! I don’t want this!!!” about a cute Arsenal jacket MJ brought him back from London.

Charlie liked his and wore it to school today (so did Teddy after convincing). Scottie refused to put her Arsenal jersey on, lest it cover her Cinderella costume. Nell happily put hers on and then went running around the dining room. The girls also really liked the stuffed dogs in bags that Mitzi gave them.

We are deep into too much holiday and Charlie and Teddy have a horrible case of the gimmies. I am trying to figure out how to make the holidays fun without over-doing it. Last year we started having the Fifth Night party where they give a present to a child in need rather than getting a present. I explained to them tonight how doing this tomorrow night is so important because it is very important to give things to others and to share and to be generous etc etc. All Charlie could say was “I know. But I get a cupcake, right?”
Luckily I know that deep down they are very generous and do know how to share. Like Teddy gave Charlie a page of his stickers tonight when Charlie was screaming his head off because he didn’t get any. On a side note, I wish we could stop the screaming.

Scottie says “Happy.” Nelly says “baayblayy” for bracelet. I love it. Scottie won’t take off her Cinderella dress and Nelly won’t remove a stack of plastic bracelets I gave them for Hannuka.

Mitzii took me shopping for my birthday today. It was so generous and lovely of her. I am seriously the luckiest person to have such a wonderful mother-in-law. I hope the children grow up to be good sons and daughters in law and to have in-laws they can love as parents as I do.

Charlie “My mommy knows a lot about basketball. She knows all the schools that play: University of Vermont, Georgetown University, Harvard University.”

And now I know the NCRC Ninja Owls who play Saturday mornings in the winter. Charlie was frustrated this past weekend because his teammate weren’t passing to others. Probably because they don’t even really know how to dribble yet.

Teddy did not want us to sing any one song more than twice tonight while we were caroling. And he cried when we did. I think he was a little afraid of walking around in the dark because he wouldn’t let me let go of his hand.

Charlie was more interested in hot chocolate than singing.

I was so tired from MJ being away all week and Scottie being sick the past few days. When Teddy tried to not go to bed and I told him to go back upstairs he told me “I still love you anyway.”

Few people know this but one of my biggest pet peeves is pumpkins outside houses past November 30. And what’s worse are pumpkins next to Christmas and Hanukkah displays. For better or worse Charlie has inherited a similar decorative pickiness. As I put up our wreath-boxwood with gold ribbon and little gold dreidels- Charlie became insistent that I remove the dreidels because he wanted the wreath just to be for Christmas. “It is a Christmas wreath. Not a hannuka wreath. Only for Christmas.” I explained I thought it was a cute way to decorate for both holidays and that we could make the holidays and celebrate however we like. In the end I had to make a deal with him tht I would remove the dreidels as soon as hannuka is over.

I lit the menorah with the girls tonight. Scottie was really into the candles and kept pointing at them and then picking a candle piece out of a hannuka puzzle she had. She is so smart.