Christmas Stress

The holidays are stressful.  Time, money, family, weather, health.... the list of culprits goes on and on.  But I'm not the one that's stressed.  It's Booker.  This Elf on the Shelf business stresses my little pleaser OUT.  I had been using Elvis to bribe them, threaten them, and even scare them that Santa wouldn't come.  And Booker just kept getting more and more of a put out attitude.  He was telling me he wished we didn't have an elf.  And then it hit me.  I'm obviously taking this elf thing a little too far.  I don't want him to lose his Christmas spirit because he's so stressed out about what the dumb elf is going to think or fly back and tell Santa.  That's pretty sad.  Booker is not a bad kid.  He's a boy... a rowdy, rough, loud, crazy boy.  But he's not the type of kid that deserves coal in his stocking.  And that's what it had come to in his little mind.  He knows he's on the naughty list, why even try anymore?  And that breaks my heart.  So, Elvis wrote the boys a little note that seems to have helped.  He explained that Santa understands that nobody is perfect, that boys will be boys, and that as of right now they are on the nice list.  I think Booker is starting to enjoy that devilish little elf again.  :)

Party

Booker wakes up at 6am, almost every day.  Bodey wakes up shortly after.  I usually don't get out of bed until about an hour after them.  Bodey has been mad at Booker because Booker always gets to find Elvis the Elf first.  So Booker promised he would wake Bodey up the other morning so Bodey could find Elvis.  I heard them get up, search the house, find Elvis and watch cartoons and rough house.  This had been going on for about an hour or hour and a half when Booker came in to ask if he could play the iPad.  I looked at the clock and it was 5:40am!  That means they had been up since about 4:15!  They told me they had also been downstairs playing the Wii!  I couldn't believe they had been partying in what I consider the middle of the night!  I made them both go back to bed.  This elf is going to be the death of me.

Laughter is the Best Medicine

I've had kind of a rough week with the boys.  Dusty has been out of town for work since Sunday night, and then went hunting all day today.  I love my kids, but we've had a bit too much of each other this week.  But, tonight putting them to bed tonight put it all back into perspective.  I love them so much, and they crack me up.

While putting Bodey to bed:  "Mom, my armpit feels fuzzy."  So I check it out.  "Is there anything on it?  Am I starting to grow hair under there?  Some people have hair there, ya know?"  I couldn't help but busting out in laughter, and Bodey joined me.

Then, while I was tucking in Booker, Bodey came in reminding me that we forgot prayers.  I told them we would just all three do them together tonight in Booker's room, and asked Bodey to go first.  After his prayer I told Booker it was his turn, and his response made me crack up again.  In a cute little gentleman voice he said, "Wait, we have to start aaaaaall over.  Laaaaaadies first!"  And the three of us died laughing.

Booker's Reading and Bodey's Praying

Just want to jot these down so I can remember them.

Booker is reading a book about sprint cars.  It is basically going through the evolution of race cars to get us where we are today.  Several sentences start out by saying, "In the early 1960s...."  or "In the 1970s this type of car was very popular," etc.  When Booker gets to the year he reads it like this, "In the early one thousand, nine hundred and sixties..."  I just can't correct him!  It's too cute... and really, he's right!

Bodey's prayer tonight just made me grin from ear to ear.  "God, I just love my family so much.  And my friends.  And my dogs.  And my lizard.  And I just love you, God.  I love you and my family the same.  (Then, knowing you are supposed to love God above all, he adds)  But I just love you an inch more than my family."

Boys

Tonight I sat the boys down to have them each say 3 nice things about each other, to each other.  Bodey's first thing was "I love you."  Booker couldn't think of a single nice thing, only bad things.  But he kept them to himself.  After starring at him for what seemed like FOREVER, he finally said, "You're cute and I like how you pee."

And they both died laughing.  Boys.  I guess there will just be some things in life that I never understand.

All I Want For Christmas

This year Santa needed a little help deciding on something small to bring the boys.  So, I thought I would help a man out and brainstorm with the boys.

Me:  Bodey, what do you want Santa to bring you this year?
Bodey:  An iPad, a motorcycle - a REAL one, a car, a dirt bike, a chihuahua...

Santa is gonna struggle with this kid.

Me:  Booker, how about you?
Booker:  Nothing.
Me:  Every kid wants something, what do you want?
Booker:  Nothing.

This went on for a long time.  Then finally he opened up and described the gift he wants.

Booker:  I want a remote control airplane with flames painted on the sides of it.  With little guys that ride inside it.  And they can open the door and parachute out.
Me (hoping for an easy answer):  Oh, that sounds awesome!  Have you seen it on a commercial?  What is it called?
Booker:  Nope, but Santa's elves can make anything.
Me:  I'm sure they can.
Booker:  And Santa's got enough money.  And if he doesn't, he can borrow some from Justin Bieber.  WHAT?  He's rich!!!
Me:  How about you tell me a few more things you want from Santa.  If you don't give him some options, he might bring you a Justin Bieber shirt!
Booker (after thinking for a while):  He can bring me a Justin Bieber poster, along with a shotgun so I can shoot it!

Santa is gonna struggle with this kid.

Last Bit of Baby

Well, I took the last bit of baby out of the house.  No more nursery color in Bodey's room.  It's not an exciting color, but it's neutral, so I guess it will go with anything.  And I finally knocked out the trim/crown molding in his room too.  I wish I would have never started this stupid trim project.  But I guess there's a light at the end of the tunnel.  I only have Booker's room, our room, and the master bathroom to complete.

Getting ready for Booker's arrival - February 2006

Bodey's room 2012