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Blue's Christmas pageant was tonight. All week long he's been telling us that he plays, "the rich king." At first Kevin and I couldn't figure out if that meant King Herod or a wiseman. But later he told us about two other kids who were rich kings so we went with wiseman.
Happily entering:
And aside from the time he tried to get everyone to go into another rousing chorus of Jingle Bells when they were supposed to be done with that song, he did just fine.
Seriously. He walked up when he was supposed to and back when he was supposed to.
Without any of his usual shenanigans I've got nothing else to say. So... one more pic of the three boys taken after the show and... good night.
Just hanging out at a retention pond.
Florida has the best birds.
My mom is German, so growing up we celebrated St. Nick - a custom where you have to polish your shoes and set one out the night of December 5th. When you wake up... Magic! Presents in the shoe!
I've kept the custom going. Made my college roommates do it. Do it now with my kids.
The loot:
The only shot of morning chaos I managed to take:
Kaden and Blue got flannel Christmas sheets (bought last year on sale!). The boys get an annual ornament for their trees, a little somthing sugary, and a little something else... One of Toby's something else was the Mickey Mouse version of the Christmas Carol. Can't believe it's taken this long to get it into our holiday movie collection. Ya'll can keep Charlie Brown. I love Mickey.
Oh, and can't forget Gus:
There's a bunny in all that fur somewhere and her name is Crystal. She's available for adoption at the Treasure Coast Humane Society.
We hung out with Crystal, some of her other bunny friends, and a whole buncha kitties today after I picked up Kaden from school. (There are dogs too, but we didn't go to that part.)
We brought them presents.
In lieu of presents for Blue's birthday party we asked his friends to bring presents for the animals of the humane city. On the invitation I included a few items from their wish list as well as that web address. Our guests came through and we had a big tub full to place under the tree at the Humane Society.
The boys with our donation:
The boys trying to play with the dog toys in our donation box:
When we arrived there were three wrapped presents and this one bag of dog food at the tree. Now there's toys, cat litter, leashes, treats, and collars that extend all the way around to the other side!
We've always done a charity instead of party presents (they still get presents from us and grandparents) but this is the best one we've picked because the birthday boy got to take part and have fun during the delivery. In the past I've tried to explain the charity and who it helps but to actually see animals and place things around the tree was sooooo much better.
The only problem was trying to get them to leave...
...without a kitty. (I stayed strong.)
Blue's Kung Fu Panda bash was today. I'll type up the play by play eventually, but for now enjoy this scary facepainting series:
First and foremost Kevin and I are REAL tree people. I think if one of us ever waffeled on this it could be a deal breaker in the relationship.
We usually get our tree from Home Depot. And when I say always, I mean way back in 1999 or 2000 when Kevin and I were dating we went over to the Gainesville Home Depot and picked out a tree for my apartment.
Home Depot for trees - it's a little lame I know, but the price is usually right and their trees are always in early. It's convenient.
Wednesday night we went to Home Depot and a whole section of trees were sold out (On NOVEMBER 30th!) and we weren't excited about the trees we saw plus the price was higher... so we left. Without a tree. But we didn't know where else to go. We called someone and they suggested a tree lot on PSL Blvd and we found a good tree for a good enough price. All is well.
But.
Next year we are going to Santa's Christmas Tree Village on US 1 just into Fort Pierce if you're driving up from Port St Lucie. Apparently it's been there 25 years now!
Blue had a class field trip there today. (A field trip on his birthday!) Toby and I should have been at My Gym but, of course, for Blue's birthday we had to go on the field trip and bring along a special birthday snack for the class. (Did you know Panera sells its hot chocolate in those big coffee boxes? Good for when you're trying to bring hot chocolate to a preschool class out on a field trip. Ya know, in case that ever happens to you.)
Anyway, the tree village.
Gorgeous trees. Three different kinds of trees. All are set up so as you pick out your tree it's as though you're wandering through a Christmasy forest. Up high they have a "snow" blower. (Soap.) Free hayrides. Fun decorations and the prices are comparable to everywhere else. Um, why would you go anywhere else? (Well, because we didn't know about it. But now we do.)
As for the field trip...
First it was learn about tree time:
Can you spot Toby acting like a 4/5 year old? Yeah. He thought he was cool
Then it was wander through the forest time. Sounds fun, but there were risks.
Then a craft. I thought if I stood Toby at the table but didn't give him any glue... well, how much damage could he do? As it turns out plenty. But, again, he thought he was way cool standing at the table acting like the big boys.
Most mornings when I drop off Blue, Toby is always T-R-O-U-B-L-E. Maybe it's because he's mad he doesn't get to stay too.
After craft, hay ride:
We even sang carols.
Then I ran to the car to get the cookies and still-warm Panera hot chocolate.
I'm sending my mom to get her tree at the Village Saturday and making Kevin and the boys go too so I can get them out of the house while I take some time for party prep. (Blue's Kung Fu Panda bash is Sunday and pretty much all I've done is bought some stuff and thrown it in a pile. Need to get on that.) So even though we didn't get our tree there at least someone in the family will.
Great morning of Christmas fun.
Happy Birthday, Monkey Boy!
Oh, Blue. Where do I begin? November marked 4 years of you in our family, and although we missed most of your first year, we've never missed a birthday. What happened to that little one-year-old boy in Chuck E Cheese's who, while Mom was trying to take pictures, didn't blow out your candle but picked it up and brought that little flame close to your little face?
(Our friend Elizabeth saved you by blowing it out for you.)
These days there is no more baby left in that face. You eat a lot but you're a skinny thing. You eat when you're supposed to, and even when you're not supposed to like tonight when Oma was watching you, but stepped away to put Toby to bed and you raided the pantry and stuffed your face with chocolate chips. The sad thing is, when I got home and this was the extent of the "Blue report," I just sorta shrugged and thought, whatever.
You are an outgoing ball of energy who CAN'T STAND STILL! You like Kung Fu Panda, so it's the theme of your birthday party. You also love Jake and the Neverland Pirates. You really wish I'd let our family get a cat. You've got Daddy in your corner on this one but I do the budgeting around here and I know what one bad vet bill does to our short term savings account, so no more pets right now. Obviously my money talk means nothing to you, so you've asked Daddy to wait till I'm sleeping and then to go get a cat. You think you can do anything you want when I'm sleeping. This is why I stay up so late and have trained myself to wake up at the sound of your feet hitting the floor. I shouldn't have said that, you are now working out how to walk on your hands...
You don't know a stranger. Last night while getting our Christmas tree you treated the scaryish looking man at the tree lot like he was your BFF. You wanted him to strap you to the top of the car with the tree, but I'm pretty sure he didn't understand you. You're pretty squeaky when you get exited. And you were excited. Christmas trees! Santa hats!!
Five is the gum birthday. I know it's just an abitrary age I set, but giving gum to someone younger than five seemed unsafe to me. Where would said gum end up, I always wondered. So I set an age on its legality in our household. When Kaden turned five he got gum and we took a picture of him chewing gum and he was so happy to be of the legal Stratton gum-chewing age. For you, buying you gum as a special present would be like buying a six-pack as a present for the 21 year old who's been drinking it up since his early teens. Whatever. You willl find chewed up gum stuck somewhere and chew it up some more. (SO gross.) You've kinda taken the fun out of the gum birthday thing.
We recently argued about when you'll get to drive. I told you the legal age was 16. You said you were going to start driving at 14. I said, you'd get arrested. You said you wouldn't. I explained to you what "Juvee" was, that you would go there, and that I would not bail you out. Also, I took it as a bad sign that I was explaining to a four-year-old about Juvenile Detention Centers.
You know that Kaden started losing his baby teeth shortly after turning five so this past week you've been complaining about loose teeth. Liar.
You know that 5 is the age where you start kindergarten. For many weeks you kept asking me about whether or not you would get to stay in your VPK class after you were five. I'm thankful you aren't the first one to have a birthday. I reminded you of the kids who've already turned five, that they weren't magically swept away to kindgerten and you too, would get to wait until August.
I'll be blunt. Much of year four, for you, sucked. Because of your defiant and destructive behaviors we saw weeks at a time where you weren't allowed to do anything but sit in my line of sight. I'd RSVP to birthday parties and then have to call back and apologize and say you were no longer allowed to attend. This may sound drastic to some parents but those parents probably haven't had their kids urinate on their furniture on purpose. Enough said.
I can tell this transition into FIVE has caused a little anxiety. It can't help that the house is in turmoil as bright and shiny Christmasy things find their places all around. You've had a few of your old detructive behaviors this past week and a few times where you're just not doing what you're told, trying to assert that you don't have to. Um, that's not working out so well for you. Have you forgotten that my middle name is CONSISTENCY and I NEVER TIRE of discipline. So let's just take a deep breath, chew some gum and ease into this whole five thing, k? You got this.
You have chosen the oh-so-elegant Taco Bell for you birthday dinner. Clearly I have failed you somehow.
You have a clever mind. You talk non stop. You like your Leapster but would much rather be playing Daddy's ipod or Kaden's DS. You love to play dress up and will be very excited to know that a Buzz Lightyear costume is soon coming your way. (A Yoda costume too, but not till Christmas.) You can write your name, Toby, and Kaden. You aren't really reading yet because I can't get you to sit stll for any reading lessons. I may have to take advantage of your computer/gadget love and find some reading programs instead of basic books. This may be the key.
We love you, Blue. Underneath all that trouble you stir up, is a sweet and loving heart. (You were so adorably worried about Daddy after his surgery in October.) Together, eventually, we'll figure out how to use your energy and maybe even your mischieviousness for good. In the meantime, you make for the best blog stories.
Love,
Mom
