Where does she get this stuff?

Abby said to me the other day, "Mom, isn't Christmas the greatest. We get all these new toys and stuff and because Santa brings it you don't have to use any of your own money!"

She is a thinker, that one!

She is trying all kinds of tricks to get to stay up later. She just recently started the "I'm hungry!" routine at bedtime. Tonight she tried that, and when it failed she tried the "I'm scared!" routine. Being in a better mood than usual at bedtime, I indulged her momentarily by asking, "What are you scared of?" She hesitated briefly, probably shocked that I didn't immediately bark "Get in to bed" at her, and then, in the most pathetic voice you can imagine said, "What if a tiger breaks through my window and comes to get me?"

What!! Seriously? A tiger? She obviously wasn't prepared with a more believable "fear". But, she recovered quickly saying, "I keep having bad dreams that I don't have a family anymore." I looked at her and she continued, "because of a fire." Ugh!!! For those of you that don't know her well, she is miss drama queen extraordinaire with an incredible imagination. She used to be scared of fires, but that was a few years ago. But, she knows we took it seriously, so now she is digging it up in a vain attempt at a few more minutes at bedtime.

She's seven. She should know by now, bedtime is the one thing in this family that is absolutely non-negotiable. But you've got to give the girl credit. She keeps trying- almost every night!

She's a thinker and a persistent excuse creator! And hopefully she's asleep.

Oh how I love my boys!

Brotherly bonding. Are they not just the cutest things around? I think so.

One Burrito Baby - To Go, Please

I have a special talent. Swaddling babies is my special talent. I can even do it, "to go." It's probably not the safest, but I am not one to wake a soundly sleeping baby just because we need to go pick up kids from school. Besides, he's in there so tight, he's not going anywhere. And an added bonus is that he is much happier now that his naps are not being interrupted by the shuttle service we have going on here with three kids on different school schedules. (it's not as bad as it sounds thanks to a wonderful, amazing, marvelous thing called the BUS, but we still do preschool and kindergarten pick up.)

Happy napping everyone!