The first of many Christmas disappointments

Maureen has mentioned only one thing that she wants for Christmas. A Max and Ruby Christmas DVD. She's had her mind set since Thanksgiving. She finally got a chance to ask Santa Claus for it yesterday during his visit at the Bonnycastle. This is one of those events that you block out how truly awful it is each year. The place transforms from a private men's club to Chuckie Cheese in a matter of minutes. They always have a creepy clown making elaborate balloon sculptures; and the clown usually has to be told to simplify his creations because the line moves at a snails pace as he replicates Michelangelo's Pieta for antsy children. The main room was already packed to the gills when we came in, so we had to park all six of us in the three available chairs next to the creepy clown. You could tell that Maureen was thinking over how she would handle her brief visit on Santa's lap. We were given forms to fill out with the child's name, age, what they want for Christmas, and their goal for the coming year. Of course Rowan's goal was to win the lottery for dad, while Maureen's was to contribute to the family finances. Both admirable goals for young children if I do say so myself!

Finally, the fat man showed up to a frenzy and made his way to the front of the room. They started to call the kids up, starting with the newborns to toddlers to have a brief, personal visit with Santa (with Mrs. Clause by his side.) Rowan really wanted nothing to do with this tradition - He opted out of the lap sitting, got his toy (a ball - yay) and got the hell out of there.

When it was finally Maureen's turn, she cautiously approached Santa, sat on his lap and was very, very good. Then the Jerk said to her (after being told what was filled out on the form), so, you want a DVD for Christmas. Maureen obediently said yes, and was escorted off his lap and handed a wrapped present. Now put yourself in a three-year-old mindset. What do you think should be in that package? Certainly not a pretty baby doll, right? Wrong. Under normal circumstances she would have been thrilled with this baby doll, but she was really expecting the DVD. Tears immediately started to flow.

We had to promise that he is coming back to our house on Christmas eve and that he will have that DVD for her. I told Mojo that I personally had a chat and he promised the DVD. She will get that DVD. After a half hour of convincing her that she will get that DVD, she started to love the doll.

Her Memaw was very happy to hear that she was naming the doll Karen until Mojo explained that her baby's name is just like that of her babysitter, Miss Karen. Oh, the brutality of an honest three-year-old. All was well after dinner and the children went to bed happy. Whew!