So this year comes along and L and I are headed to Freddy's and she says, "I want a nutcracker" "Really," I reply. I'm a little slow on the uptake and at first I think she means a metal v-shaped devise used to, well, crack nuts. After a few minutes of her insisting she really wants one, I begin to figure out what she means. "I want to dance with my own nutcracker" Ah-ha. The memories of the multiple viewing of her ballet video come crashing into my brain. The memory of her fascination the last time we were at the store with the nutcrackers.
I hem and I haw and I stall for a minute or two. And then I take a deep breath. "Okay," I say, "you can have a nutcracker." I surprise myself with this response, as I can be a stickler for the traditions I do manage to follow. (ask me to tell you about day one of this years cookie baking) But, I realize that this is her first year of really getting into the magic of Christmas and who cares what she wants.
We get into the store and after forcing her to get the groceries we need first, we finally find our way to the ornaments and nutcrackers. I never realized how difficult a choice it would be to pick out just the perfect one. She picked them all up, inspecting and rejecting many out right . But then there were big ones and little ones. I asked if she wanted one she could hang on the tree (okay, maybe I hadn't given up on the ornament that easily), but no she insisted it had to stand with the animals. (Nativity scene? No, the stuffed animals....duh) Finally she chose a red one. It came with a littler one at its feet. "I'll share that one with N."
She carefully took $2 out of her little pink purse and paid the over-worked and cranky clerk for the nutcracker. (the clerk apparently didn't understand my expressive eye-brow raising signals, which said, "She's paying her share, I'll pay the rest. Isn't she sweet?") And home we went.
She carefully put the nutcracker on the floor and proceeded to lie at stare at it for awhile. She rocked it a bit, and then danced for awhile. All in all a good afternoon.
Until... N came home.
I had forgotten that N had been with us the first time we had seen the nutcrackers. I had forgotten that he too was interested in them. I blissfully believed he would be ready to head off to the store and get an ornament with me. SIGH... once it was established that the nutcracker was indeed L's and not everyone's, there was a quick avalanche of tears. (really, over a nutcracker? Does no one see how ugly these things are but me?) So, N gets the choice. Ornament or nutcracker. He chooses a nutcracker. By now I don't even bat an eye when he chooses one dressed in camouflage.
Ho ho ho. One week until Christmas. Hope your week is a good one.
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