it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Jonathan and I tricked out our house last night. Now it's all Merry Christmas everywhere you look. At least on the main floor. The upstairs is still just Have a Nice Day.

And we did it all in only 3 hours. Which is no small feat, people. Especially when you consider all of our holiday gear is stored in the attic. And we have to rearrange our living room furniture to fit the tree in there. And that we did all of this with two toodlers "helping."

Katherine, can you please explain to me: Does the end punctuation go inside the quotation marks or outside? Like "this?" Or like "this"? I thought I learned way back in middle school that they went inside the quotes so that's the way I roll, but I see punctuation all the time stuck outside the end quote and even it's right I think it looks sad and lonely. But I would like to know the rule. So I can ignore it on purpose if I feel it is wrong.

Anyway, the house looks beautiful. I think it helps that we have so much red in our house to start with. And we had Blue helping. Blue was a big help decorating the tree. She hung all of her ornaments on two branches, though. And she hung a lot of ornaments! So after she went to bed, Jonathan dispersed them a little. We were afraid the tree might tip over otherwise.


Lion was not really any help. Still too little. I think most of our efforts this holiday season will be focused on protecting the tree from the Lion. He just sort of charges at the tree and then laughs an evil laugh and stabs at it or grabs at random ornaments. He thinks it is big fun. But I think the fun would turn into a lifelong phobia if the tree fell on top of him so I'm on my guard. Don't worry, little man, I've got your back.

He does love this Little People nativity set that we pulled out of the basement:


It was the perfect distraction while Jonathan put all the lights on the tree. Jonny's parents bought it for Blue for her first Christmas and the kids lovelovelove it. It brings out some weirdness in me, though, I'll admit.Blu e was playing with the baby Jesus and I was all, "Do you see this king? He has a present for the baby Jesus. See? And here's another king. And another! How many kings are there? Do you see 3 kings with presents for the baby Jesus? They came from far and wide to see the new baby and bring him gifts to celebrate his birthday..." It was really nauseating. It was like I was under some spell or something. Like I was channeling BibleMan. Jonathan just stared at me. Maybe he thought we were secretly filming a commercial or something.

Time for a quick appearance by Bible Man. Hang on. Here he is:


Thanks, Bible Man. You may go now. Seriously. Be gone.

But we had been really wondering what to get for Lion for Christmas (because they already have everything they could possibly want, people, and they play with my throw pillows and the remote control) but now I think maybe we'll have to get him some of the Little People animals and stuff. They're pretty small (hence the name) and they don't make any noise.

Neither does Blue. The night of Thanksgiving, she was starting to lose her voice. We thought it was from shrieking and laughing so much with William. But the next morning she had a fever and no voice at all and she has this awful barking cough. These sorts of maladies always hit us over a 3-day weekend. So I will bring her in to see the doctor first thing Monday (along with every other child in town, I'm sure) and get her on some meds. It is such a helpless feeling, because as a parent I have no idea what to give her to help her feel better. Tylenol doesn't seem to really do anything and Motrin upsets her stomach. And I don't know if either of them will work anyway, since she may need antibiotics, but I can't sit by and watch her suffer. Not that she seems to be suffering. She is a very stoic child when she is sick. I have no idea where this trait comes from (definitely not her mommy) but coupled with her quiet, husky little voice, it is breaking my heart.

This little guy's got nothing on my Blue.