happy christmas

I'm happy to report that we have enjoyed yet another wonderful Christmas. We limited our purchases, and the girls are thrilled as ever with their bounty.

Among other gifts, Santa honored Lauren's request for a unicorn. He brought her a beauty. White with sparkled mane and tail, golden horn, and a pink and purple embroidered chest complete with a pink jewel. "I'm going to name her Julie!" Lauren proclaimed. When asked how she decided on that name she replied, "Because she has a jewel!" Jewely. It's perfect.

Santa also brought Ella her requested gifts, among them a map for collecting U.S. quarters. She gasped when she saw it. The day after Christmas, as I wrapped the girls in towels after their bath, Ella said, "Mom, I want to write Santa another letter."

"You do?" I asked. "What are you going to say?"

"Thank you."

surprise attack

As we sat in the mall food court enjoying Subway sandwiches with Grandma and Grandpa Humble, a gnat landed on the table.

"Uh oh," Lauren said, "There's a fly on our table!" Grandpa's response was a swift and effective bump of his fist. We watched as Lauren stared wide-eyed at the smudge that remained and said, "He didn't see that coming."

smile

On December 17th, 2009 Isabella Jane Moore lost her very first tooth. I will always remember, it was the day we were leaving for Christmas vacation. I picked up Ella from an assembly in the school gymnasium at 2:00 and there she was, waiting for me with her coat, hat and backpack on, holding a white envelope, and smiling. Really big.

short list

Tonight we watched The Polar Express, then settled in on the couch to write our letters to Santa. Ella wrote her own and I dictated Lauren's.

Lauren began, "Santa," then seemed to draw a blank.

I asked, "What do you want for Christmas, Lauren?"

"I don't know," she said, sounding surprised. She cocked her head in my direction, "What do I don't have, and what do I do have?" She paused. "I want something I don't have."

"What don't you have?"

"Nothing." She sat on the couch staring at her twirling ankles in silence.

Ella finished her letter quickly and read it aloud:

"Dear Santa, I want a bell from a rnder (reindeer) and a lipsik (lipstick) that you can eat and a panting (painting) set wth (with) a set uv (of) papr (paper) and a stat (state) map that has a plac (place) that you can clect (collect) qarts (quarters) in. Thank you, Santaclas. Love, Ella Moore"

It was all the inspiration Lauren needed. "Mom," she said, " I want a painting set, and a lipstick I can eat the same as Ella."

"Better put 'Ella Moore'," Ella suggested. "There are a lot of Ellas." I wrote it in.

"And," said Lauren, "I want a lollipop and a sucker."

"Aren't those the same thing?"

"No," she said , as if the notion were ridiculous.

"A lollipop is big and a sucker is small."

I reminded her that she mentioned she wanted a stuffed unicorn.

"Yes!" she beamed. And that rounded out her list.

How long will their lists be this simple? I'm going to enjoy it while I can.

sharing

I just want to record somewhere that Lauren Margaret Moore likes to share. The girl loves to share. I can hardly give her something without her suggesting that she share part of it with someone else.

At dinner, if she wants seconds, she'll first ask, "Do we have enough for Daddy when he comes home?" When the nice lady at the dry cleaner gives her two oreos she always saves one for Ella. Recently, she held the second oreo in her grip, showing incredible restraint, while we ran two or three errands before reluctantly letting me put it in my purse. (She didn't want it to get "crumbly.") When she got two suckers, instead of shouting hooray that she had two, she said, "Mom, look! I have two! Do you think Ella wants one?" She is always much more excited to see someone's reaction when she gives them something than she is to enjoy it herself. And she's three.

I can take no credit. Lauren was born a generous soul. And I think she is amazing.

dear santa

Ella and Lauren were in a particularly talkative mood at bedtime tonight. So, I decided to launch the inquiry.

"Lauren, what are you going to ask Santa to bring you this year?"

"A dog," she smiled. "A real one."

"We can't have a dog, Lauren. We don't have a yard." A familiar phrase.

"We can still have a dog," Ella pined.

"How?"

"Grandma and Grandpa can keep him at their house!" Brilliant, I told her. But the answer was still no.

"What else do you want Santa to bring you, Lauren?" She answered instantaneously.

"A huge eyeball!" She clasped her hands over her head to indicate its enormous size.

I asked the obvious question,"Why?" She wasn't listening.

"And it will have a nose, so that it can sniff me, like a dog. Dogs like to sniff my feet, or any part of me I put under the table. And especially my butt." Ella erupted into laughter. "I know!" Lauren continued,"I know a lot about dogs!"

"What else, Lauren?" She fired back immediately.

"A giant fan for our room!"

"You have a fan in your room."

"But it's not a giant one!"

"Lauren, it's a ceiling fan. How big do you want it?"

"Giant."

"Okay. What else." She didn't hesitate.

"A pogo stick," she said, then added matter-of-factly, "I want to have a collection of pogo sticks." I was so confused.

"Anything else, Lauren?"

"Underwear."

Satisfied, I turned to Ella, "And what would you like?"

"A desk for my room so that I can do my homework." She joyfully imitated herself writing and completing endless pages. "And a computer! So I can write my first story, and print it!" As I gazed at her with wonder and gratitude, Lauren interrupted,

"And I want a hairball!" She raised her arms above her head again, then laughed. "It's gonna be huge."

"And," Ella added, "I want my own bathroom."

Underwear it is.