Halloween might be The Boy's favorite time of year... but this: THIS - to the right.... is my very favorite time of year. Generally, my kids are pretty joyful. Sure, they will bicker and fight with each other.... but they aren't the rootin' tootin' wrestlin' on the playground with other kids - type of kid. They believe in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, The Tooth Fairy.... they still find every last painstaking mile of Disneyland to be full of magic and wonder... | 
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and.... they *still* believe in the Elf on The Shelf.
The Boy has actually been talking about it for a few weeks - when will he show up? where will he hide? will he know we moved......? I was trying to remember the first year we did the Elf on The Shelf, and I can't actually remember... I think it's been three years now? may be four.... in any case, I'm not sure The Boy remembers a Christmas *before* Speedy Bob came.
In years past, they sold only one 'elf' - a 'white' one, a 'bown/black' one and the same one you could add a skirt to call it a "girl".... but it looked sooo much like the boy we already had, that I passed on getting a 'girl' elf for The Girl to hunt for. THIS YEAr... however, they have re-done the faces of ALL the elves... they actually look totally different and now look like the movie version of themselves (which came out last year). So, this year's "girl" actually looks like a different elf - so I got her. Thankfully, a client had paid me with a Target card and I had been hoarding it for a special occasion - and a Girl Elf On The Shelf seemed like the perfect time to use it!
With my Girl Elf tucked away in the closet, I waited and waited for Crazy 8's to have their PJ's go on sale.... neither of my kids is short or small.... so trying to keep The Boy in "fun" "kidstyle" PJ's is actually hard because most places stop making 'themed' pj's at around size 10 or 12 - AND.... because they are a 'fire hazard' - pj's always run really really small.... which is never very good for my kids. Crazy 8's, however, have boy pj's that run up to a size 14!!!!! Usually their pj's run around $20 a pair.... but I waited and waited and one night their pjs' were on sale for $10.00 AND I had a 20% off coupon with FREE SHIPPING!!!!!!
So the above Santa and Elf pj's were ordered..... it's so so so so great not to have to give up those little tiny "luxuries".... matching holiday pjs.... so freakin' cute.
The kids were so excited to get their new pjs' and it was almost like Christmas Eve itself with their excited anticipation of Speedy Bob coming back.... they had *the hardest time* going to bed and staying there... ugh. But finally they were in bed and while they slept.... Speedy Bob showed up in the living room and decided to hang from the ceiling fan.... and hanging next to him with a pretty girl elf in a sparkly tutu.
The first thing the kids did when they woke up was run down the stairs and start looking for Speedy Bob.... and squeals of delight came from both of them when they realized ole' Speedy wasn't alone..... The Boy is convinced that this is Speedy Bob's wife... and The Girl named her: Sparkly Belle Ballerina.
How adorable is that?
Then..... I had to have THE TALK with The Boy.
I had to explain to him that when he's at school he shouldn't talk about his elf because he will soon find out that not everyone he goes to school with will have an elf that comes to their house - AND - .... not everyone he is friends will believe in the magic of Santa or the Elf on The Shelf.
Dead. Silence. from The Boy.
I tried to deliver that news with kid-gloves... but at the same time, my heart broke just a little bit. Having to tell your child, who still has that sparkle in his eye and that magic in his heart..... that world is a place full of hard hearts and assholes who will love *nothing more* than pissing their vinegar all over your joyful holiday..... and put out the fire of the magic..... sigh.
People suck. lol.
The Boy was *sure* I was wrong.... he couldn't understand how anyone wouldn't believe in Santa, but he understood that if other kids don't have an Elf that comes to their house, that they might have their feelings hurt to find out that he does.... so we agreed to keep his Elf a secret.
I told him...... "Some people believe in Santa and the Elf on The Shelf... and some people don't - but it doesn't matter what they believe - it only matters that *YOU* believe and that you don't let their doubts take away the magic that you believe you in...... "
"Mooommmmm......" The Boy rolled his eyes at me, exacerbated, "Why would I ever let ANYONE take away my magic.....?"
Well... yeah - duh. lol
As I sat on the toilet (pants up for those who need the visual) - trying not to cry (I do that a lot it seems) - I hope that The Boy's resolve is as strong as his words of wisdom are and as I send him out into the big bad world of second grade..... I hope he can keep his magic alive.
The Boy has actually been talking about it for a few weeks - when will he show up? where will he hide? will he know we moved......? I was trying to remember the first year we did the Elf on The Shelf, and I can't actually remember... I think it's been three years now? may be four.... in any case, I'm not sure The Boy remembers a Christmas *before* Speedy Bob came.
In years past, they sold only one 'elf' - a 'white' one, a 'bown/black' one and the same one you could add a skirt to call it a "girl".... but it looked sooo much like the boy we already had, that I passed on getting a 'girl' elf for The Girl to hunt for. THIS YEAr... however, they have re-done the faces of ALL the elves... they actually look totally different and now look like the movie version of themselves (which came out last year). So, this year's "girl" actually looks like a different elf - so I got her. Thankfully, a client had paid me with a Target card and I had been hoarding it for a special occasion - and a Girl Elf On The Shelf seemed like the perfect time to use it!
With my Girl Elf tucked away in the closet, I waited and waited for Crazy 8's to have their PJ's go on sale.... neither of my kids is short or small.... so trying to keep The Boy in "fun" "kidstyle" PJ's is actually hard because most places stop making 'themed' pj's at around size 10 or 12 - AND.... because they are a 'fire hazard' - pj's always run really really small.... which is never very good for my kids. Crazy 8's, however, have boy pj's that run up to a size 14!!!!! Usually their pj's run around $20 a pair.... but I waited and waited and one night their pjs' were on sale for $10.00 AND I had a 20% off coupon with FREE SHIPPING!!!!!!
So the above Santa and Elf pj's were ordered..... it's so so so so great not to have to give up those little tiny "luxuries".... matching holiday pjs.... so freakin' cute.
The kids were so excited to get their new pjs' and it was almost like Christmas Eve itself with their excited anticipation of Speedy Bob coming back.... they had *the hardest time* going to bed and staying there... ugh. But finally they were in bed and while they slept.... Speedy Bob showed up in the living room and decided to hang from the ceiling fan.... and hanging next to him with a pretty girl elf in a sparkly tutu.
The first thing the kids did when they woke up was run down the stairs and start looking for Speedy Bob.... and squeals of delight came from both of them when they realized ole' Speedy wasn't alone..... The Boy is convinced that this is Speedy Bob's wife... and The Girl named her: Sparkly Belle Ballerina.
How adorable is that?
Then..... I had to have THE TALK with The Boy.
I had to explain to him that when he's at school he shouldn't talk about his elf because he will soon find out that not everyone he goes to school with will have an elf that comes to their house - AND - .... not everyone he is friends will believe in the magic of Santa or the Elf on The Shelf.
Dead. Silence. from The Boy.
I tried to deliver that news with kid-gloves... but at the same time, my heart broke just a little bit. Having to tell your child, who still has that sparkle in his eye and that magic in his heart..... that world is a place full of hard hearts and assholes who will love *nothing more* than pissing their vinegar all over your joyful holiday..... and put out the fire of the magic..... sigh.
People suck. lol.
The Boy was *sure* I was wrong.... he couldn't understand how anyone wouldn't believe in Santa, but he understood that if other kids don't have an Elf that comes to their house, that they might have their feelings hurt to find out that he does.... so we agreed to keep his Elf a secret.
I told him...... "Some people believe in Santa and the Elf on The Shelf... and some people don't - but it doesn't matter what they believe - it only matters that *YOU* believe and that you don't let their doubts take away the magic that you believe you in...... "
"Mooommmmm......" The Boy rolled his eyes at me, exacerbated, "Why would I ever let ANYONE take away my magic.....?"
Well... yeah - duh. lol
As I sat on the toilet (pants up for those who need the visual) - trying not to cry (I do that a lot it seems) - I hope that The Boy's resolve is as strong as his words of wisdom are and as I send him out into the big bad world of second grade..... I hope he can keep his magic alive.
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