Christmas stories, through the eyes of a 3 year old...

We've decided that L might be a little confused about Christmas. I am sure this is entirely our fault. We've been talking about it for a couple of weeks now. Letting her in on all the little traditions, talking about Santa, presents, Jesus, etc. You forget as an adult how obtuse all of these things sound to a 3 year old. At this stage, they are all stories, and 3 year olds take in bits and pieces of stories, not always getting the big picture. Well, Friday we realized in this household just how much of the 'big picture' our almost 3 year old was missing, and it was precious and devastating all at the same time!

When Matt and L got home on Friday night we decided we would let L put up the tree we have for her room. It's an old 4 foot tree that Matt and I have had for years. Last year she picked out her own ornaments for it and everything. We thought she would love this and we've been talking about it for a while. She was so excited she could barely stand it! As Matt was looking for her tree and 'instruments' as she calls her 'ornaments,' L just stood at the base of the attic and jumped up and down, hands folded and fingers crossed. She could not wait!

He found the tree quickly and she squealed with delight! Almost immediately after she saw her tree she began asking if daddy could find her 'Christmas baby' up there too. This is where things get a little confused. You see, Laurelei has been telling us for weeks that Santa is bringing her a pink Christmas baby. In all of the excitement over her tree and listening to Christmas music and talking about Santa Clause, somwhere along the way L got it in her head that her 'Christmas' was all coming out of the attic on Friday night.

As she was yelling up the stairs to Matt about her Christmas baby and he was not understanding, she ran into the kitchen where I was getting dinner together and asked for my help in making him understand. She pleaded with me, "Mommy! Daddy doesn't know about my Christmas baby mommy, he doesn't understand." Can you imagine the excitement on her face? It was the most precious look of expectation and excitement of all time. And, it was also super devastating to be the one who had to tell her that she was the one who didn't quite understand. I mean, in the world of an almost 3 year old, this was a major let down! Matt found an old Christmas bear in the attic and we let her have it. I don't think it made up for the disappointment she felt when she realized that Santa was bringing her Christmas baby down the attic stairs right then and there, but it eased some of the pain.

After she decorated her tree, lining the 'instruments' up in a wonderful little clump on the front of the tree, we introduced Laurelei to Walter, our elf on the shelf.

 

This is when I realized just how creepy Christmas traditions sound to a little girl. I mean, after all, Walter sitting on a shelf and watching from afar to see whether L has been nice and reports back to Santa is a little scary.  Of course it doesn't sound as scary to L as it does to me as I tell her this story out loud, but it does making me second guess myself before singing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" to Laurelei at bedtime! Anyway, she was excited to meet Walter and thought it sounded fun to play hide and seek with him each morning. It was our mistake that we left him sitting on her dresser when she went to sleep. Not long after L went to bed, she started yelling something we couldn't understand from her bedroom. I went in there and she quickly informed me, "Hims staring at me mommy! I don't want him in here staring at me! Hims needs to hide, but not in my room mommy!" And of course, there Walter was, perched on her dressed top with his big eyes and sly little smile. I guess I can't blame her. I wouldn't want "hims" staring at me either while I was trying to sleep. 

 The next mornings hide and seek was a success though, and it seemed like all of L's worries about the little elf has disappeared, so crisis averted!

We have the Christmas cheer pretty much contained to Laurelei's room at the moment, but if I can get the rest of this happy little house cleaned up today, it won't be contained for long! I already have a few of my pinterest projects completed, which I can't wait to share!! 

On a more miscellaneous note, anyone have any tips for getting our almost 3 year old to sleep through the night? Last night she was up at 1:30, 2, 2:30, 3:00...and up for the day at 5:30! Yikes. She is all messed up with the time change, but she kept up for for at least a solid hour in the middle of the night and we are exhausted! The newborn even did better than her last night, and that is saying something! 

Oh, and we also got to see our family pictures last night! I cannot wait to share those too!! So many things to blog about, and so little time before I go back to work. Whatever will I do? I guess I'll be using the baby naptimes, when I'm not sleeping too, wisely!

 Happy Monday!