Being Thankful...

So begins the Holiday Season of 2011.

I thought I should write about what I am thankful for this year.

I am thankful for the health of my family, for having a job, for a husband that is a wonderful helper at home and a great provider and blah blah blah.  Of course I'm thankful for these things.  But, what I'm really thankful for are:

That the bug my kids picked up after Thanksgiving only lasted 24 hours.  Nothing says "Thanksgiving is great" like ending the night with a vomiting child.  Mia ended the night at Laima and Jeff's by throwing up all over herself, their couch, their floor and Tony.  Awesome.  Then, she threw up insider her jacket on the way home.  Then again in bed.  And again in bed.  And again in bed.  Awesome.  By Friday night, she was feeling good again.  Then, Saturday afternoon, after a nap for Olivia, she came downstairs and decided to throw up.  She missed the toilet, but made it to the bathroom - whoo hoo!  I'm thankful that my husband was able to clean up chunky hot dog vomit from the bathroom floor when I was unable to.  Then, Olivia threw up again, in the bathroom, and again, and again, and again.  We sent her to bed, where she threw up again.  But, she didn't tell us, just climbed to the top bunk.  Tony decided to give her a bucket, after we changed her sheets and she threw up again.  I'm thankful that my husband cleaned up Olivia's vomit from the bathroom floor, the toilets, the bucket and the carpet.  And I'm thankful for a front load washer that has been running most of the long weekend.

I am thankful that my kids are not very observant.  Tony and I are terrible at hiding things from the kids and lying to them.  This means that being Santa is a hard thing for us.  Black Friday shopping at Target, I was able to pick up a cute little kitchen for Mia.  While grabbing this large gift and putting it in the cart, Olivia asked if she and Mia could go to another aisle.  I jumped on this and told her to keep an eye on Mia.  I called Tony and grabbed the box and hid it under my other stuff in the cart.  Then, I went to find said children.  I stroll down two aisles and find Olivia, but no Mia.  "Where's your sister?"  "I don't know."  PANIC!  "WHAT?!  You're supposed to be watching her!"  I stop myself from running up the aisles, but decided to go back the way I came, and found Mia in the next aisle over from where I had been, playing with Elmo.  Thank goodness!

Next, as we were checking out, I sent Olivia to the Starbucks to "look at mugs for Daddy."  The checkout lady liked my technique.  This actually worked, although Mia totally looked at the box, but didn't say anything. 

Even after these two somehow had not figured out what was in the cart, I had the kitchen in the back of my car, hidden.  So, when we went grocery shopping, we had to block the girls from looking in the back.  Somehow we did it.  I should probably learn from this and get it out of my car.

Also, we decided to finally get a Wii.  Tony left it in the garage, in a red Target bag, right where we walk by.  (I should probably tell you that we rarely use our front door, but walk in and out through the garage).  Olivia was curious, but since she wasn't feeling well, not too curious.  So, last night he goes to bring it in, thinking Olivia is upstairs.  She was not.  "I should just plug it in to the TV and see how long it takes her to notice."  "Well, considering she's right there in the dining room, she might notice," I say.  He leaves the bag in the kitchen.

Now, Tony and I are playing Rummy and Olivia is watching.  We tell her to go to bed, but she doesn't want to.  "You know, I can call Santa and tell him not to come," I say.  "You don't have his number, Mom."  "I told you, Olivia. When you go to the hospital to have a baby, they give you Santa's number."  At this, I catch Tony smiling and cannot hide the smile and laughter that come bubbling up.  I try to hid it by taking a drink of water, but am laughing so hard I have to spit my water back out.  I don't know how much longer we can keep this Santa Claus thing going.

I am thankful that Olivia does very well in school.  I met her teacher this past week, and she had a glowing review for my daughter.  The teacher especially commented on her writing skills.  The teacher said she thought that Olivia will definitely do something in journalism, but she doesn't know what.  I wonder where she gets this writing bug from.

I am also thankful for the blunt honesty of my kids.  They tell me that I'm fat and need Proactiv.  There is nothing better for your self esteem than having kids.  Thanks, girls!  I hope your kids are just as honest as you are. This example of Olivia's writing and drawing skills has been on our fridge for awhile.

In case you can't read this, it says, "I love my family because they take care of me.  They make us food so we don't die.  Love, Olivia."

Maybe she'll write and illustrate childrens' books.