Tales from the Steppes

2004-12-21

12:26 a.m.
Mother told me, yes she told me, I'd meet girls like you.

I am now eagerly awaiting the arrival of Christmas. Not that I am even close to ready or anything. It is more that the mongols are driving me batshit, particularly YM. Now I know it's tough being 4 but if he wants to see 5, he had better get a grip on himself. Every day he finds some new form of devilry; every night he is extrememly difficult to get to bed and then spends at least 1/2 the night with me.

Anticipation is a fine thing, in moderation. But I guess this is the first year he can really remember back to the last Christmas so a bit of excitement is to be expected. I have a tactic that worked really well with the older mongols - Santa's phone number in my cell phone. Usually just the threat of a phone call to Santa would do it for the older two. I did show them the entry in my phonebook with Santa's name and number and have had to use it a few times. And whatever problem I was experiencing cleared right up. For some reason, this threat does not work on YM though.

I have another little Santa problem this year as well. In the course of the MM's quest to know all (and tell all as well), he asked the SU about the existence of the Big Guy. I guess the SU was not paying attention or thinking or something but he did say that Santa did not exist. This is a real problem. I now have a 10 year old that believes, a 7 year old with a big mouth that does not, and a 4 year old that does. In my family, at some point you figured it out but no one ever confirmed it. I learned for myself at a fairly young age by performing the ultimate experiment of hiding under the sofa to watch and see. But I would not have dared to tell my older sister. I do not believe I can count on MM for any discretion. I have told him that his father was wrong, Santa does exist. I have also told him tha if he does not believe, he will not receive. So we'll see.