Monthly Newsletter #39

Dear Landon,

This month for you was, of course, all about Christmas. This year you kind of “got” the whole Santa Claus bit, which was awesome. Also I found out that our mall Santa is equally as awesome as the guy at the North Pole – which as you understand it is the real Santa, but the other Santas we see before Christmas are just his helpers. When you threw a big fit after we stood in line for 45 minutes he told me to walk you around the mall, maybe get something to eat and come back, but to come to the exit and they would let me in so I wouldn’t have to wait in line again. And it worked and we got a decent Santa picture - which is more than I can say about last year.

Also, it snowed, in Houston – which is like unheard of – except it did snow last year, but it didn’t stick so I don’t count it and I don’t think anyone else should either. So naturally I picked you up a little early from school so we could have a snow ball fight in the front yard. You did not want to even consider laying down in it for snow angel making – which is pretty smart really, it’s not like we own snow pants and when I did it I ended up having to like change clothes almost immediately and my snow angel was kind of pathetic since we only got like half an inch of snow. (Right now people who are from up north are laughing at the idea of crazy Houston people getting all excited about snow, but hey – they get all crazy about heat and we’re like – what? Over 100 degrees for 13 days – BRING IT!!)

This year your school decided that the Christmas program should take place in the middle of the day – even though they are a place that cares for children whose parents work and last year they did it in the evening which was better. I’m beginning to think people should just run their ideas by me before they’re allowed to make any decisions, it would make everyone’s life that much easier. Anyway, luckily I work for people who think family is important so I was able to attend. I even took a video. And you stood in the back behind some other kid with a tall nutcracker hat on. And I saw your glimmering little smile a whopping 2 seconds the entire time. Plus you guys danced to some kind of weird song I’d never heard of. “First Toy Maker to the King.” Weird. You were totally excited about it anyway and I guess next year I’ll have to teach you about the fact that we are short people (you and I) and we must push our way to the front when on stage in order to be seen.

This year, Christmas lights played a huge role for you. At Thanksgiving we went on our annual trip through the drive through light display with Grandma and Grandpa Wood, and each evening that we had a little spare time I took you to the street in the back of our neighborhood that teams up to do a group display. I also drove you down the street in Lake Jackson that does the same kind of thing. And your Aunt Kelly and Uncle Hector began a new tradition this year, a Christmas light seeing hay ride. It was so much fun. It was a little chilly, but the lights were great and you had a lot of fun and we sang Christmas carols and everything.

One night while riding through the street in our neighborhood with all the lights you said “I see ‘joy’!” And you did. The plywood cut out of the word “Joy” was lit up in the yard. I asked if you had read it, and you said “No, I just know it.” You are beginning to memorize books and then “read” them to “the kids” (because you are the teacher.) That’s how I started, I memorized “Whose Mouse Are You?” So I believe that you are on the verge of reading – not that I’m pushing you or anything, and not that I have to, you absolutely love books.

On a sad note, you are learning that the world is not perfect, and not everyone is nice. We discovered that your daddy’s car was stolen on Christmas Eve morning. When I told you that daddy’s car was gone, you asked “why?” And I told you that people took it who weren’t supposed to, but that it would be okay, everything was going to be fine. And you said “Angry people? Angry people took daddy’s car?” Yes, I suppose on some level those people must be angry.

Your imagination is so great. Lately you've been "teaching the kids" by reading books and talking to them about things. I actually get in trouble because I hear you talking and I think you're talking to me and you're not, you yell at me about how you're not talking to me, you're talking to "the kids!" Also a couple nights ago you came out of the shower with a baby girl. A teeny tiny baby girl, who you carry around in the palm of your hand and sometimes hand to me to hold and yell at me if you think I might have squished her. You tuck her in at night next to you, and she is "sooooo pretty" and you "just love her!" And poof, my heart melted.

Love,

Mama