Good-Bye 2009

Over the past year:

Steve has worked his bum off. He stopped doing musicals, due to my insistence, and has joined a choir that he LOVES and does well in.

Cameron has gone through all the ups and downs of getting his ADHD under control. We may actually have the winning combination right now! :) He's also started to grow as a young man and is a VERY helpful older brother.

Jacob went from a squishy ball of goo to a walking, talking little boy. If you were to ask him who he was in a picture, he'd tell you "bebe," but would deny being the baby if you pointed to him and asked. (In fact, just a few minutes ago, he grabbed my arm, and chanted over and over, "SIPPY! SIPPY!! SIPPY!!!!" I can't believe how big he has grown over the last year!)

And me? I've just done what I do. I have gained a few bad habits over the last little bit, and resolve (which I RARELY do...) to stop swearing. (Yes, I swear, not a LOT and not really bad, but enough that it's beginning to bug me....I promise, I never swore until I had kids.....) I also hope to get in better shape (healthy, not necessarily losing weight, but that would be nice too...)

Happy new year, may it be filled with much happiness!

I Win the Coolest Mommy Award

It's only for a week, but he's SO excited about it! :D

Update: (Thursday, 31 Dec)

Cameron doesn't have his cool mohawk anymore. I warned him when we did it that he had to be a good boy and obey me, or it would disappear. Yesterday he ate candy for breakfast and I told him, "You get one more chance. Don't eat candy or sweets for breakfast or you will lose your mohawk."

This morning he confessed to eating candy for breakfast and the mohawk was buzzed off. :(

Merry Christmas!

More Christmas Memories

Christmas day was always fun. We would usually wake up VERY early, after getting very LITTLE sleep and would peek to see what Santa brought us. He didn't usually wrap the presents, just set them out with our stockings next to the gift. Mom and Dad told us that if we were quiet, and didn't wake them up, we were okay to just play with those gifts. The rule was that we couldn't wake them up until after 8:00. Sometimes we took that time VERY seriously, other times we just played and didn't bother.

After Mom and Dad woke up, we'd open the gifts. We were to tell whoever gave us the gift "thank you" and then we were good.

After the gifts were opened, Mom would set about to make us a big breakfast. Mom didn't make us breakfasts (unless we were camping or it was a special day) so we were VERY excited to get this big meal. We'd have pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, juice, milk...the whole thing. Mom told us that she made us breakfast because when she woke up on Christmas morning, she and her siblings would gorge themselves on the candy they got in their stockings, and would get sick. She didn't want us getting sick, so she made us breakfast.

After breakfast, we'd just play with our new things, start getting cleaned up for the day and would just enjoy our morning at home. Mom's parents would usually come over to see us, and chat for a while. (I believe they visited every local family on Christmas day.....) We would show them our gifts and would talk to them about what they got. It was very fun.

Later in the afternoon, we'd pack our things up, only taking ONE gift per child, and would go to Dad's parents' house for dinner. It was fun there too. Grandma and Grandpa lived in another small house, but it was always filled with people and fun smells and sounds. I LOVED seeing my grandma's tree. It was big and VERY full. She always put different flavored candy canes on her tree, and would let us pick which ever candy cane we wanted. I always liked the strawberry ones, but my brothers loved the blueberry or bubble gum flavors.

After a filling dinner (yet again, turkey, salads, potatoes, pies...) we'd open presents. My aunts and uncles would tell me about all the fun things Santa brought them, and I'd share the same. It was such fun.

That night, we'd go home, happy and filled with food. I'd always try to remind myself that Christmas wasn't all about the presents or the time spent with family. I'd try to remind myself, that many years ago, a baby was born. And because of this baby, we are all VERY blessed and we can, once again, return to our Father in Heaven.

Christmas Memories

For the last month or so, I've been feeling a bit nostalgic for Christmases past.

Things haven't been the same for a very long time, but I thought I'd put down my memories into words so that I can continue to remember those happy Christmases from when I was younger.

My whole life, I've lived in the same town as both sets of my grandparents. Because of this, we were blessed to have double the holidays. I also knew all but one set of my great-grandparents. Holidays were HUGE! None were bigger than our annual Christmas Eve celebration.

Christmas Eve started pretty early, around 5:00 in the evening. We'd go visit my mom's parents. Grandma would have a huge spread of turkey, ham, jello salads, rolls, veggies....lots and lots of food. Grandma and Grandpa lived in a teeny, tiny house (which has always amazed me, because they raised 12 children in that teeny little house.) We would crowd as many of the local aunts, uncles and cousins that we could. Grandma would have us go downstairs to open our present from her and Grandpa, and often, we'd open a present from the family who had our family. (It was easier for one family to buy for another rather than everyone buy for EVERYONE in the family....) We'd always sit around and laugh. And for a special treat, the little kids would often gather around Grandpa's train display that would run around his Christmas tree. It was a magical time.

After visiting my mom's parents, we'd visit our great-grandparents. First was Grandma and Grandpa W. They had a house-full as well, and their house was even SMALLER than my other grandparents' house. We'd squeeze in the whole family and kids would sit UNDER the table to eat. And eat we DID! Grandma W would have a HUGE spread of everything: turkey, mashed potatoes, salads, jello, pies....it was FABULOUS! Then after we'd filled our bellies, we'd gather in the small room that held their tree (where I would often sit and just stare at the pretty lights and just sit and think about what Christmas REALLY meant. Even now, thinking about it, I'm feeling peaceful and happy.) Grandpa would pull out the gifts and we'd tear into them. It was always fun!

After seeing Grandma and Grandpa W, we'd head around the corner and down the street to Grandma H's. Grandpa died when I was very young, so I don't have many memories of him, but I remember going to Grandma's house. Her house is a blur of purples and happy scents in my mind. (Mingled with a little scent of moth balls....not so yummy...) It never failed, but we'd always show up at her house just a LITTLE too late. Every year one of Santa's elves would show up with a box filled with bags and bags of goodies for all of the great-grands. Those bags would have peanuts, hard candies, apples and oranges in them. The smell of the brown paper bag would mix with the other scents, and would make me happy. We'd sit and talk at Grandma's house for a while, the whole time she'd be offering food to us, to which we'd politely decline... It seems like there was always an argument of some sort at this house (the H's are NOTORIOUS for arguing....) And shortly after having Grandma open our gift, we'd head out.

After leaving Grandma's we'd drive around town looking at the twinkling lights. The radio would play those beautiful Christmas songs, and we would sing along. We would get home VERY late, and I would try my hardest to fall asleep so Santa could come, but I never managed to fall asleep easily. I still have problems falling asleep easily on Christmas Eve.

Those were fun nights, very busy, but fun. I miss those busy nights....my grandparents have died (for the most part....only my mom's dad is still with us...) and even then, the traditions have changed. I find myself wanting to drive to those houses just so it can feel as magical as it did when I was younger. I know it can never be the same, but I still find those thoughts running through my mind this time of year.

Holiday Plans

I can't believe that Christmas is THIS week! The time just FLEW by. Seriously, wasn't it just July?

This week is kind of a busy week for my little family, but MOST of the plans should be fun.

Today our big plan is to go to the District Health office and get the H1N1 vaccination. I've been waiting for my boys to not be so sick when I take them to get it. I think once we're all vaccinated it will be a HUGE weight lifted off of my back. I'm so paranoid that any little cough or fever will blow up into this HUGE flu pandemic. (Yes, I'm crazy...)

Tomorrow Cameron is getting some dental work done. It's going to be done in a surgical setting, since the boy is SO anxious about anything going in his mouth. Hopefully they'll take care of this poor boy's pain and make him a little bit better!

Wednesday is my big baking day for the week. Cameron has his last day of school and his Christmas program (which I think they call a Winter Festival...can't offend anyone...) I'll go and watch his program, check him out of school early (LOVE that part of the whole thing...) and then we'll come home and make LOTS of Christmas cookies and treats. We heard through the grapevine that Santa wants snickerdoodles this year, so we'll be making the dough for those and some other fun cookies.

Thursday is the day we're spending with Steve's family. I'm actually VERY excited about this. Steve isn't AS excited as I am. We're going to leave in the morning, pick up Steve's parents and drive to spend the day at Steve's brother's house.

I'm excited about this, because I DO enjoy talking with my in-laws, and I know my boys just LOVE grandpa. He is their absolute FAVORITE! Cameron keeps asking when we get to see them, and when I tell him how soon it is he is practically GIDDY! I love it when my boys get this way!

We'll be having a good day laughing and talking and eating pizza. (Yes, pizza is the family tradition on Christmas Eve. I don't remember the whole story, but it started when Steve and his brother were in their teens. I don't *get* it, but I don't try and push MY traditions in on them either.) After dinner, we'll be taking Steve's parents home and HOPEFULLY we'll get home before it's too dark. We hope to see some of the fancier light displays and make some Christmas cookies.

Friday....The BIG day! We're going to be pretty laid back on Christmas, at least, that's my PLAN! I always make a big breakfast on Christmas (because that's what MY mom did...and we always enjoyed that tradition.) We'll stay home so the boys can play with their new things for a while, then we'll go to my parents' house and hopefully get to talk to my little brother (he comes home from his mission next summer!!) Then we'll have a family dinner and then the BIG family get-together that evening with my grandpa and my aunts and uncles and cousins. I'm sure the phone will be ringing off the hook with family who want to talk to grandpa and wish him a Merry Christmas.

Thankfully, my plans aren't TOO involved, and I'm planning on just relaxing and enjoying my week.

Christmas to me isn't about the stress of plans, it's about going with the flow, and enjoying each activity while you have it. It's about spending time with family and making lots of fun family memories together.

Experiment Update

So far, Cameron is a much better behaved child. He was a little scared by the lack of gifts, but once he was told that they were taken away because he's been misbehaving and has been selfish, he changed his tune. He knows that the gifts will return once he has proved that he can be less selfish and better behaved.

The tree looks bare, but the lessons being learned are WELL worth it!

The Christmas Experiment

This year, we are VERY blessed. We were able to put many presents underneath our tree this year. It is humbling to have SO much.

We decided that since we have enough for our needs, we'd like to help others out, in the same way we've been helped out in the past. We went to the store on Saturday (how crazy are WE?! It was insane!!) and bought some toys for a family that we know will not be getting anything for Christmas this year. When we brought the gifts in the house to be wrapped, Cameron began crying. He was upset because he wanted the toys. They were JUST what he wanted. When I told him that these toys were for kids who wouldn't have a Christmas, he just cried that he wanted them even more.

I was in SHOCK!

I did NOT raise him to be such a selfish child. I promise.

Not only was he wanting these particular toys, but he also has been BEGGING for things when we go to the store. When he wrote his Santa letter, he kept thinking of MORE things that he wanted to ask Santa for.

I just realized how selfish and SPOILED he really is. It needs to be stopped NOW!

After thinking about it, and conferring with a parenting expert (thanks, Mom), we've come up with a solution. Not a nice solution, but one that I HOPE will open the eyes of one selfish little boy. We are taking ALL but one present of his from underneath the tree. We'll only leave him and Jake ONE present. We will then inform Cameron that since he has SO much, and is SO blessed, we decided to donate his Christmas to kids who need it. (Really, we're just trying to get a reaction, we won't be giving his things away, unless he NEEDS them taken away...) I may have a VERY sad boy on my hands tomorrow, but something drastic needs to happen.

When the House is Quiet...

...there's usually a good reason.

Glad it was THIS one and not a *disaster* reason.

The Weather Outside is Frightful....

So we bundle up anytime we leave the house.

Such cute little boys! <3

Song of My Life

Lately, I've been depressed and I've posted a few frustrating posts. I apologize. When I think of my *problems* this song pops into my head. LOVE it!

Sounds Like Life to Me by Darryl Worley

Got a call last night from an old friend’s wife
Said I hate to bother you
Johnny Ray fell off the wagon
He’s been gone all afternoon
I know my buddy so I drove to Skully’s
And found him at the bar
I say hey man, what’s going on
He said I don’t know where to start

Sarah’s old car’s about to fall apart
And the washer quit last week
We had to put momma in the nursing home
And the baby’s cutting teeth
I didn’t get much work this week
And I got bills to pay
I said I know this ain’t what you wanna hear
But it’s what I’m gonna say

(Chorus)
Sounds like life to me it ain’t no fantasy
It’s just a common case of everyday reality
Man I know it’s tough but you gotta suck it up
To hear you talk you’re caught up in some tragedy
It sounds like life to me

Well his face turned red and he shook his head
He said you don’t understand
Three kids and a wife depend on me
And I’m just one man
To top it off I just found out
That Sarah’s 2 months late
I said hey bartender set us up a round
We need to celebrate

(Chorus)
Sounds like life to me plain old destiny
Yeah the only thing for certain is uncertainty
You gotta hold on tight just enjoy the ride
Get used to all this unpredictability
Sounds like life

Man I know its tough but you gotta suck it up
To hear you talk you’re caught up in some tragedy
Sounds like life to me

Sounds like life

That's IT!! I QUIT!!

Being a mommy this week is SERIOUSLY trying my patience.

Today's adventure: going to the dentist, waiting for a phone call, and taking a nativity set to church.

Sounds easy enough, right?

HA!

Going to the dentist: Have I ever, EVER, mentioned Cameron's constant anxiety? He asks so many questions when he hears that he's going to a doctor of ANY sort. Thankfully, he has an amazing orthodontist who has worked VERY hard to calm some of his doctor/dentist related anxieties.

Today I checked the boy out of school, and off we went. Of course, the dentist appointment HAD to be in the middle of Cam's lunch, but his teacher was great and got him a styrofoam tray to take his lunch with us. On the way to the dentist's office, I told him to eat as quickly as he could, and thankfully, he was hungry enough that he ate the main part.

At the dentist's office I had paper after paper to sign, and of course, the machines that the secretaries work with ARE NOT working when I need them to. Cameron got called back by the hygienist before I could even get my name signed. He was a little anxious, but went back fine enough.

After all the new forms were signed, I went back to the room with Jake. Cam was in the process of getting x-rays, and wouldn't you know it, the BIG film is making him gag...like BAD...so they have to do a smaller one. After 10 minutes, he's finished and we can come in and sit next to him. I do have to say, the cleaning went SO well. Cam only gagged a few times, and tears weren't shed.

Next part, trying to remove one loose tooth, and give the kid a shot to numb the main tooth that they need to give a "min-root canal" to. THAT did NOT happen. Instead, after wrestling with the boy for a while, they decided that it would be WAY easier to take care of it when he's asleep....at the hospital. NIIIIIIIIICE!!

Going to the dentist: check....sorta.

Waiting for a phone call: So I got a letter telling me that I needed to call for an interview. Instead of having someone at the ready INSTANTLY when I call, they want me to leave my name and phone number. They will call me back "sometime today." If they can't get ahold of me the first time they will call ONCE more. If they get my voicemail, I will be instructed to call them back.

Okay, fine.

I call early in the morning, about a half hour after they opened up the phone lines. I leave my message and wait.

I manage to get the boys ready, send Cameron off to school, and even sneak in a haircut for the baby. All is well....until I decide to leave the phone out of reach and go upstairs to fix the new hair style.

They called...and I picked up the phone JUST as it flipped over to voicemail.

UGH!!!

SO, I need to call them back. BUT it took them 2 hours to return the first call. I figured I'd call them after the trip to the dentist, since I knew I would be home.

The instant I walk in the door from returning from the dentist's office, I call and leave another message. Then I grab the phone, put it RIGHT next to me on the couch, and settle in for the wait.

I wait and wait....

I figure it's going to be a while, so I even call and cancel Cameron's therapy for this afternoon. I settle in and wait some more....

FOUR HOURS LATER, and in the middle of when Cam was SUPPOSED to be in therapy, I get the call. I listen to the guy talk, basically mumble a yes or no and then it was over 15 minutes after it started.

Waiting for the phone call: check.

Taking the Nativity set to the church: I volunteered to take my little nativity set to the church for a decoration for our ward party tomorrow night. They weren't going to start decorating until 6:30. It's already been a long day, I'm tired, the boys are grumpy and I would MUCH rather stay home, but I don't want to say I'll do something and then not do it....

I gather up my poor nativity set (that has been thrown and chipped and "loved" to death this year.....thanks, Jake....) and put it in a grocery bag, and turn around to get my coat and Jake's coat....

*shake shake shake....CRASH!*

Oh, NO......

Jake has just shaken the HECK out of my poor nativity set. The pieces went flying and my angel, who SHOULD fly well, since he has wings, is now separated from his wings.

I am SO tired, SO burned out, and SO tired of my stuff being ruined....I acted VERY VERY poorly.....

At this point, I was done. Done doing the things I am *supposed* to do. Done trying to be nice when I don't feel like it. Done being the mama. I am DONE!

I search the house for super glue (I KNOW I bought some, but do you THINK I could find it?) and decided that they don't NEED the angel, but my boys DO need to know that they are more important than my things. I calm down, gather things up, bundle up the boys and head out.

As I open the garage door, SOMEONE HAS PARKED THEIR TRUCK BEHIND MY GARAGE!!!

UGH! Not only that, but they're STANDING in front of THEIR garage to WATCH me try to get out. Are you kidding me?? SERIOUSLY!? Move your freakin' truck, before I go all Fried Green Tomatoes on it!! Nope, nothing.

I made a 50-point turn and manage to get out, while being watched by my inconsiderate neighbors....get the nativity set to the church. As I'm putting my poor offering on the stage for later, I pull out one of my wise men (Jake's favorites to play with....) and notice he's HAND-LESS! Are you kidding?? Really!??!

The members of the committee are grateful that I brought my set, and thank me over and over....then I grab the boys and leave for home.

I'm done. Bedtime can be early for tonight, right?

Taking the nativity set to the church: check....now to round up the hand for my wise man and find my super glue.

*sigh*

Ever Wonder Where Your Life Went?

I have weeks where I feel like I'm going a million-bazillion miles an hour, then there are weeks that seem to DRAG by. This week is the light-year moving kind.

It all started with a, singular, chipmunk cheek. Cameron came home from church sporting a poofy left cheek. The last time his face got swollen like that was when he had an abscessed tooth. I knew that the next day would be spent calling and visiting the dentist.

Sure enough, after an x-ray (where I got to push the button, and was told I was a PRO) we decided that it was an infection and that a loose tooth and very large cavity was probably the culprit. He was immediately prescribed antibiotics and we have an appointment to get the teeth fixed tomorrow.

Today was crazier....I took my mom and uncle to the airport to greet my cousin who was coming home from his mission. When we got to the airport, we thought maybe his flight got in early. The flight board said it was modified to 11:55 instead of 12:25...so I was confused. Eventually someone came over the loud-speaker to inform us that their flight had been delayed and wouldn't arrive until 1:15. Well, I was hungry, so was my mom and grandpa (Grandpa came with my aunt....mommy to the missionary), so we went to lunch away from the airport.

We went back to the airport at 1:10 to find that the plane landed at 1:06! LIARS!! :P

So we left there and I went to drop off a family address list to my great aunt Pearl who is THE funniest lady I've EVER known. Love her....anyway, she HAD to give my mom a tour of her apartment, including the "museum room."

After that, I had to pick up some music for a funeral I'll be singing at on Saturday, then we were off to take my mom and uncle home. I was going to leave Jake with my mom because she spilled his chocolate milk on his coat and wanted to wash it. I also hoped that he *might* take a nap while I went to take Cameron to therapy. (Didn't happen, but it was a GOOD hope...)

I hurried back to the opposite side of town to get Cameron, to take him to speech. After dropping him off, I went to the boys' pediatrician to pick up some prescriptions for Cameron, then I was off to the pharmacy.

The pharmacy I usually go to did NOT have one of the meds, and wouldn't have it until next Thursday. WHAT good does that do me NOW!? I need those meds, our lives are chaos without THOSE meds....Fine, whatever. I grabbed the script and went to another pharmacy, and THANKFULLY they had it in stock, but it would take 25 minutes to fill. That was okay, by this time Cameron was finished with therapy, and I needed to pick him up. I quickly drove to the building, and sat down. BIG mistake, I instantly fell asleep. IN THE WAITING ROOM! (Thankfully, it wasn't a DEEP sleep, and my head-bobbing and hand un-clasping woke me up....several times....) Soon Cameron was ready to go, and we were off to pick UP the prescriptions.

By the time we had everything and headed back to get Jacob, it was 4:30. As soon as I walked in the door, my mom asked if I would pick up some things at my aunt's house and run one errand for her. *sigh* No biggie, she did errands for me ALL the time when I was growing up, it's only fair that I try to help her out when I can, right?

I went to my aunt's house, had a good chat with her (I LOVE my aunt....can I say that?) and hurried to drop off a check. As soon as that was done, it was 5:15, and I was POOPED!

I went back to get the boys, bundle them up, (because it was SO freakin' cold outside, did I mention that?? The whole day I think our high temperature was 13....MAYBE...) then head home to make a quick dinner of hot dogs, chips, and ravioli.

After dinner was over, we had to take Cameron to the church for scouts and I needed to put my visiting teaching numbers in the computer (the ONE thing I MUST do in a timely manner with this calling....report the numbers as soon as I can....) After I kicked one of the ward clerks off the computer (he was such a good sport about it too), I imputed the numbers, grabbed Jake and headed home. I was able to sit and do absolutely NOTHING of importance for 30 minutes. Thirty minutes of bliss.

*sigh*

Then I headed back to the church to grab Cameron and be DONE with the day.....but I couldn't find him. I looked in the room they usually meet in, and no one was there. I heard lots of loud noises in the gym, but it was the other ward's primary activity.....where WAS my Cameron?

I figured that maybe they did something different and I missed them dropping him off at home. (I was SO glad I left the front door unlocked....) so I headed home, HOPING to find Cameron. Jake was NOT happy to be leaving the church without his brother, he sobbed "Mammon!!! MAAAAAAMMMMMONNNN!!!!" I told him that Cameron was probably home, and we needed to check, that seemed to calm him down a little....

At home, no one was there. There were no calls from the leaders, and I began to worry.

Now, usually I don't worry about him. His leaders are WONDERFUL and usually keep me up to date with their activities, and if I forget or get busy they bring him home. Seriously, those ladies are AMAZING!! So I thought, 'Well, maybe they're back at the church. I'll go check.'

Back to the church I go, no one. No lights, no cars that I recognize.....nada.

I'm beginning to worry. How could this crazy day get worse? An over-tired mama, with a stinky baby in the backseat, missing her little "special" scout....and the over-active imagination.

I admit, I sat in my van and sobbed. I missed my "Mammon" too.

I prayed for peace, and soon I decided to go back to the church for one last check, then I'd wait at home. Every car I passed on the way I looked at closely. After checking out the church, I noticed a car that came from the church turning on my street. I followed quickly, and sure enough, it was his leader dropping him off.

The long day was finally over.....until tomorrow.

Really, why don't I get paid for doing this job?? It's SO hard and SO time-consuming! UGH! :P

Special Primary

Tonight I went to see the Special Primary's Christmas Program. It was SO cute!

My uncle is a member of the Special Primary, and he asked us if we'd go to see it. He was thrilled this year because he didn't have a speaking part, he just played the bells in the bell-choir.

I noticed that despite the age difference, special primary is VERY much like children-under-12-primary. There are the ones who like to speak VERY loudly into the microphone to see everyone jump. There are the ones who are antsy and have to stand and wave to everyone. There are the over-zealous singers. There are the ones who play with their costumes so that they can't see. You have the shy ones, and the out-going ones. The singing is cute and the program is ALWAYS something that makes ME cry.

While we were sitting in that chapel, I looked over to my sweet Cameron and had a thought pop into my head. I wonder if years from now I'll have to take HIM to Special Primary and we'll be involved with them. I know Cameron isn't really *special* but in a lot of ways he IS. I don't know what the future will bring, but I do know that those special "kids" are definitely some of the choicest people I've ever met and if Cameron is found among them, he'll be VERY blessed.

"Pwetties"

Now that our home is decorated for Christmas, I'm finding it difficult to keep a certain 18 month old child out of the pretty decorations.

The first night we had our nativity set out, Jake pointed to the pieces. He found a few that he liked and called our little lambs "doggies." I corrected him saying they were sheep, and he instantly repeated "sheep." Then I told him, "Those are pretties, don't touch, just look." Instantly we had a new word for the fun toys mom had set up. He poked all the little kings and said, "pwetty! PWETTY!!" The "pwetties" haven't been safe since.

He's also taken to throwing things INTO the tree, just to see what happens, and he loves grabbing the ornaments on the bottom of the tree and throwing them. (Thankfully, the hooks have been tightened and he can't pull them ALL off anymore...but for a few days it was NOT fun!)

Today, I realized that he's only little once, and it isn't SUCH a big deal that he likes to play with my nativity set, so I just let him play with them...as long as he doesn't throw them and break them. (They're not TOO breakable, but I'm sure Jake would find a way if he could...)

Tonight his favorite was the Baby Jesus. I told him, "Jake, that's the Baby Jesus. Can you give Baby Jesus a kiss?"

His response, a slobbery wet one, repeating, "Jesus!" And then a quick toss of the Baby Jesus on the floor.

Oh, joy!