It's not
me, I can tell you that right now! Although I have done some (online) Christmas shopping, I haven't wrapped a thing; and in fact, the gifts that have arrived in various packages through the mail have been quickly peeked at by me, then crammed into my closet to be gotten out, organized, and wrapped at some later date. I do hope that date doesn't turn out to be Christmas Eve! (
It wouldn't be the first time...) ;-)
This year, it's David who gets the prize for being the first one ready for Christmas in our family. During our once-a-month Sunday evening date, which happened to land eight days ago, he and I went Christmas shopping together, and he picked out a gift for each of his brothers and his daddy...as well as several gifts to go in the shoebox for "our" boy in Haiti. It was so much fun to do that during our time together!
Even better was the time we managed to snatch one morning during this past week for the wrapping. While Josiah laid on our new couch and read
The Hobbit (which he read all in one day, by the way)...
...and Tobin and Shav managed to make a mess--I mean, have fun--with lots and lots of little tiny blocks...
...David was doing this.
Thoughtfully and excitedly choosing a gift bag for each person, plus a bow (he thinks all packages, whether wrapped or in a gift bag, should be adorned with at least one bow), and then a name tag for each gift.
I was reminded of how much he's growing up when he so easily wrote the tags himself.
You might be wondering why he's wearing a black cape. I was wondering that myself. When I asked him who he was, he shrugged. "Just somebody with a cape."
Makes sense, I guess. ;-) And if he wants to wear a cape during our special gift-wrapping time together, I don't mind a bit!
I read your title and was ready to be so frustrated. I haven't even started yet.
ReplyDeleteIt's not such a big job if, like David, you only have four gifts for which to be responsible!! ;-)
ReplyDeleteThis is so cute!
ReplyDeleteI am so curious, how to you keep Shav from putting the small pieces (and in an earlier post, the marbles) in his mouth and having a choking hazard? I haven't let our kids play with marbles yet, because I don't know how to keep them out of Marie's mouth (unless I'm fully devoted to watching her the whole time they are playing marbles). Anything that would be hazardous, I just keep out of her reach. She often has a toy sticking out of her mouth.
Back on the subject of the post, I haven't even started shopping for Christmas/New Year's. I've got to get through Paul's birthday tomorrow, then Thanksgiving next week, and then I'll get serious about December. (We're hosting Andrew's family for Thanksgiving.) So I think you're already miles ahead of me!
Sally, that's a great question about choking hazards. With Shav, he definitely went through a stage where everything went in his mouth, and I would never have allowed him to play with marbles (or small blocks, but especially marbles because of how their shape is so conducive to choking). It's a challenge when there are older children who are used to certain toys and can't have them out when the baby is around! Fortunately, with our schedule, the older boys were able to do their "dangerous" activities during afternoon quiet time when they would be undisturbed and wouldn't have to worry about a little one crawling through and choking on one of their pieces.
ReplyDeleteFor quite a while now, Shav has been out of the mouthing-everything stage, so I don't worry nearly as much about him as I used to, in that regard. He's smart as a whip and understands what I tell him, so if I say, "Shav, don't ever put a marble in your mouth," I know that he'll know what I'm talking about. That DOESN'T mean that all I have to do is tell him something and he'll automatically obey - if only it were that easy! ;-) But I do feel confident that he understands on some level that putting such things in his mouth is a very bad thing to do.
The other thing that gives me peace of mind is that there are three older brothers to watch out for him. I don't always like it when they come to me and tell on each other, but when it comes to matters of safety, I like it very much!!! In the case of Tobin and Shav, I know that there are times when Tobin calls out to me that Shav is doing something he shouldn't - whether something dangerous or something disobedient (or both). I am GRATEFUL for the extra eyes of big brothers to help watch for the littlest one's safety. That is not to say that I leave the entire responsibility of Shav's care to the other boys - not at all! - and I'm sure you know that. But I do love how they are each learning to look out for the well-being of each other. I think that's a very valuable life lesson to learn!
To conclude, if Shav was still habitually putting everything in his mouth, I would NOT allow him to play with marbles or tiny blocks. I'm sure you're doing exactly what is best for Marie at this stage, and--like my mother always says--this too shall pass!! :)
Yay David! I am impressed.. I am almost done shopping.. haven't started wrapping.. one year I waited until Christmas eve because I thought it would be fun to wrap presents and eat cookies and listen to christmas music.. it was not! I will try to never do that again!
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