Think fast.. Santa Clause

It has been almost one year since Madyson gave her pacies away. For a few months, she was sleeping with them only at night time. When Christmas came, we had purchased a "big girl" bed for her since the toddler bed just wasn't cutting it. (She has a lot of stuffed friends that she sleeps with, we needed a bigger bed) We had already prepared her for no Pacies telling her that she needed to give them to Santa on Christmas Eve so he could take them to other boys and girls. This went very well might I add! She was happy to do it. She did say, here and there, that she really missed her white pacie with the green handle. yes she had favorites

When the pacy went away, the naps stopped also. She still has rest time anywhere from and hour to three depending on the day BUT she does not sleep. She has not slept since the pacies left, unless she accidentally falls sleep while playing which isn't often.

A few weekends ago we started decorating for Christmas. She had waited a week, staring at the Christmas boxes by the door that I had brought up with intentions of decorating the weekend before. Always asking "is this the night we decorate?". 

Zak and I turned on the Christmas music, added the skirt to the tree, and told her it was time. Her eye lit up as I lifted the top of the box. She started digging in. I was nervous because I was not sure where Mr. Elf was at and didn't want her to see him packed away. She was awaiting his arrival from the north pole.I would scout the box for any hand, foot, hat, or color of Mr. Elf... just waiting for her to see him before I did. I picked up a tin with the words Merry Christmas on it. It sure was a cute tin. As I am opening the tin slightly, I had a weird feeling that I wasn't supposed to be opening it, I saw them... I saw all of them and shut the tin fast while looking up to see if she had seen them. She was staring right at me. "Those are pacies mommy" Damn it, my heart sunk. I actually think my heart stopped for a second.. I couldn't breath. I knew at that moment I had ruined Santa Clause for my sweet innocent 4 year old. "We gave them to Santa last year, remember?" ok, it is my turn to say something.. speak Traci.. SPEAK! umm... Speak!!   "You are right! We did.. I wonder why he didn't take them?  Maybe he didn't know they were for him. Maybe we didn't put his name on it and he thought it was a present and didn't want to take a present from you."

She looks at me, I am looking at her.. believe me Mady.. please believe me.. she smile and takes the tin from me "we will have to put his name on it this year wont we. He needs to give them to other boys and girls" She set the tin under the tree and starts to walk back to the box. I turn to look in the box and there is Mr. Elf.. I grab him, slip him under my shirt, and casually RUN to my bedroom... slipping him under my bed..  

omg omg omg..

I wonder how long it will be until I slip up, make another Santa mistake, and have a smart child who doesn't believe my on the spot Santa recovery sentence..

Let me add this, I am 26 years old and STILL get presents from Santa because I still believe.. my chica better watch her self. if there is no santa, then there is no presents.. that is what I was always told!