Missmas Outpits

The 2011 Christmas Season has begun!

Babyboy is in a 2 1/2 year, independent, "I can do it myself" stage. Yesterday he came down for breakfast clothed in his "Missmas Outpit". A handsome vest backwards, no shirt, and tweed dress pants also backward facing. "Honey, that is your special Christmas outfit. It isn't for today." I declared. "No. I wear Missmas outpit today." He responded convincingly. This was only the beginning of the dozen outfit changes yesterday. From snowman pajamas to bright red sweaters, he had clearly found the stack of clothes I had reserved as festive wear.

While Babyboy napped, Oldest and Middleson were my right-hand men in towing the Christmas bins upstairs. This year I didn't step foot in the crawlspace. My anxious helpers were happy with the adventure. Although I clearly appreciated the help, it was also a reminder of how quickly they are growing up.

Babyboy awakened to a winter wonderland. Stuffed snowman, ready-to-be-filled stockings, the Little People Nativity set, and flickering lights. What more could a two year old ask for?

He went to work transferring things from here to there and everywhere. He perched his Little People policeman atop the Little People Manger where the angel is supposed to perch. Although maybe he saw them both in a "security guard" type of role.

The snowmen with carrot noses posed a problem since he deemed them broken. He wouldn't let them near the rest of the stuffed moose, snowman, or santas.

Then he discovered the Christmas plates. They are used ONLY, only on Christmas morn for cinnamon rolls. He wanted his afternoon animal crackers served on a particular beloved plate. He won. "Why not?" I reasoned with myself.

Then another Missmas outpit.

Suddenly the stuffed creatures (minus the snowmen with "broken" carrot noses) were missing. So were the fragile, look but don't touch, musical snowman. Missing.

Found. Upstairs in Babyboy's room, they were tucked safely into his bed covered by the Christmas Tree skirt as a blanket. The bag of Christmas clothes was spread across his floor. Again. Again. AGAIN!

Up and down, and down and up,I ran around the house putting the newly displayed Christmas decorations back in their spots. This is the perfect solution for Thanksgiving weight gain.

A simplified decorating scheme was looking more and more appealing. "What can I put back in the Christmas bins?" I asked myself.

But the JOY of Christmas bouncing around in Babyboy's discoveries was worth the mayhem of the afternoon.

Afterall, that's really what Christmas is all about. Jesus coming to earth, in the midst of chaos and mayhem, to bring true JOY.

Babyboy, bring out the Missmas outpits and Christmas dishes. Why save them just for a day, when the season has only just begun?

Merry Missmas in the midst of discovering the true meaning of CHRISTmas.