Fight the Power

There are things you forget, and then there are things you purposely shove out of your memory because it's better that way.

Giving babies medicine. It's that special sort of challenging that is best left forgotten.

Mila and the never-ending drama that is the cold she's had for seemingly half her life has brought that special sort of memory out of the dungeon and slapped it right in my face. She's like most all tiny humans and makes the process as challenging as possible.

By the way, you may not know this, but babies are born with 18 arms. You can only see two of them because the other ones move too fast for the naked eye to detect. You can tell they're there if you try to walk through a store with lots of glass while holding a baby. Crash! Boom! Bang!

You can also tell if you try to put medicine in a baby's mouth. Babies can grab that syringe or spoon and launch it across the room faster than you can yell, "But it will make you feel better!"

Mila started her round of antibiotics in very typical fashion. She yelled, flailed, and generally did all she could to resist. We've played that game before, however, so it didn't really work out for her. So, she changed strategies.

At first, I didn't realize what she was doing. I thought she was giving in and being a perfect little angel who takes her medicine without a fight. I was ... wrong. Miss Mila happily let me shove the medicine in her mouth and then waited. And waited. And waited. Once she thought I was no longer paying attention, she quietly opened her mouth and let the medicine fall out.

All of it.

It was the silent yet brilliant refusal. Given that it was BRILLIANT, truly, I figured it was just a lucky attempt.

She has done that exact thing every time I've given her anything in the past three days.

The really super part of it all is that she's now on day 7 of antibiotics, but rocking a ton of congestion and a fever while still tugging on her ear. I'm pretty sure we're going to end up with some bonus days that she can use to find a fun new way to fight the power.

The Elf May Shove Some Dog Treats Down Her Pants

Have I ever mentioned that I hate the Elf?

I still hate the Elf.

I caved to the pressure of a certain 8 year-old a few weeks back, thereby making us the last house on earth to have the creepy creeper lurking all over. For the record, caving was the right thing to do. Alexis burst into the house after we returned from Thanksgiving desperately looking for the stupid thing. She was positively gleeful when she found it.

By the way, it was locked in a drawer when we got home. Something shiny had to be thrown at Alexis while it moved somewhere less locked up. Then she walked past it 5023523 times without seeing it, so it had to more somewhere more obvious while she was distracted. It was an absolute fiasco, but ZOMG SO HAPPY.

The happy has continued every single day, despite the fact that the Elf hasn't been an angel every day.

When the Elf in this house is bad, it's because the kid was bad. Apparently that's the story that's told amongst third graders in our area. I like that interpretation. I especially like that when our Elf has been bad, it has directed its mischief at the kid who caused the drama in the first place. Don't want your desk messed up? Maybe try telling your mom the truth all day.  Tit for tat, n'at.

Whether the Elf has been on its best behavior or not, hunting for the little creeper has been Alexis' favorite part of the day every day. Which, that's interesting. Someone is maybe trying to make sure this Elf mess only lasts one year. That someone is maybe doing things like leaving the Elf on a shelf two inches from Alexis' face so that when she wakes up, THERE IT IS. STARING. LIKE A CREEPY JERK.

Alexis was joyful and happy that the Elf had watched her sleep.

For real.

Thus, someone is preparing to escalate the situation a bit. She's not sure how, but there has to be a way. It may involve framing Penny in a complicated Elf murder situation, but we shall see.

A photo posted by Burgh Baby (@burghbaby) on Dec 12, 2014 at 5:39am PST

The Home Stretch

For six years now, Alexis has stood on the sidelines as our home has filled with toys for strangers. She has helped to open boxes, check off lists, and organize piles. She has proclaimed some toys "SO awesome!" and begged for others. At the end of it all, however, she always watches as all of the toys leave.

I long ago explained why the toys leave. I have told her that they are going to kids who need them because sometimes life is hard. I think Alexis understands.

Actually, I know she understands.

I don't want to get into the details because the world is far too small, but recently Alexis mentioned something that she heard at school. It was the kind of something that breaks your heart because even if it's only 10% true, it's 100% awful. The long of the short is that there is now a mother and daughter living with a friend because of an awful situation.

Alexis told me this week that the daughter says there will be no Santa this year. Third graders tend to spin the truth into something a little bit different, but I think the core truth is that money is tight for a family this year, so they will be cutting back on gifts.

Alexis asked if any of the Christmas Crazy toys could go to that girl. When I said that we couldn't really do that, she asked if she could give one of her gifts to that girl.

That oldest daughter of mine carries her heart around in her hands. She was born that way, but you have helped to direct that empathy and kindness. You have shown her that strangers can make a difference, that kindness wins, and that the holidays are about giving.

You've given her a chance to see magic happen.

Thank you for that. There's not much of a better gift you all could give me than the opportunity to show my girls what giving looks like.

It's the end, folks. This is the last week for putting together a giant pile of magic. The Amazon wishlist will be closing on December 8th. You can deliver items to Anchor & Anvil through December 12th and please do. Right now there is just one lonely item sitting in the box there. PayPal will also be open through December 12th. The button is in the sidebar over there ----->

Let's finish this.