Countdown to Christmas

Lessons learned last year:

1. The kids loved the Playmobil Advent calendar.
2. Make sure to have one for each of them. (Day one last December, Mommy was scrambling after 2-year-old Sydney asked, "Where's mine?")

Remembering that, I was ready this year for each of them. AJ was pretty excited to discover his is pirate-themed this year. The first treat: a palm tree. Never mind that he already has probably half a dozen of them from other Playmobil toys, this one came in a big box, therefore it's cool.

Sydney, meanwhile, doesn't quite understand that she gets just one small gift a day. Patience is not one of her strong points. I found a fairy/unicorn themed calendar for her. After revealing a fairy (which she adorably refers to as her "fairytale") on the first night, she was ready to break into the second box.

"No," I explained. "You have to wait until tomorrow."

"But my fairytale needs a crown," she insisted.

She'll have to be patient. If I remember right, she'll get wings and a wand tonight. The crown is still a few days off.

AJ understands making do with what you have. So he quickly set up the backdrop scene that came with his calendar, along with the palm tree, then gathered up some of his other pirate toys for a meeting at the beach.

One of these years I'm going to be organized enough to buy or make a real Advent calendar. Yeah right. I'm pretty sure I said the same thing last year. I love the idea my friend Jess had - to knit 25 socks and string them up as a garland-like Advent calendar. My goal is to someday copy her... while the kids are still young enough to appreciate it. Except that I don't think she's finished hers yet. And I don't know how to knit.

There's always next year.