The Christmas Card Photo and Other Sundry Topics

Our ginormous tree is still not decorated.  We ran out of lights and had to purchase many new strands.  As a result, our budget is now blown for the month and we will be feasting on nothing but beans and rice, rice and beans. (Name that Financial Guru.)

When we informed Daisy Mae that we would not be decorating the tree tonight, she fell on the ground and wailed:

"All my life!  All my life, Mom!  I have waited to decorate this tree ALL MY LIFE!  I can't TAKE IT anymore!"

Such drama.  I wash my hands of it.  I think we might decorate the tree tomorrow night.  Or we might see if Daisy Mae will explode.  Tough one.

The girls had a piano recital on Sunday.

Here they are, feeling confident, per usual.

My girls have uber different personalities.  Sweet Pea (pink vest) gets a little more stressed out and concerned about such things.  She sits and taps her legs, chews her lip, holds her sheet music tightly, and checks the program over and over to make sure she won't miss her turn.

She gets up there and says the title of her song.  The title is spoken with such speed that it cannot be understood by human ears.

Here is Sweet Pea announcing the song selection to the crowd:

Did you hear it?  Did you?

I missed it.

She does well for her performance, but it kills me because I feel nervous for her . . . because I know she is nervous.

True Story:  When I was a young lass, I would get quite nervous for piano recitals.  My hands would be violently shaking and I would be unable to play anything.  My mother resorted to giving me sedaditves before each performance.

So Sweet Pea takes after me.  Poor dear.

Daisy Mae, however,  likes to keep things loosie goosie.  She doodles on the program and prattles on and on to her grandparents.  Her loving family members have to remind her that it is time to play her song.  She's never quite sure where her music is, but she's sure it will turn up eventually.

She played her songs out of order.  When her older sister informed her of her mistake, Daisy Mae just grinned with her darling dimples and giggled:

"Oops!"

The only thing worrying Daisy Mae on Sunday was whether or not her mother would be able to give her a curly pony tail.

Nailed it.

Handsome Dude had his preschool music program tonight.

He is the four year old who looks like a seven year old and is wearing glasses.

Hold the phone!  My boy!  Wearing his glasses!  In one piece?!  That's crazy talk.

I was getting Handsome Dude all ready for his debut tonight.

"Mom!  Stop doing that to my hair!  My girl (his teacher) doesn't want me to look so handsome!"

He's a humble guy, you know?  When we got to the school, he decided to show us the ropes.

"Ok, ever-buddy!  No running in the halls!  No screaming in the halls!  No LELL-ing (yelling) in the halls!  And ever-buddy listen to teacher!"

And this has nothing to do with anything, but I want to remember it forever and so I am writing it down in this very blog that you are reading.

Handsome Dude calls scissors "Rock Paper Scissors."  Because that is obviously the simpler choice.

"Mom!  Can I use Rock Paper Scissors?"

"Mom!  Teacher says I have to hold my Rock Paper Scissors wee carefully."

So precious.

***

We were all dressed and decent at the same time on Sunday, so I informed my beloved that we should take a photo for the annual Christmas card.

I'm pretty sure Handsome Dude is not grabbing his crotch.  I think he is just posing.

Little Dude is probably telling me my brown hair is "icky."  Because he is pleasant like that.

Little Dude.  "How YOU doin'?"

Handsome Dude.  He's wondering how much longer these pictures are going to take and he's pretty sure that if he looks really far ahead of him, he can see the end.

No.  I didn't try to correct him.  Just like I don't correct him every morning when he steps on the scale and asks me if he is still four.

You must choose your battles wisely, folks.

No!  He's not grabbing his crotch!

Sweet Pea has kept the same sassy leg pose the whole time.  FYI.

David!  He's totes putting out the vibe.

And THAT dear readers, is the picture that will make it onto our Christmas card.

For it will do.  Yes.  It will do.

Goodnight.