The John Dickson Fridays

It's been a while... let's begin, shall we?

Henry was in his entertainer the other night and John Dickson was truly trying to play with him. There are buttons on the entertainer that have animals on them and they say the animals name, makes the sound, etc. I prompted John Dickson to teach Henry about the animals, and instead of starting to make animal sounds like I expected, he took Henry's hand and gently helped him press all of the buttons. I kid you not. We did not even have to intervene on Henry's behalf - he was doing it that gently. I maybe cried. A little. Maybe.

John Dickson is crazy excited about Christmas, and he doesn't even fully understand the concept yet. Someone (daycare we think?) told him about Christmas trees, and this weekend he has been desperate to "get a christmas tree in my home." We keep telling him they are not for sale yet, and he nods knowingly and says "I get Christmas tree... in a minute." We took the kiddos to the mall yesterday, where, by the way, there was a slight mix up in which there were no size 2 diapers in the diaper bag. Henry sported a size 5. Roll with it. John Dickson loves secrets and often asks me to tell him a secret. So, yesterday, I told him I had a secret for him. And then I whispered in his ear that Santa was at the mall. And then he screamed "SANTA'S AT THE MALL DADDY!!!!!!!!!" Note to self and to readers: do not trust John Dickson with a real secret.

Aaaanyhoo, turns out they let kids just go visit with Santa - no photographing required. So we convince John Dickson to go see the jolly guy by telling him he needs to tell Santa that he wants a Buzz and a Woody (The toy story dolls, not the college experience... dirty dirty minds - you know who you are). So, in true John Dickson form, John Dickson marches right up to him, Santa says "hey little guy!" and John Dickson says "Buzz and Woody!"

Santa gave John Dickson a little wish list card to take with him, and then...

Santa: "You need to come back for pictures before the lines start getting long, so sister will be happy"
Me, in my head: "Did he just say sister?"
Santa: "Right? Where'd your husband go?"
Me, in my head: "I dont know where I got sister from... how does he know my husband is impatient?"
Santa, to John Dickson: "Here you go buddy, take another one for Sissy"

Seriously. Henry, over there with Adam, wearing all blue. Seriously.

It took us a few minutes to leave the Santa area of the mall, because John Dickson thought he was getting a Buzz and a Woody right then and there. When I started trying to explain the elves making his toys in the North Pole, he sort of gave me the funny smile that he smiles when he has no idea what is going on.

So the pack n play is still in our room next to our bed, because well, Henry still sleeps there. We have been fighting John Dickson for months now to stay out of it. The other night I was feeding Henry and John Dickson wanted to get in. I told him no - he listened. I went to go put Henry in his crib, where he spends the first hour long portion of the night and when I came back, surprise surprise, John Dickson in the pack n play. He also likes to straddle the entertainer and make it turn so that it is his own personal carousel. Anyhoo, I told him sternly to get out, right now. He looked at me, pointed to the door and said, with authority "Go feed Henry Mama!!!"

On Saturday afternoon, John Dickson let me rock him to sleep for a nap. I cried a little. Maybe. A little.