TIS THE SEASON...

"TIS THE SEASON" "We wish you a merry holiday, we wish you a merry holiday." No, that doesn't do it. "I'm dreaming of a white holiday, with every white holiday I write." Nope... nope, that doesn't get me there. "The first holiday the angels sang." No. Can't have angels. I guess I will just have to reveal my bigotry. Merry Christmas, Kai-Kai! Yes, "Ti's the season"...but I can't understand what all the fuss is about over specific religious greetings. Each morning since Kai learned to say "Merry Christmas," we have greeted each other with that phrase. Then I will ask him about the snowman in their front yard and the day is centered around "Christmas." I hope Kai-Kai will have a "Merry Christmas" all thru his life according to all of the great American traditions. Let the tactics of the Grinch's, the Scrooges, the white witches and their relatives be gone by then, so he can keep and enjoy Christmas - its date, its name and its best traditions, then honor the rights of anyone who has and celebrates other holidays without interference. Let no one tamper with it or usurp it. Instead in the spirit of the season, let anyone who wants to join in this joyous occasion do so and have a great time. Today, I put up the Christmas tree with him around. He was with me the other day when I was untangling the lights and I showed him where to press for music. He remembered. As soon as he saw the the lights on he started to look for the "music." I haven't bought a tree for awhile now. I always construct one from the cypress and pine trees that I have in the front yard. He started right away to touch the balls, in spite that I told him..."just look and don't touch." He broke one of the balls..."See...what happen?" I guess he understood me then; that if he touch, it will break. I was able to do the hanging with him just looking, and he kept busy with other things with Umma. Something funny happened while I am doing the tree. I went out to get some bricks to stabilized the tree. As usual, he is on my tail. I went in and he was left outside. I had my ladder propped against the pine tree...suddenly we heard..."Umpha help!...Umpha help.! He was on top of the fifth rung of the ladder. I guess he decided to get down but does not know how. Umma was the one who took him down. That's Kai-Kai...! He is getting to be very adventurous! There is nothing he will not try. I have to keep a keen eye on the things he picks up...like hammers, pliers, screwdrivers. He knows the functions of those tools by watching me and he will imitate. I made a mistake of giving him a paper ball. They are made in China and when I was a kid we used to play with them. They are made of colored paper, and a hole where one can blow to inflate it. I think he does not have the concept that it is not like the balls he's used to playing with. He started to bounced it, didn't work and finally started to kick it and it collapsed. He got frustrated and made a fuss. I am sure that it will not work, and decided to get it from him...was he mad!...and started crying. I just let him cry and finally I carried him outside in the backyard for a while. He calmed down and collected himself. I noticed that he was his self again after while as if nothing happened. We went to the kitchen and I sat him on the sink counter. He looked at the sink light ..."no light." I switched the light on and he is happy. He opened the cupboard, picked up his mug, and indicated that he wants some juice. After that he noticed his toothbrush and wants them (he has two). So we both start brushing our teeth. By the time they are ready to go home, he still wants to bring his toothbrush home with him, but Tisha was able to get it from him. I guess this is what some child rearing experts will say..."you have to have a boundary." I am sure that Kai-Kai is learning that. It is still a long way but I will keep on trying. I am using some key words, magic words that I hope will help him understand that it is not always his way. He is a very smart boy and can learn things quick!