Christmas Blessings

I have to admit, I was late catching the Christmas spirit this year. I can't pinpoint why but the warm weather in the South doesn't help. It wasn't just the weather, Christmas just seemed to get here too fast. Normally I enjoy each and every day with baking, shopping etc. My attitude completely changed right before the big day.

While I might have been late catching the spirit my son wasn't. He was excited every day at school with the ornament making and movie watching. He even reminded me that we need to make the trip to Santa's Village. It was then that I began to notice he was into the season more than I can ever remember. He excitedly told Santa his list being sure to include something for his new kitten. We enjoyed a wonderful evening in the Village.  We returned home and he kept the spirit where my dwindled a bit.

In the days leading up to Christmas I had a friend loose a daughter, another loose a grandmother, family friend in the hospital with serious issues and my daughter's friend in the hospital fighting for his life. I have all this on my mind as I am in the living room on Christmas Eve. My son walks in  beaming from ear to ear. Then it hits me: the small things.

I cherished every moment of present opening, the hours of watching him play the wii....even the silliness of a lil boy passing gas and laughing his head off. The things that would normally annoy me became the most precious gifts. For the first year ever, my son was excited about leaving a note and cookies for Santa. He even made sure I cut up enough apple for the reindeers.

With so much loss in the last two weeks I am reminded of just how wonderful every moment is in life. School is out for  Christmas break and I can promise you I am going to love the lego mess in the dining room, the board games in the living room, the dirty clothes left in the bathroom, the Xbox blaring from the bedroom...after all it is the little things I am so thankful I have the opportunity to enjoy.

The Crusty Bellybutton

Just when I think things are going smoothly there is something else. Yesterday we are rushing to get dressed before the bus. I'm sitting on the couch making sure Blake has his shirt on right, pants buttoned the normal drill. I lift his shirt and to my amazement his bellybutton is brown. It reminded me of when the cord comes off a newborn. I had a what the??? moment. I know he's been bathing. In fact he spends too much time in the tub with all his toys. How is this possible that he could have so much crud in his button area???? The terrible parent feeling emerges. There is no time to deal. Bus will be here in three minutes so I send him on out with the promise he is going to scrub his bellybutton when he gets home.

All day long I'm wondering how this could have happened. I even considered googling how to remove dirty crust from little boy's belly button. I never actually did with fear that someone would run across my search history.

Afternoon arrives and we are busy getting ready for scout meeting. Once we finally are settling in at home for bath time I decide that I'm going to use alcohol to swab it first. To my amazement the swab starts turning purple. Another what the moment. At this point Blake starts giggle. I keep swabbing and the "crust" is easily coming off making the swab even more purple. My son finally tells me that it is marker. Relief floods me. He wasn't so dirty that he crusted over. I wasn't a horrible mother who didn't realize her son was filthy. Nothing to be guilty over. I was so elated I could have cared less that he used a marker to color his belly button.