The Return of Kipperbuckles, Part Deux

"Mommy?  When I get home from school today can you tell me if Jamie was good or bad?"

"Yes," I replied, "But why?"

"I want to know if Jamie was bad in front of Kipperbuckles."

Oh dear.  I had a feeling I knew where this was headed.  The last thing I wanted was Liam turning into more of a tiny police officer because he didn't want his brother to screw up his chance at good loot from Santa.

I explained to Liam that Jamie's behavior has no bearing on whether or not he got presents from Santa.  As long as he behaved, he would get stuff.  I asked him if that was what he was worried about.  My fears proved to be unfounded.

"No, I'm not worried about any of that stuff but I don't want Jamie to be without presents if we all get them."

[melt]

I explained that Santa didn't expect the same kind of behavior out of Jamie that he expects out of Liam because Liam is 5 and Jamie isn't.  That being good for Jamie isn't about picking up his toys or not being rude because we're still trying to teach Jamie all of that.

"Oh good," he said.

The Return of Kipperbuckles

On a snowy 1st of December morning...

 

Kipperbuckles returned to our lives.

When we came downstairs this morning, I pointed him out to Liam and he got a look of excitement and wonder on his face.  "He's sitting on the gargoyle!" 

[runs to find his Dad]

"Daddy!  Kipperbuckles is back and he's sitting on the gargoyle!"

[comes running back to me]

"I didn't know he was coming today!"

WIN.  I wasn't sure how he was going to take it this year and I was half afraid he would be completely underwhelmed and see straight through our little gambit.  But no, Christmas wonder is alive and well and living on our mantlepiece.  I'm hoping that having Kipperbuckles around will help him toe the line as we approach the holidays.  I'm figuring we'll be good for about 3 weeks but that last week before Christmas ought to be . . . interesting.

We went out this morning to do the weekly grocery shopping and when we came home and were pulling in the driveway Liam piped up from the back seat, "Mommy, I miss Kipperbuckles."  My kid is super awesome.

The Elf on the Shelf

Last year for Christmas Scot's sister bought the family a gift set of "The Elf on the Shelf" complete with our very own Santa's Spying Elf (tm). Liam was so busy with his own gifts that he never noticed it and I tucked it away to be used this year.

Well, it's December now so on Wednesday I pulled out the book and read it with Liam. They had already read it at preschool so he knew about it. When I asked him what we should name our elf he insisted to me that it wasn't real.

"That's not real, Mommy! It's just a book!"

"What are you going to do tomorrow if there's an elf here?"

"It's not real, Mommy."

He gave me The Look that said "Mom, you are *such* an idiot." I'm sure I'll see a lot of that in the teen years.

I let it go but told him that he might be surprised in the morning when there was an elf here.

When he woke up Thursday morning, he found this:



Meet Kipperbuckles. Yes, that's what the kiddo chose to name him. Don't ask because I don't know. It's a 4 year old made up word but he likes it.

Anyway, he tried to tell me again that it wasn't real. Man, nothing gets past this kid.

"That's not real, Mommy!"

"How do you know?" I ask.

"He's not moving."

"He's not supposed to move, sweetheart. He sits and watches all day long and after you go to bed, he flies away to Santa to tell him how you've been that day. Then, in the morning, he'll be watching you from a new place."

He absorbed that for awhile.

Then...

"I'm going to be good, Mommy, because I want presents from Santa."

EPIC WIN.