Visit to Santa

We went to the mall today so Derick and his baby cousin Taylor could visit Santa. Last year Derick didn't want much to do with Santa, but this year he had been saying "Santa is nice". We had also been working on what he might tell Santa. He had been practicing to say that he wanted a car and a bike. Well when Santa asked him what he wanted, Derick said, "A bike." Then Santa went on to ask Derick what color of bike did he want and Derick replied with, "Car." Santa repeated his question and Derick repeated his same answer. When Santa asked Derick a third time what color of bike he wanted, then Derick finally said "Blue." Then Santa asked Derick if he had been good, and Derick kind of just gave him a blank stare . I think if I had to answer for Derick on that one, I would have a blank stare too -- Just recalling all the days of the tantrums. [My mind flashed briefly back to our Thanksgiving time in Kingman where if I would even mention the word pajamas, Derick would through himself on the floor kicking and screaming... But then I remembered how sweet he is and how he always brings me flowers... so I encouraged him to tell Santa that Yes, he was a good boy.]

All and all Derick is a very wonderful kid. Though I do have to share two things that I don't find so wonderful. 1)He definitely is developing more his selective hearing and not responding when I am asking him to do something he doesn't want to do. 2)We have turned the corner from the borderline OCD kid who hated to get dirty. The boy has no problem laying on the ground pouring sand on himself, jumping in mud puddles, or any other thing he can find. I use to be a little annoyed at how he would freak out at every little thing that would get him dirty, often reminding him he was a boy and that is ok. Well now it can be a little challenging to shake out all the dirt and get stains out of clothes and shoes. There has been a time or two we drive home with him only in a diaper because his clothes are so dirty.

About a month ago we decided to take Derick to the movies. We figured a kid who could sit still in the car for nearly 6 hours all the way home from Disneyland (without a nap) and watch movies could surely handle an hour and half movie. Derick loves to look at animals, so we though watching Madagascar 2 would be fun to do. There were 2 times in the movie that the alpha lions scared him and he started screaming..."Derick all done. Derick go home now." But just as Ricky and I were looking at each other, he would calm down and start laughing saying "Movie funny". So we stayed through it all. He kept talking about it for the next week or so saying "Movie funny" and then starting quoting some movie lines. [See video posted 12/11]. I think I wouldn't be as amazded if he had seen it a hundred times like he has his other movies, but was pretty fascinated by him only viewing it once...well and the trailor a few times. I guess all our laughing must have solidified it in his mind and he now thinks he is a comedian .
We worked hard to get many of our Christmas preparations done early [decorating, shopping, etc.] so are looking forward to enjoying some wonderful family time over the next couple weeks and hopefully won't be too caught up in the hustle and bustle of it all. I really want to take the time to appreciate his sweet childlike wonder...so we'll be back in touch after the holidays!
We went to the mall today so Derick and his baby cousin Taylor could visit Santa. Last year Derick didn't want much to do with Santa, but this year he had been saying "Santa is nice". We had also been working on what he might tell Santa. He had been practicing to say that he wanted a car and a bike. Well when Santa asked him what he wanted, Derick said, "A bike." Then Santa went on to ask Derick what color of bike did he want and Derick replied with, "Car." Santa repeated his question and Derick repeated his same answer. When Santa asked Derick a third time what color of bike he wanted, then Derick finally said "Blue." Then Santa asked Derick if he had been good, and Derick kind of just gave him a blank stare . I think if I had to answer for Derick on that one, I would have a blank stare too -- Just recalling all the days of the tantrums. [My mind flashed briefly back to our Thanksgiving time in Kingman where if I would even mention the word pajamas, Derick would through himself on the floor kicking and screaming... But then I remembered how sweet he is and how he always brings me flowers... so I encouraged him to tell Santa that Yes, he was a good boy.]
All and all Derick is a very wonderful kid. Though I do have to share two things that I don't find so wonderful. 1)He definitely is developing more his selective hearing and not responding when I am asking him to do something he doesn't want to do. 2)We have turned the corner from the borderline OCD kid who hated to get dirty. The boy has no problem laying on the ground pouring sand on himself, jumping in mud puddles, or any other thing he can find. I use to be a little annoyed at how he would freak out at every little thing that would get him dirty, often reminding him he was a boy and that is ok. Well now it can be a little challenging to shake out all the dirt and get stains out of clothes and shoes. There has been a time or two we drive home with him only in a diaper because his clothes are so dirty.
About a month ago we decided to take Derick to the movies. We figured a kid who could sit still in the car for nearly 6 hours all the way home from Disneyland (without a nap) and watch movies could surely handle an hour and half movie. Derick loves to look at animals, so we though watching Madagascar 2 would be fun to do. There were 2 times in the movie that the alpha lions scared him and he started screaming..."Derick all done. Derick go home now." But just as Ricky and I were looking at each other, he would calm down and start laughing saying "Movie funny". So we stayed through it all. He kept talking about it for the next week or so saying "Movie funny" and then starting quoting some movie lines. [See video posted 12/11]. I think I wouldn't be as amazded if he had seen it a hundred times like he has his other movies, but was pretty fascinated by him only viewing it once...well and the trailor a few times. I guess all our laughing must have solidified it in his mind and he now thinks he is a comedian .
We worked hard to get many of our Christmas preparations done early [decorating, shopping, etc.] so are looking forward to enjoying some wonderful family time over the next couple weeks and hopefully won't be too caught up in the hustle and bustle of it all. I really want to take the time to appreciate his sweet childlike wonder...so we'll be back in touch after the holidays!