How much pull do you think Santa really has? Because while I stupidly thought that we were all set, both Shannon and Daniel have thrown a nice curve ball to my ill-fated plan.

Shannon had wanted a pillow pet since she saw the ad in the fall. She saw a knock off at Aldi's a couple weeks ago and she fell in love with it. Being the responsible parent I am, I left my girls in the van and mumbled something about forgetting chocolate chips. Then I scooted inside and purchased the frog pillow-thingie knock-off for Santa, (since I know he's so busy) and finalized my shopping for the kids. (or so I thought)


Right. Done. No more worries about that.


Wrong of course. Since then, Shannon has crafted a lovely letter to Santa complete with a painstakingly rendered picture of a very different dolphin pillow pet that we mailed to Santa via Macy's this weekend. "Mommy, can you check the pillow pet site to see if they have any yet pleeese?" Not to mention those stupid zhu zhu pets are still nowhere to be found. And she wanted those before they were the "must have" toy this year.


Life is so unfair.


I'm trying to do my best to not get stressed about these things but Shannon only has a little bit of time before her believing days are over and how do I explain that even Santa can't work miracles?

Daniel has also conveniently changed his mind about what his little heart desires for Christmas. I put in the word to Santa to get a drum set from Target for him and then I cleverly convinced Dan that he wanted one for Christmas.

We've even been practicing what to say when sitting on Santa's lap. "What do you want for Christmas little boy?"
"I want an official Red Ryder carbine-action..."
No no. It's "I want a d r u m s e t."
Now Dan has decided he wants a lego combine set and that's what he's going to say tomorrow at breakfast with Santa. (I shouldn't worry, I'm sure he'll be paralyzed with fright if he even makes it into Santa's lap.)

He's not going to get that. I'm not running around returning things willy nilly just to appease the ever-changing little minds of my fickle children. But I hate for their faith in Santa to be broken early because jolly ol' St. Nick can't deliver the right goods.


When I didn't get that horse I HAD to have year after year, I think I cut out at least 5 years of Santa believin' Christmases.

At least my kids only want toys.


They just want the wrong ones.