Quotable Christmas

Caroline was so amped up over the holiday, she chattered non-stop--even more non-stop than she usually does. (Is that even possible, you ask? You would have to experience it firsthand to understand.) For one thing, we had all of Jeff's family in town so that meant 11 extra people to talk to!! For another, it was Christmas time and she is three. There was just so much going on and so many presents to unwrap and play with (only child, only grandchild, only neice . . .)!

Here are just a few of my favorite sayings from this Christmas:

"Just what I always wanted!" squealed repeatedly while digging through her stocking and finding, well, stocking gifts--shampoo, lip gloss, candy . . . All of these things were just what she'd always wanted.

*****

On Christmas morning before we had opened any gifts, someone (I think Uncle Josh or Aunt Meesh) asked Caroline if she knew why we gave each other gifts at Christmas time. I think she said, "nuh-uh," (which is what she says even if you've already gone over something with her; I think it's because she would like to be told again and enjoy the repetition--sometimes this is kind of frustrating), and she was told, "It's because God gave us a gift--Jesus. So we give each other gifts and remember the best gift ever that was given to us."

Caroline said, "Yeah, and maybe I will give God a gift too."

"What will you give him"

"A yo-yo."

??

*****

One evening while we were over at Dan's and Lisa's house, Caroline came running into the kitchen where most of us were and exclaimed, "Uncle ----- is sitting on the potty like a GIRL!"

"What? How do you know?"

"Cause I went in there and sawed him [laughing]!"

"What did Uncle ----- say?"

"Shut the door."

"Haven't we talked about knocking when the door is shut?"

We have, by the way. Being part Sawatzky, Caroline lacks the personal space gene--she doesn't really need her own, nor does she expect others to. In my family, a closed door means nothing. Jeff discovered this the first time he visited while we were dating. When he told me that my sister had started to open the door while he was changing, I asked him if he had locked it. He said, "No--I shut it," in a shouldn't-that-be-enough sort of tone. That's not enough around here, I explained.

The house we are renting has one of the weirdest master bedroom/bath set-ups ever, in my opinion. There are two small double doors leading into the bathroom from the bedroom and they do not lock. And in the bathroom itself, there is not a door to separate the "water closet" from the rest of the bathroom. So if you want privacy, you have to lock the bedroom doors--which are also double doors. And in order for them to lock, the first one has to be bolted with a sliding thing up top and then the second closed and locked on the handle. That's a lot of work for a bathroom trip! It makes absolutely no sense to me.

So there have been quite a few times we have not done due diligence by adequately securing the premises and have had to tell Caroline, "Shut the door! Knock first!"

I'm guessing in her eagerness to follow Uncle ----- around in order to know what he was up to at all times, she didn't remember this little rule.

*****

On a very different note, the very first thing Caroline said on Christmas morning--when we were expecting her to say she couldn't wait to open presents--was, "I can't wait to go to Heaven and see Lindsey." I thought it was sweet that she was thinking about her friend.

*****

I hope everyone had a good holiday season. I feel out of touch because I didn't send out any Christmas cards this year and haven't been on here to give an update in a long time (as Nikki pointed out). :) There is still lots I'd like to write, but this will have to be all for now. Hopefully I'll post some pictures and other things this week. Happy [somewhat belated] New Year!