***CHRISTMAS BELIEVERS BEWARE***

******DISCLAIMER: CHRISTMAS BELIEVERS BEWARE********

We are officially, unofficially a non-believing Christmas house. Alyssa asked the big Christmas question the other day..."Is Santa real?"

Now, bear in mind, that Alyssa asked this question about 2 years ago. When she asked me then, I asked her if she really, really wanted to know (asked about 20 times). She said, "YES." So, I told her the truth. She was devastated by this news -- so I did what any mom would have done, I told her I was kidding...everyone knows Santa is real. Well, Alyssa doesn't remember this happening (which helped her to continue to believe). So here we are in the present...

"Is Santa real?" This time I wanted to make sure she really wanted to know. I asked her, "Do you really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really want to know?" Of course, she said, "YES." So, we had 'THE TALK'. I came clean about Santa. She didn't cry, so far so good! I figure, let's take it a little further...

I asked her if she wanted to know about any other people. She wasn't sure what I meant. So I said, "You know, Cupid, the Boogey Man, Mother Nature, Father Time..." She asked, "Are they real?" I again asked her, "Do you really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really want to know?" Of course, she said, "YES." So, we had another talk. I came clean about Cupid, the Boogey Man, Mother Nature, Father Time, Tooth Fairy and Easter Bunny. She looked at me and asked, "So, is the Sand Man real?" I came clean again.

Alyssa has handled the news well. She shamelessly announces her gift requests as loudly as possible. I think she was ready this time. She even wrote about "the Santa truth" in her journal at school.

As I said in the beginnning we are officially, unofficially a non-believing Christmas house. This means, we still go through the motions...JUST IN CASE...someone gave us the wrong information!!

A little bird told me...Santa wants Oatmeal Raisin cookies from Subway and a cold coke under the tree.

MY BABY IS GROWING UP!!!!!