Elf on the Shelf Not Feeling So Merry


That time of year snuck up on us more so than in past years.  Time for the return of one of our favorite little people, Flyie.  I think the boys now get as excited for Thanksgiving as they do for Christmas all because of the return of one little man in a red suit. Our very own Elf on the Shelf.  This year, Flyie arrived with a big gift.  A basketball net for the driveway.  Kalvin has just started playing basketball in a league and absolutely loves it.  I think Flyie wanted to give the boys a present to enjoy as much as possible before the snow started falling.

Flyie has been up to a little more mischief this year.  He got himself tangled up in toilet paper and then made a swing from the empty roll.  Was caught playing in the china cabinet.  Swinging with the barrel of monkeys.



And everyone's favorite prank...drawing on our pictures.

 
No wonder the little fellow came down with a fever and had to stay until New Year's Eve again this year.  Remember the book from last year?


 I discussed how hard it is for Kalvin to say goodbye to Flyie on Christmas Eve here.

Kalvin did much better this year.  There were no tears.  No anxiety.  Just a simple note to Flyie begging him to stay a little longer this year.  I think this is another positive result from our CBT sessions which I will talk about in my next post. There was also some talk of Flyie bringing a "girlfriend" with him next year.  Kalvin heard from some friends at school that if he gets a girl Elf on the Shelf then his boy Elf on the Shelf could get married and have a baby Elf on the Shelf right in our home! Yup, second grade and the birds and the bees are starting to hum.  We are babysitting the classroom guinea pig over holiday break and it seems the kids in the classroom are all hoping the classroom guinea pig (a girl) will come back to school pregnant from our pet guinea pig (a boy).  The teacher had to explain to the classroom that the classroom guinea pig is too young to have babies and that all the "play dates" between the two guinea pigs will have to be highly supervised!  Oh, the conversations to look forward to.

Flyie isn't the only one who has been up to more mischief than usual.  The holidays can bring out the mischievous side in all of us.




HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Security

Kalvin enjoying the Ohio State vs Michigan game with his grandpa. Family tradition.
Kalvin hasn't talked a whole lot about his fiancé recently, but when he does it is with such great emotion.  If you haven't heard the story of how a six year old gets a fiancé, read here.  Kalvin brought up Catherine's name the other day by telling me that he is really not so sure that she is interested in him anymore.  "Why do you think that?" I hesitantly asked.

"Well, she runs away when I come over to her at recess," he sadly admitted.

"Sometimes girls do that when they are shy.  Maybe she still wants to be your friend, but is being shy about it," I hoped out loud.

"She does giggle when I see her in the hall.  And then I just giggle back.  That is kind of like a little language we speak." he added, giggily.  This boy is now eight years old and has the insight of a sixty year old.

"Right, see," I said.  "She is still your friend."


Braxton Miller...the quarterback.
"It is just, well, Cayden at school that I am worried about," he mumbled.  "I think Cayden wants to be Catherine's husband too.  You have to see how he looks at her when she moves her hair like this (Kalvin runs his fingers through his hair and slowwlly moves his head to one side).  Cayden just stares at her hair.  I just know he is in love with her too," he says with a heavy heart.

"Well, you can't worry about that," I say.  "Just be yourself and have fun.  After all, it is a long way away before you can actually get married."  There I said it.  Hoping not to burst his bubble.

"Right mom,"  he adds.  "That is why I am thinking about Paige too.  She has looonngg blond hair and is soooo nice.  She is like a back up wife.  You know, like the back up quarterback in football."
I really don't even know what to say at this point, "Just get to know all the girls and enjoy their friendship now. There are lots of fish in the sea and quarterbacks in football. Don't worry so much about the future.  Enjoy the moment."
He just looks at me and smiles.

I just smile back.

Watching every play.
Kalvin really seems to feel like he has sort of secured his future.  He knows who his wife will be.  Checked it off the list.  One thing he won't have to figure out in the future along with which profession to take up or where to go to college.  I think it actually provides him with a sense of security and a little confidence.  If we all could "secure" up our future and move on with life.  If it were so simple.  And it feels like sometimes we get caught up in the securing of our own future instead of living in the now.  And when I think about it,  living just to secure tomorrow and missing all that is happening today, can seem as silly as Kalvin believing he is actually going to one day walk down the aisle with Catherine.  Or, I guess now possibly, Paige.  The motivation behind some big life changes we are making over here is just that.  We want to focus more on the now and less on tomorrow.  Of course, all while still being responsible.  We are trying to live in the now, after all,  no one is promised a tomorrow.

More stories on Kalvin's fiancé here and here.

The littlest Braxton Miller.

 
Long day for a little fan.