Hello? Is Santa There?

Being the terrible mother that I am, I have resorted to "calling" Santa Claus when I need help trying to get the kids to cooperate. I can't be blamed for it - Jon started it!! The other night when the kids were out of control (screaming, yelling, throwing food/toys), the phone rang. It was Jennifer checking to see if I was ready to walk, but the kids didn't know that. They kept asking who I was talking to, and Jon (who had had enough at this point and had lost his seemingly never-ending supply of patience) finally told them that it was Santa. He said that Santa was calling to check in - to see how everyone was behaving. Gabriel was confused - he knows when Santa comes (winter), and it's not winter. He said as much to Jon. Jon reassured him that Santa does, indeed, call throughout the year to make sure everyone is being nice to their mommies and daddies, brothers and sisters, cats and dogs, toys and dinners.

This morning, the kids were acting like mini-fools (once again throwing food/toys, screaming/yelling), and before he left, Jon told them they'd better behave. Santa might just call again. Or worse. Mommy might have to call him. Gabriel immediately stopped throwing and screaming. Elliott stopped screaming, but said she still wasn't going to eat her waffles. Janna, obviously, didn't care and continued to throw her food on the floor and spray milk everywhere.

After things calmed down a bit, Gabriel came into the kitchen to actually ask if I was planning to call Santa. I said no, but that I would if he really didn't behave himself. He said he would. His reason? He wanted to make sure Santa was bringing him a Polar Express. I told him that behaving would be great! It would make everyone happy and proud - especially Mommy and Santa.

So far, so good. Gabey and Elliott are in the playroom playing "Nice Guy/Nasty One". Apparently Elliott is the Nasty One and Gabey is the Nice Guy. He is chasing her with a magic wand (an Aida cross-stitch fabric tube filled with rainbow colored beads and duct taped at the ends) and a piece of pretend pizza. I guess those are the tools needed to reform the Nasty One.