Sunday, December 27, 2009

One down...two to go...


This Christmas goes down in the Bullock history books as the year that Avery found out about Santa!

I SWEAR that he found out by accident! At least, consciously...it was an accident. Subconsciously? Probably notsomuch!

We bought each of the kids electric Razor scooters from Santa. We put them together the week before Christmas, and charged them, while the kids were staying at Jake's mom's for the weekend.

We wanted to get rid of the evidence, and a brilliant idea was hatched that when we picked up the kids, we would leave the big scooter boxes in Jake's mom's trash...and our kids would be none-the-wiser.

Well, Avery happened to walk by the truck, and happened to peer into the tinted windows, and happened to see the three scooter boxes, and happened to even notice what color each of the scooters was...as he "happened to glance in the truck." I think he did a little more than glance. I think he was snooping, but, that's neither here, nor there!

He raced to find me and said, "Mom...Mom...MOM! Why are there three scooter boxes in the back of the truck? There's two red ones, and a pink one! What are they for?"

Caught off guard, I fumbled, "Uhhh...Ummmmm. Uh. We're throwing those away for Aunt Taylor. Don't tell the other kids, okay."

After I said it...I realized how stupid it was to lie. He would obviously awake on Christmas morn, to two red scooters and a pink one in his living room, and he would hear his parents claim that they were left by Jolly Old Saint Nick. !

When things like this have happened in the past, I have rearranged gifts with my mom, or Jake's mom, and switched up what the kids would receive from Santa...so, that the fat guy's gifts were always a surprise. Not this year. We decided to let this one run it's course. Avery is on the tail end of his Santa believing years, anyway...so, it was time.

I was positively GIDDY!

Just as we expected, in the early morning hours of Christmas Day, while Lily and Jack did happy dances around their pile of Santa loot, Avery stood aside. The reality that his parents were big fat liars was dumped on top of his head, and he stood there, covered in it. Confused. Disappointed. Not knowing how to react, he slathered on his best poker face. He smiled, laughed, and kept this revelation to himself all day long.

Later that night, while I tucked him into bed, alone with him for the first time that day, I said, "Did you have a good Christmas, Buddy?"

He looked defeated, and his disappointment was evident in his speech, when he said, "Yeah, Mom. I guess I did," as he averted his eyes away from mine.

Feeding the elephant in the room a peanut, I said, "So, did you just totally catch us this year, or what?"

Relieved to be able to vent his frustration, he came alive, and said, "UH...YEAH! I DID!"

Rhetorically, he asked, "You guys are Santa??" He said it again. This time, it was a statement. It was accusatory, "YOU GUYS ARE SANTA!!!"

Finally speaking nothing but the truth, I said, "Yup! We sure are! It's just something fun that moms and dads do for their kids on Christmas. It's fun to pretend, and it's fun to see how magical you kids think it is."

He was silent for a minute, then began firing the questions at me, in rapid succession.

"So, elves are real, but Santa's not?"

Laughing, I answered, "Nope. Elves aren't real either."

Another revelation, "Oooooooh...so, you guys just go out and buy the toys?"

"Yes, son. That's exactly what we do."

"And all those letters to Santa? Where do they go?"

I replied, "Well, we let you put them in the mailbox, and after you kids were in bed, we would get the letter out of the mailbox. I stash them in a keepsake box to save in your baby books. I have all the letters you've written through the years."

"And what about all the things on the news about Santa? And that Santa network on our satellite? What is that about?"

Again, with the truth, I said, "Yeah...us grownups just kinda work together on keeping the magic of Christmas alive for our kids. It's kind of a big ole conspiracy --"

He interrupted me, fingering big, dramatic air quotes, and said, "Oh...Oh...And "SANTA" eats those cookies we leave out for him, huh?! YOU GUYS EAT THE COOKIES, DON'T YOU?! OH.MY.GAAAWD! THIS IS CRAZY! All this time, you had me believing in Santa. All this time, you guys sneak around at night, pretending to be Santa?!"

I could see yet another revelation in his eyes, and he said, "OH MY GAAAAAWD! The other day, when I lost a tooth? Don't tell me you're the tooth fairy, too! Mom, are you the Tooth Fairy?"

"Yes. Guilty as charged. Dad and I are the Tooth Fairy, too!"

He was shocked, "So, when I put the tooth under my pillow, y'all come creeping in here, take it while I'm sleeping, and leave some money under there?!?"

I nodded.

He yelled, "That's weird!! You shouldn't sneak around in my room while I'm sleeping! That's weird!!" Then, he gasped, "WHAT ABOUT THE EASTER BUNNY?"

Not able to restrain myself from effing with him a bit, I said, "Naw...the Easter Bunny's real!"

"Oh...whew! Good! I thought...." He stopped himself short, and said, "You're just messing with me! That's mean! My whole life is a lie, and you're teasing me! Mom, that's mean!"

He began to laugh. So did I.

I explained, "We don't do it to be mean, kid. It's just something fun we do. You'll likely do it with your kids, too. I'm sorry you had to find out that way, but, I'm glad you know. Now you know that we have to work to pay for those things you guys get. They don't just magically appear! Just do me a favor...please don't tell your brother and sister. Let them find out for themselves, too, okay?"

He responded, "Mom...I would never tell Lily and Jack that Santa's not real. It would crush them if they found out, Mom. This morning, when they were so excited about what Santa brought, and I knew the truth...I cried. We can't tell them, ever, Mom! EVER!"

With that, I watched my boy grow up a bit. Actually, he grew up a lot. And, that crushed me a little!

12 comments:

Stacey said...

Aww...that made me tear up a bit!Poor kid!
I remember the day my dad told me about Santa and the others. I was already suspicious, but I remember that I believed in the tooth fairy because I thought she was an angel.

Jes said...

That's so sweet he doesn't want his little bro and sis to find out! But it's a little sad don't you think that he knows the truth now? Those magical years are over. I know it won't be too long before Justin figures it out. This year we dodged a bullet! Maybe next year will be the year he figures it out?

Tatman said...

What a great story. Thanks for sharing it.

heidi said...

Awww! Bittersweet moment. I love that he doesn't want the others to find out yet. Next year maybe he can HELP be Santa!

Kimmy said...

Awwww....this is a moment I'm not looking forward to cause it's true....they become big kids at that moment. *sigh* :o(

Jayme said...

Aww how bittersweet!

Allie said...

Loved this post, you captured it perfectly! I have to admit I even got "a tear". Hope your Christmas was great!

MagpieMoon said...

Bittersweet, isn't it Nikki? I have 10 year old twins. My son has decided this year that Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy are not real, and yet his twin sister still wants to very much to believe. About a week before Christmas, as she was telling me how much she hoped to find an American Girl doll under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning, she said "Mom, I still want to believe in Santa this year. Is that OK?" It was almost as if she was afraid she wouldn't get the doll if she even dared to admit she thought Santa might not be real. She got the doll she asked for, so maybe -- just maybe -- we have another year of Santa ahead of us. Time will tell!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours, Nikki!

Tessa said...

awe....i so teared up at the end of that post...poor lil guy..it happens. how old is he?
my eldest is 9 and he is still a "believer", but i'm thinking that next year will be the last, if even.
growing up is so bitter sweet. i think it's sweet to let the older ones in on the magic making once they find out.

Heidi said...

SHIT! Why am I crying? That sucks, I feel like I just found out there's no Santa. But you said it perfectly to him. Can you come talk to mine when the time comes? I think we only have a year or so left and it sucks!!!!

Kimberly said...

pretty sweet Nikki... with your posts I always either laugh my ass off or cry my heart out... (cried this time) like someone else said, I felt like I just found out the truth!! haha!! I know our time is coming, so let me just say that YOU ROCK if you keep your kiddos letters to Santa every year!! I never remember to do this! I do think to, but by time all is said and done, I can't find them again after I have hidden them... kinda like their teeth, I just have those suckers stuffed everywhere!! haha!! I do have the teeth atleast! LOL! thanks for another great post...

Kameron said...

I thnk you handled that great! It is so sweet that he doesn't want to ruin it for his brother and sister! I'll be sad when there is no more Santa in our house!