waiting

If there's one thing you learn as a parent of a preschooler, it's this: delay exciting news.  Over the past couple weeks I've found that A just can't grasp the idea of time enough to understand why it isn't Christmas today.  Talking to her about how many days until we go see family, or celebrate Christmas day, or (worst blunder ever) get to open the secret present I have hidden for her - it's all just asking for frustration as she proceeds to beg "but pleeeease".  Further evidence that time is just a big muddle was hearing her say, as she pushed her dolly in a stroller, "We're going for a walk to Christmas and it's only one hour away!".  My mom-in-law gave me a bright idea to make a countdown for A where she gets to visually see the waiting time grow smaller.  It was also a fun project to work on together (she helped me "write" the title ... clever girl).  Later I rearranged the mittens to make a countdown, rather than a count-up ... but the numbers only matter to me anyway.

Ten days until Christmas!!  Are you ready?