christmas adam

This year has been the best, I think, for watching Juma experience Christmas. Each year so far has had its fun, but this year Juma is really old enough to anticipate and enjoy it.

It's also sparked a little greediness in him that he didn't have a month ago. Those few weeks ago we were in a Walgreen's getting something-or-other, and Juma saw a action figure, a "motorcycle guy with a helmet." He picked up that toy in its box like it were a precious jewel, and said with great awe and wonder, "I'd really like to have one of these some day." It made me heart glad that he didn't say, "Mom, can I have this? Mom, let's get this. I have to have this now!" and start bawling and screaming right there in the aisle, like I probably did to my mom when I was four. Instead, he just expressed his conviction that that motorcycle guy would enrich his life. But the answer I gave changed things for the rest of the month: "Maybe for Christmas."

A week or so later, we went to Toys-R-Us to get a toy for his classmate's birthday. Juma was as excited as, well, a kid in a toy store. "Look at that! Look at that! Oh, look, Thomas! Wow! Cars! Oh, I want that. Mom, can I have that?" It was never demanding or whining, just excitement. The next time we went, I was actually shopping for him, doing my best to hide things under my coat in the cart (it worked). But this time, he was more demanding. He finally realized that his expressions of excitement could translate into a present under the tree.

I had come to Toys-R-Us this time with the express task of buying Juma's deepest wish: "the whole set of Cars: Lighting McQueen, Mater, and Dinoco [the King]." And then I learned about parents' Christmas nightmare:

Sold Out

At four stores. I even checked twice at the same store. No luck.

The one thing my son specifically asked for, repeatedly, and apparently every other boy wanted it too. Duh! Why didn't I shop earlier? Why didn't I ask him earlier what he wanted?

It's useless now. I got him his second-most wanted toy. I think he'll be happy anyway. It probably won't be a big deal, but I still feel that pang that I as a parent have failed him in that small way.

I've tried to focus him away from the gift-getting, too, to the pleasure of gift-giving. He's extremely proud when he can write "from Juma" on any gift, even ones not from him. And when he delivered homemade cookies (that he helped make) to our stairwell neighbors, he only wanted to deliver more.

Either way, I can see that Christmas is magical for him, and that is very satisfying to watch.