Cookie Lament and Elf Fail

Today's favorite moments included . . .

. . . turning on Christmas music and putting up some of our decorations.

. . . taking a power nap while the kids slept. It was really short--I'm not even sure if I actually fell asleep--but it made a world of difference in my energy level (see below).

Not-so-favorite moments:

. . . Daniel waking me up at 3:15am because he had a 103.2 temperature. Fortunately Infant Motrin and half an hour of rocking brought it down so we could both go back to sleep. Yawn.

. . . committing an epic Mom fail. Last year we received an Elf on the Shelf--a little elf doll with a cute book explaining his story. Joy and I unwrapped the elf for the first time tonight, and I set him up on our piano. Then we read the book that said the elf watches kids for Santa, flies to the North Pole each night to report, then returns by morning to watch in a different spot (translation: parents move him to a new spot after the kids are in bed), and kids can have fun finding his new location in their home each day. The book emphasizes that you should not touch the elf, or his magic may go away so he can't fly to Santa and tell him how good you are.

Of course, Joy immediately pointed out that we had ALREADY touched him. I realized that that detail, plus the fact that Joy had seen me unwrap him from the box, probably destroyed any illusion she might have that the elf was really Santa's helper. When I suggested that we shouldn't touch him any more so his magic won't rub off, Joy patiently replied, "Mom, it's just a game." Sigh...yes, it is.

And another thing . . .

I like baking cookies. I like eating cookies. I don't like the fact that most recipes yield several dozen cookies, most of which will be eaten by me since I'm home with them all day, every day. I'd happily share with friends, neighbors, and even random strangers, but when I do their enthusiasm often seems tempered by visions of each cookie going straight to their hips. I guess I could make smaller batches so I won't eat so many each time, but eggs are so darn hard to halve, quarter, or (heaven help you) third. Maybe I'll start freezing half the dough--I've read that you can store dense cookie doughs for four to six weeks.