For those who know my children, I was pondering what to do for our Christmas tree, ornament wise, this year. In years past, Nyla has been known to actually EAT glass ornaments. And pull over the tree (Sorry Tanya!). Kind of like Jim Carey in the "Grinch"... Her nick name has become "The a-Nyla-lator" because of her amazing ability to chew anything. Her younger sister on the other hand has assumed the nick name of "Stitch" from Lilo and Stitch, the movie. She has the amazing ability to destroy just about anything even though she just turned 2. Just one example is our brand new computer screen. She took not only a pen and a crayon, but also an Exact-o knife to the screen. No, she didn't get hurt. But the computer screen will never be the same again. Matt did purchase extra insurance coverage on the new screen but unfortunately it doesn't cover toddler incidentals! :)
Last year Nyla decorated the tree with her underwear. Although funny, I didn't think it quite appropriate for the spiritual feeling of the holiday! We put the tree up the day after Thanksgiving and its just been sitting bare in the dinning room. On a side note, Lizzy has already figured out how to turn the lights on and off of the tree. I had spent a good amount of time putting regular decorations away and getting the christmas things set just so and put out about the house. The girls had pilfered through anything that was within reach. Broke a basket, dumped out at least 3 little boxes of those annoying little metal hooks for ornaments, broke the string that holds up the Christmas count down calendar, left teeth marks in the stacking metal tins, unstuffed a little santa container and left the shred all over the house, and a few other things that I can't remember off the top of my head. And that was just the first day!
So with anything that I wanted salvaged to use for next year I put them really high up and out of reach. The girls are still attempting to get some of them. But you can see why it was just left bare with no real desire to decorate it yet. Yesterday Nyla put her doll in it while we ate lunch and it just hung out there until today. As the girls were getting a little squirely today I told Nyla to go and get some more of her toys and put them on the tree. I realized that it looked pretty fun and festive and the girls had fun stuffung their toys in the branches. It doubles as a Christmas tree and a toy organizer. Since its right by the front door I suppose we could even put mittens on it to dry!
(Notice Lizzy between the tree and the chair. She is turning on the lights)
As I was stressing about how the girls were destroying everything I was trying to do to create the Christmas feel in the house, I realized that I was killing it just as fast by getting upset at them. For what? Them being curious, busy toddlers? So to restore a little sanity to us all, this is how we are decorating the Christmas tree this year. They can put more on, they can take them off, they can even chew or destroy the decorations if they like. Its all of their own toys! And what a better way to decorate for a child. The tree is decorated with their most loved and prized posessions. Let us all just go with the flow this year and "decorate" your "tree" to include love during this holiday season.
3 comments:
Brilliant! I love that idea! It could also double as your newest coat hanger.
Thanks for posting some pics of your little man! I got your announcment in the mail and it took center stage on the fridge. What a cutie! He looks like a little man too...(Sawyer was born looking like a little man). I loved the dimpled picture too, he looks so sweet.
I have my one beautiful, You touch, you die, tree in the living room. it is off limits. period. but everything else is a free for all. the tree in the family room/kitchen has all of the kids ornaments (with any fragile way up high) and they can turn the lights on and off and rearrage as much as they'd like. then they each have a tree in their own rooms (small one) that they can decorate and redecorate as they like and it serves as their night lights. Our "Elf" is going to string lights up all over their rooms tonight that will be night lights as well.
I have all of my glass nativity sets up high but I have a cheap plastic one that is on a table down low and Rylan loves playing with it.
He does pretty good with the "no touches" if there are few and far between with plenty of things he can touch.
HAHAHAHA!! you have two of the busiest bees i have ever seen! i htink it was great that you let them decorate with their toys. that keeps the peace and it says " hey mommy thinks we are awesome for decorating and using our imagination" way to go mom! we still talk about the eaten ornament around here. i thought i was going to die when i saw her do that!
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