NOBODY Puts Baby in the Corner

When I was flying home a few days ago, I was browsing the skymall catalog as I'm wont to do when I am on the plane. I saw this book titled Elf on the Shelf. I have these Elves, I think most people with grandmothers probably have inherited one or two, and I thought " This is just what we need!" So, last night before I went for a walk I hung the elf on the door handle outside. We had talked about the elf that was coming to stay with us until Christmas and Hans had been anticipating his arrival. When I returned, I knocked on the door and he came running. I would pay serious money to see that look on his face again. It was a strange mixture of excitement and complete terror. We put the elf up on the armoire in the living room. First off the kids wanted a name. I hadn't had the foresight to have one handy. The first thing that came to mind was Frosting, since Hans has been talking about Jack Frosting nipping at his nose for the last week or so. They were satisfied with both the name and the fact that only adults can hear him. Hans has made me swear I will not venture outside the house without him and that Frosting won't be able to see him in the bathroom. I felt kind of bad at first, this wasn't intended to scare him, just make him think twice before he hits his sister or draws on the wall. This morning he was in mid swing when he stopped and took a glance at Frosting before he walked away and started a book. Oscar and Siobhan are good sports and never let on at all. If anything, they raise the level of excitement. Olive? She just yells, " Mom, HE CAN"T TALK" and resumes her time out in the corner. Hans though, he is so sweet and I love his enthusiasm for the holidays this year. So, I feel like he'll be alright. Never mind that he's taken to wearing a jumpsuit, something else you may have around if you have grandparents. He also cut his own hair today. Yeah, he'll be fine.