The Nutcracker

The alphabet is huge in our house. We sing the ABC song, in two different styles. We call out letters when we see them on the street. Many toys display the alphabet - including a set of flash cards. The N card represents a nutcracker on it.

Cora asked me, "what this, Mama? What this N?"
"That is a nutcracker. I have one that I will show you when Christmas is here."

She promptly stands up, puts one hand on her hip, and her other palm face up, questioning me, "Where Christmas go? Mama, Mommy, where Christmas go?" She looked left. She looked right. She turns all the way around and runs to the couch which is in our front window. "Where Christmas? I don't see it outside. No (looking left.) No, (looking right). She gets off the couch and runs back to Frank & I, who are just 6 feet away.

This all happened so fast, I couldn't understand what she was looking for until she came back and said, "Mama, I can't find Christmas."

I had to stifle a laugh. She genuinely thought Christmas was laying around the house or outside.

It's always a challenge to explain things that we take for granted we had to learn at some point. The kids are soaking up everything that we say and do. It's amazing to see and fascinating to realize that we all had to get these same concepts. We are proud of their development. They continue to amaze Frank & I everyday.